How to Wax and Sharpen Skis

Taking good care of your skis will ensure that they last for decades. This includes regularly sharpening the edges and waxing the base of the ski. A regular skier who hits the slopes throughout the entire skiing season should deburr (remove nicks and scrapes) and sharpen his skis every three to five ski days and apply hot wax every five to seven ski days. A casual skier who only skis for a week or less each winter usually only needs to sharpen and wax every other winter vacation.

Things You'll Need

  • Whetstone deburr
  • Brake retainers or thick rubber bands
  • Vise
  • Edge bevel guide
  • Spring clamp
  • Metal file
  • Rag
  • Iron
  • Wax
  • Plexiglas or plastic scraper
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Instructions

  1. Sharpen Skis

    • 1
      Secure the skis in a vise before working on them.

      Apply the brake retainers to your skis or use thick rubber bands to secure the brakes up off of the skis. Place the first ski in the vise with the bottom of the ski facing away from you.

    • 2

      Wet the whetstone deburr with enough water to make it damp. Clamp it to the edge bevel guide with the spring clamp. Hold the bevel guide against the base of the ski so the whetstone is against the edge of the ski. (Note: An edge bevel guide is a metal tool with two sides at a right angle. When one side is placed against the ski bottom, the other side is level with the edge, and it forces the deburr tool to be at right angles to the ski edge you are deburring.)

    • 3

      Use a steady, medium pressure and file the whetstone back and forth to remove any burrs. Carefully test the edge with your finger to make sure all burrs are gone. Flip the ski and repeat on the other edge.

    • 4

      Remove the whetstone deburr from the edge bevel guide and attach the file instead. Place the bevel guide against the base of the ski so the file is against the edge of the ski.

    • 5

      File from the base of the file toward the tip, using steady, medium pressure. Lift the file and place it on the ski again and repeat. Continue until the entire ski is sharpened. Flip the ski and repeat on the other side.

    Wax Skis

    • 6

      Turn the skis (with brake retainers still attached) in the vise with the base facing up. Use a rag to wipe down the base of the ski and remove any visible grit or dirt.

    • 7

      Turn the iron on to the lowest possible setting. Carefully hold the wax against the iron and let it drip onto the ski. Continue until there is a thin line of wax drops along the length of the ski.

    • 8

      Iron the base of the ski with long, smooth strokes until the wax is fully spread out. Turn the iron off and let the wax cool.

    • 9

      Use the scraper to clean the edges and tips of the ski. Then scrape along the base from tip to tail, using long, smooth strokes. Continue until there is no visible layer of wax on the base.