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weatherman

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My Nordica NRGY 100 skis have a low pocket on the bases of both skis. It is right under the heel binding, and nearly identical on both skis. It looks as if the binding screws have warped the ski core, or something weird like that. Does anyone recognize this problem? I took the skis for a tune at Proctor Ski Shop in Nashua, NH, then brought them back when I saw this problem. They did an additional 16 bases with the stone grinder yet couldn't flatten it out. Their position is I am SOL and the proud owner of some rock skis.

By my eye, the edge is also worn a bit. Should my next stop be another shop? Or throw some wax on them and unload them at a ski swap?





 

Jacques

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Don't worry about it anymore. Just ski them. You shouldn't know the difference.
Looks like you may not be rotating your skis and always hockey stop on the same sides.
I'd like to see both skis side by side. Is there any chance that you might be doing this from resting your skis on an unprotected bar?
 

markojp

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It's referred to as 'binding suck'. Yep. Happens under the screws. Fun fun skis and won't effect their performance a bit, even for a moment. Keep skiing 'em. You might want to do more edge work with diamond stones rather than files or tune machines going forward.
 

crgildart

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It's referred to as 'binding suck'. Yep. Happens under the screws. Fun fun skis and won't effect their performance a bit, even for a moment. Keep skiing 'em. You might want to do more edge work with diamond stones rather than files or tune machines going forward.
If the binding screw is pulling up the ski when getting tightened to pucker the base a tad, could it be alleviated by removing the screw, squirting some filler in to the hole under it, then carefully screwing it back in not so tight as to pull the base back up?
 

Frankly

Upwind of NY
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Without skiing a perfect comparison ski you'll never know but in general the areas that matter are along the edges.... You'd have to have a huge hollow to create enough suction to affect skiing.

Get some solid meat in your skies next pair.
 

Jacques

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It's referred to as 'binding suck'. Yep. Happens under the screws. Fun fun skis and won't effect their performance a bit, even for a moment. Keep skiing 'em. You might want to do more edge work with diamond stones rather than files or tune machines going forward.

IDK, didn't look like "binding suck" or "screw suck" to me. Looked like the base was cut from something with that gouge.
 
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weatherman

weatherman

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IDK, didn't look like "binding suck" or "screw suck" to me. Looked like the base was cut from something with that gouge.
Nothing was gouged. There are symmetric marks like that on both skis in the same place under the heel. Definitely "binding suck" or maybe just intense wear, but have never seen that before. How common is it? I also put demo bindings on these. Is it more likely to happen with demos?
 

Jacques

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Nothing was gouged. There are symmetric marks like that on both skis in the same place under the heel. Definitely "binding suck" or maybe just intense wear, but have never seen that before. How common is it? I also put demo bindings on these. Is it more likely to happen with demos?

Well it might just be in the construction of the ski after they fully cured. I don't think it has anything to do with the bindings.
Because you say it exactly the same on both skis that tells me it's in the build.
At any rate, it's noting to worry about.
I'd still be curious to see both side by side with a close photo.
It's not uncommon for skis to have some low spots in the centers be it tips or tails or both. As long as it's the same on both you will be fine.
Often when that happens, they can be a bit too deep to fully grind out. If they did you would have no base left. The base plastic is very thin indeed.
 

Polo

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Short of it just annoying the bejeezus out of you every time you look at it and being a bit of a pain in the arse when scraping, it's nothing worth worrying about. I've yet to wax a new set of skis that didn't have little pockets of low spots here and there. It has zero affect on how they will "ski" but it is a little annoying when scraping because you'll have these little low spots that leave wax, it brushes off so not a big deal.
 

smoothrides

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Tough to tell how deep that pocket is, but I would almost guarantee it's from the mounting screws. The thing I'd be more worried about is the wear along the inside edge. Looks like it's pretty far from flat. Have you put a true bar on there?
 

Jacques

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Tough to tell how deep that pocket is, but I would almost guarantee it's from the mounting screws. The thing I'd be more worried about is the wear along the inside edge. Looks like it's pretty far from flat. Have you put a true bar on there?

How in the world does a gouge of that size and shape come from mounting screws?
 

crgildart

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How in the world does a gouge of that size and shape come from mounting screws?
It's not a gouge, it's a dip from the screw pulling up the bottom because the hole was a little deeper than the screw was long and the screw pulled up the gap leaving a dip under it.
 

Polo

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Have you tried backing the screws out a little to see if it relaxes the base and that low spot goes away? I'm not suggesting you ski it with the screws backed off but it should give you some idea if that is causing the problem.
 

Jacques

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It's not a gouge, it's a dip from the screw pulling up the bottom because the hole was a little deeper than the screw was long and the screw pulled up the gap leaving a dip under it.

That's nice of you to give your opinion Gildart, but I was asking Smooth, because I have never seen a too deep or too shallow screw hole do anything like that to a ski base.

The other strange thing is, it's not centered in the ski as one would mostly see in a construction thing after a ski has fully cured.

That's why I wondered if he was gouging them on a ski rest. Or maybe it's from some strange transportation damage.

Thing is, it sure looks like an abrasion issue from the photo which one can click on and get really close shot.

I have see many skis with holes drilled too deep for the screw. (leaves a concave area the size of the hole) and holes either not deep enough and or too long of screws. (Creates convex bumps the size of the holes).

I'm always game to learn something new and this is a new one to me if it is from a mounting screw.
 

Marshall

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I kinda agree with Jacques... the gouged out are is missing the base structure that the surrounding area has. It looks to me like there was abrasion in that spot.
 

Jacques

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It's on both skis? Is only one ski pictured? I'm kind of agreeing with Jacques. Are these transported on a roof rack? Foot rest without protective rubber?

Yes, he said it's the same on both skis from his first post.
That's why I wanted to see both skis side by side.
I love a mystery, but we all know this is the Web and we are looking at photos.
Sure looks like a ground out section to me.
If it was a sucked in section, I would expect to see some structure in it.
The entire gouge has it's own structure from end to end.
 

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