All Things Head

[Dave Petersen]

 

[Dave Petersen]

 

[Dave Petersen]

 

[Dave Petersen]

 

[Doug Briggs]

A very special thanks to @Royal for offering these 220 cm HEAD DHs along with a pair K2s. The HEADs are matched to an old pair of Langes. The bindings were lovingly restored by Royal along with some sweet leather Look safety straps.

Photos on snow will be coming soon.

 

[Royal]

I am anticipating your review of the Heads. I was able to turn them but it required a lot of Speed(read energy) to get them to bend but bend they did and they are still fast. Honestly I preferred them to the K2's. I have some Kastle speed machine DH boards from the 90's that I liked enough to keep in the collection for now.

 

[Doug Briggs]

@Royal, The Heads have a lot of camber which probably contributes to the need for lots of energy. Not to mention they are stiff and long.

I noticed that their were some screws broken off. Did that happen during binding removal? I'm not surprised as the holes that were available were not very easy to put the screws back into. I tapped (or was it re-tapped?) the holes I used and the screws went in a lot easier. The thickness of the metal under the heel was impressive. I suspect they had issues with screws pulling out so put extra metal there.

I haven't taken the skis to the shop so haven't checked the bevels. What did you set them to? 0 and 0?

 

[Royal]

the broken screws were from before I got the skis.I found them with out bindings. I think there were multiple mountings on those skis. both bindings and locations. With that metal plate I did not worry about multiple mountings too much.
For tuning, I start at 0/0 with the belt sander and then usually finish with a flat file held at the ends for about .5 base bevel and a 1 degree side.I did these so long ago I can't remember specifically what they have. they have been stored inside in a cool dry basement for the last few years, hopefully the bases are still flat. I have found that the HEAD skis from that era are typically VERY concave especially at the tip and tail. (shrinking glue?, warping more near the thinner cross sections of the skis?) anyway, I try to get the skis completely flat with out totally removing all the base material, edges or center grooves. make sure to check the tips tails for any concavity.

I remember the first time I tried to turn them. I put them on edge and they just kept going straight until I picked up some decent speed. then they would gradually start to flex and make long gentle arcs. The side cut radius must be close to 100M

 

[Doug Briggs]

I concur about the remounts. With this much metal, nothing could pull out. I felt like I could recycle the amount of metal that the tap had to cut out to make the holes workable.

The location of the extra metal is interesting. The toe won't move due to the middle of chord length placement that was used back then so the heel would move. If you had a binding that wasn't a pivot under the heel, you'd have been behind the mounting plate. I suppose back then, the choices were mostly pivots (or under the heel mounts) with Look and Marker. Or even a cable binding?

I find whenever I get on old skis, after being on modern gear, I have to very conciously NOT to initiate turns before gaining speed by simply edge tipping because my COM naturally is moving inside the turn in anticipation of the turning of the skis that DOESN'T happen until you get going. It can be entertaining, to say the least.

I hope to get to the Basin soon and run one or the other DHs first thing in the morning. I won't have time to do both in one visit, so I'll just have to go back. ;-)

 

[Doug Briggs]

High school race at Cranmore.

USSA race, also at Cranmore.

Another USSA race at Cranmore.

Those XR-1s rocked. They also had cracked edges and plugs on the sidewall that would pop out. We'd stuff them with tissue then epoxy over that. Repeatedly.

The gloves had padding taped to them. Knee pads were pretty helpful if you were going to get near the gates.

My thanks to Steve Sherlock, an instructor and rep at the area for almost all my old racing photos.

 

[Bill Talbot]

Head Standard
Head 360
Head Killy 800

 

[Bill Talbot]

Some great HEAD skis from our friend Mack
HEAD HRP
HEAD HRP COMP
HEAD XR1 COMPITITION

 

[Bill Talbot]

HEAD YAHOO
HEAD YAHOO I
HEAD YAHOO 2
HEAD WAHOO

 

[Dave Petersen]

 

[Doug Briggs]

SKI Dec 1974

There is so much wrong with that picture that it is right.

 

[Doug Briggs]

220 cm head competition downhills. Lovingly restored by @Royal , the beauties were not really suitable for the conditions. I think the amount of camber in the heads caused them to want to run straight and the bindings prevented me from going fast enough to overcome the camber. I took one run on Sundance and retired them in exchange for a mimosa and Stoeckli SL skis. Later on Zags. FWIW, the Nevada toes, without teflon on the wings, didn't provide sufficient elasticity with the Langes for me to feel comfortable ramping up the speed.

 

[Royal]

pretty easy to swap the newer toes on as I'm sure you know. the hole pattern is identicle. but i felt the same way. these are the closest skis I have found to 2x4's.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Good point about swapping the toes. I might just do that sometime so I can run these up to proper speed.

Inquiring minds and all that...

 

[Don in Morrison]

Three quarters of the Heads I've ever owned. Never got a picture of the 320's. The Hot Heads wanted to grow up to be Yahoos.

 

[Dave Petersen]