Repetitive cutting in a ski base

**rsser** · 5th July 2018, 09:12 PM

Did a morning of testing on an XC trail and on and off piste at Falls Creek. All low grades. This is the washup:

1. Packed sugar or rice: no grip just walking; skis had to be whacked down or diagonal stride was needed.
2. Loose sugar on a firm base had enough grip, just, to walk.
3. Soft sugar without a base: enough grip.

So I think that the void-solid ratio is too low.

Then the grip you don't want: there was a bit of grab skating when the toe was pointing down and perhaps a little stickiness in the telemark lead change.

The crampons I'd sourced for my bindings aren't compatible with the release plates I use without modification so there's another project.

Skis: Voile V6
Bindings: 22 Designs Axls
Release plates: Telebry Safeouts

**rsser** · 16th July 2018, 01:56 PM

A bit more experience and reflection ...

They're pretty slow in man-made and fresh snow. And it seems like the cutting has raised a grain. Odd. Didn't do that with the test ski.

The bottom edge of the straight-end bit has a negative rake to it. Might account for it.

I'm going to use a turner's carbide cutter to try and clean the voids up a bit.

**RossM** · 17th July 2018, 07:38 PM

Good to see you have got some results for all the effort Ern!! Will be interested to hear if cleaning it up helps. Have you tried a light wax to help with glide? It should not really affect the climbing, as that is mechanical - a wax might settle down the "raised grain" a bit.

**rsser** · 17th July 2018, 07:53 PM

Indeed Ross.
Hot wax, scrape- & brush-out first off. Then a generous liquid wax and buff after a couple of days.
Scraping so far is doing only a little. Wondering what else to try. Cabinet scraper? I think it has to go parallel to the rilling and downhill (must be plastic wood! ) - and that doesn't leave much room.

**rsser** · 25th October 2018, 06:15 PM

As the season drew on I found that grip on old sugar snow was good. Walking up the Mt McKay road didn't require herring boning.

The cover of course was sensational this winter and it was possible to telemark down to Road 24 and ski back up into the resort.

With a couple of weeks left I changed to NTN and the improvement in feel, stability and responsiveness was huge - Outlaw X, Tx Pro boots. Much easier to weight the uphill ski and so get control over it.

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