Wax how often?

19603 Views 20 Replies 20 Participants Last post by freshy, Dec 26, 2016

KrombopulosMike

Discussion Starter · Dec 14, 2016

I'm on the east coast and I ride mostly man made snow. I spend a fair amount of time on rails if that matters. Just got a board with a sintered base. How often do I need to wax? to sharpen my edges? Also, I've read a few how-to's but if anyone knows any great tutorial videos...

Thanks

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

AmberLamps

· #2 · Dec 14, 2016

Sintered Base is designed to absorb wax and needs wax more often to maintain speed than an Extruded base. I like to wax every 3-4 times I ride on my Sintered boards. Im sure everyone has an opinion on this, but I find that to be plenty enough for what I need. Unless you're trying to break world speed records I don't thing you will really notice much or a difference tbh.

Triple8Sol

· #3 · Dec 14, 2016

I'm the same way, I wax every 3-4 days on a board.

Phedder

· #4 · Dec 14, 2016

Yeah, I'm an every 3-5 rides depending on conditions. Though when the temp dropped from -10 celcius to -30, I made sure to put a cold wax on all my boards. Never felt a board stick like that before!

Edge sharpening is as needed. I'm very meticulous about my edges, I keep them sharp and I hate burrs. I'll use the diamond stone to get rid of any burrs which seems to be most times I ride, but actually running them through the machine or using a file isn't needed as often if I stay on top of it with the diamond stone.

sabatoa

· #5 · Dec 14, 2016

I have a sintered board and I don't wax nearly enough, maybe once every 12 sessions or something. I feel it on the runouts, she slows down on me. I should wax this week..

llamabrew

· #6 · Dec 14, 2016

Depends on snow conditions too. If you're riding ice and/or wet sloppy snow then wax more often. Agree that generally once every 3-4 days is adequate though.

Oldman

· #7 · Dec 14, 2016

If I'm riding lots of man made corduroy, ( which is most of the time ) = 3 days

If I'm lucky enough to be on natural powder ( not nearly enough ) = 5 days

YMMV

Simon Birch

· #8 · Dec 15, 2016

KrombopulosMike said:
I'm on the east coast and I ride mostly man made snow. I spend a fair amount of time on rails if that matters. Just got a board with a sintered base. How often do I need to wax? to sharpen my edges? Also, I've read a few how-to's but if anyone knows any great tutorial videos...

Thanks

Man made snow is more jagged than real snow so its "recommended" to wax more often when riding on it. No matter what you read or hear don't use a base cleaner. A citrus house hold cleaner is all you need. Use gummy stones and diamond files to remove burs on your edges. Just make sure you get the right color gummy for the job. Grey is to de-tune edges, blue for serious burs, and red for all around maintenance and tuning.

Reactions: 1

Kaladryn

· #9 · Dec 25, 2016

Daily for me unless you snow is perfect then maybe every other day, no idea how anyone could make it longer and not notice it. Maybe people who aren't scraping all the wax off?

neni

· #10 · Dec 25, 2016 (Edited)

Phedder said:
Yeah, I'm an every 3-5 rides depending on conditions. Though when the temp dropped from -10 celcius to -30, I made sure to put a cold wax on all my boards. Never felt a board stick like that before!

Edge sharpening is as needed. I'm very meticulous about my edges, I keep them sharp and I hate burrs. I'll use the diamond stone to get rid of any burrs which seems to be most times I ride, but actually running them through the machine or using a file isn't needed as often if I stay on top of it with the diamond stone.

^ This, just make it every 3-5 weekends, so every 6-10 times (well... maybe rather 15-20... In seasons like last year w/o real cold days? I've waxed only twice. Board is still faster than I need it to be.)

OP: it all depends on you, your board, your mtn layout, what you ride and expect and snow conditions. There's no right or wrong. Wax whenever you feel its needed.

The must be's are: cold wax if very cold, structured grind for spring slush. Sharp edges all season.

Reactions: 1

Argo

· #11 · Dec 25, 2016

We wax with the weather. Cold, mediocre or warm. powder, soft groomer or ice....... there is a wax to match.

Snow Hound

· #12 · Dec 25, 2016

I normally wax before every trip but one thing led to another and it was around 10+ days before I just had another 3. I could tell by looking at the base but pretty sure it made next to no difference when riding. I'll have a bit more time over Xmas and can't wait to give the girls some tender loving.

NickinCO

· #13 · Dec 25, 2016

every day or every other day at the most.

F1EA

· #14 · Dec 26, 2016

Fresh wax I notice it. Board is super fast and glides really well.

After the 2-3 days of riding it, feels a little slower, so it all depends on whether I manage the time to wax/scrape....

So... if effort/time was not an issue, I'd wax after every day or 2 at most. But because it is....... every 4 days or so.

Alpine Duke

· #15 · Dec 26, 2016

there are a few threads on waxing....and most of them have arguments in them

Do a search and you will have plenty of reading to do.

Reactions: 1

tanscrazydaisy

· #16 · Dec 26, 2016

KrombopulosMike said:
I'm on the east coast and I ride mostly man made snow. I spend a fair amount of time on rails if that matters. Just got a board with a sintered base. How often do I need to wax? to sharpen my edges? Also, I've read a few how-to's but if anyone knows any great tutorial videos...

Thanks

Ideally daily, since our snow is quite abrasive especially on the edges

Videos
http://www.racewax.com/tuning-tips/

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Reactions: 1

speedjason

· #17 · Dec 26, 2016

When you see the edges turning white.

Reactions: 1

Fielding

· #18 · Dec 26, 2016

Simon Birch said:
Man made snow is more jagged than real snow so its "recommended" to wax more often when riding on it. No matter what you read or hear don't use a base cleaner. A citrus house hold cleaner is all you need. Use gummy stones and diamond files to remove burs on your edges. Just make sure you get the right color gummy for the job. Grey is to de-tune edges, blue for serious burs, and red for all around maintenance and tuning.

It's better to use no cleaner at all. Instead, use the hot wax cleaning technique. Apply a generous cover of cheap all purpose wax and then scrape it before it cools down. The scrapings will be dirty. That's the dirt stuck in you old wax job coming off. It works great. In the long run this technique keeps more wax on the board.

chomps1211

· #19 · Dec 26, 2016 (Edited)

OP,… I think you'll find if you do a little research and searching the forum on this topic that "Waxing" is somewhat akin to a Religion for many here! Lots and lots of opinion, methods, reasoning behind each individuals preferences and methods!!!

For many of the Devout followers of this religion,... it is often viewed very much a transcendent, spiritual, and meditational,.. almost zen-like practice!!! 0

"Nearer My God to Thee!!!" sso to speak! >

Myself Being rather the uncouth, uncivilized and un-learned savage and "Agnostic" among the pious & faithful here,….? Viewing it as more of a "Chore" than a worshipful practice…

I usually just wax when I can, or when the board refuses to slide!!!

:laugh:

…..Just like in the following example!

neni said:
^ This, just make it every 3-5 weekends, so every 6-10 times (well... maybe rather 15-20... In seasons like last year w/o real cold days? I've waxed only twice. Board is still faster than I need it to be.)

OP: it all depends on you, your board, your mtn layout, what you ride and expect and snow conditions. There's no right or wrong. Wax whenever you feel its needed.

The must be's are: cold wax if very cold, structured grind for spring slush. Sharp edges all season.

I've found this to be true in "most" cases. (…the exceptions being as @neni suggested,.. extreme cold or extreme wet conditions!)

:question:

AmberLamps said:
Sintered Base is designed to absorb wax and needs wax more often to maintain speed than an Extruded base.

Unless you're trying to break world speed records I don't thing you will really notice much or a difference tbh.

I'm going to ask for some clarification and/or confirmation on ^this^ as I was led to believe that a "Sintered" base actually held wax better/longer because it was porous?? Conversely,.. Extruded bases having none of these pores,.. supposedly wax was more quickly/easily scraped off! :question:

Am I wrong in my understanding of this??

And last, but not least,….

NickinCO said:
every day or every other day at the most.

…with "more" than "at most" being what exactly…? Stopping to wax Mid run??? :blink:

>

(…juss bustin' your balls a bit as I found that statement somewhat humorous!!) LoL!

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Kaladryn

· #20 · Dec 26, 2016

On fresh snow, especially where the groomers aren't too hard either, you could probably go many days on a single wax, maybe only two if you are going hard all day. The problem is the base right next to the edge, you could have 90% of the board well waxed, but still be needing wax on the few millimeters of base that experiencing by far the most friction. On very abrasive snow, this will be an issue after a few hours. If the snow is abrasive enough, you don't need to scrap your board after waxing, it will all be gone in a few runs, the wax in the base might last half the day before you start to notice a lack of wax, especially noticeable in abrasive spring conditions that then get wet.

Wax isn't about going fast to me, it's about reducing muscle fatigue throughout the day of riding by reducing friction between me and the snow, and going fast.

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