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Talking Monkey

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I was just scraping wax off my Fischer Motive 86 Tis last night and noticed that a relatively small section of one of them has become convex near the heel piece. What would cause this? Did I overheat this section during waxing or does it just happen over time through normal use? Never had this issue before.
 

MickM

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I was just scraping wax off my Fischer Motive 86 Tis last night and noticed that a relatively small section of one of them has become convex near the heel piece. What would cause this? Did I overheat this section during waxing or does it just happen over time through normal use? Never had this issue before.
If you are talking high in the middle compared to edges, then this would be common these days with lots of man made snow making it worse. Very abrasive and edge sides wear more.
I noticed my old carver skis are quite bad. We ski lots of man made snow here in Oz.

Question: Has anyone here used the base flattening tool from Ski Visions? If so what are peoples opinions? looking for cheaper long term option to base grind
 
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Talking Monkey

Talking Monkey

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Yes, high in the middle. And yes, I was skiing very abrasive snow in Jackson Hole a couple weeks ago.
 

CalG

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Just a data point, and a comment

My RTM84s new this season are "slightly" concave. Call it "crack of light" They have been so since the first waxing. I assume they are that way from the factory. Call it stress movement.

It sure makes it easy to flat file the base angle ;-)
 

Jacques

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I was just scraping wax off my Fischer Motive 86 Tis last night and noticed that a relatively small section of one of them has become convex near the heel piece. What would cause this? Did I overheat this section during waxing or does it just happen over time through normal use? Never had this issue before.

Sometimes just the ski curing through heating and cooling cycles causes the ski shape to change a bit. And as said above, just normal wear.
Needless to say, never run a ski iron too hot!
I use a steel scraper to flatten a convex ski. Eventually, you may want to grind them, no hurry.
See this video.
This is also an alternative to a base grind video.
 

Jacques

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If you are talking high in the middle compared to edges, then this would be common these days with lots of man made snow making it worse. Very abrasive and edge sides wear more.
I noticed my old carver skis are quite bad. We ski lots of man made snow here in Oz.

Question: Has anyone here used the base flattening tool from Ski Visions? If so what are peoples opinions? looking for cheaper long term option to base grind

^ See above links.
 

hbear

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Base high is common through wear
Edge high is usually due to the manufacturing process where skis have been factory tuned before they are fully cured and warp a little when they do.
 

BC.

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Base high is common through wear
Edge high is usually due to the manufacturing process where skis have been factory tuned before they are fully cured and warp a little when they do.

Out of curiosity and for future knowledge....can you guys explain how a ski would “feel” to the skier if the skis were:

- Base High

- Edge High


Defining the behavior of the ski and what it “feels” like to the skier...might help people realize that they need to take their skis back to the shop to get a base grind.....or they need to take them to a better shop.
 

cantunamunch

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The feel of base high depends on the skier and on where exactly on the ski the convexity is - the skis might feel just dull edged (spotty edge hold when engaged ) or the skis might feel over beveled (need extra tipping angle to engage) or sometimes the ski can feel played out (limp and weak on edge like the torsional stiffness is starting to go).

Edge high generally
feels like the ski is on railroad tracks, unskiddable, unsteerable, and almost unturnable. Grabbiness and hookiness and difficulty with progressive weight transfer are all possible parts of the feel.

Sorry, feel and definitions don't really belong together. It is much easier to just check the bases when iffy behavior is noticed - especially if the ski has had a personality change.
 
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Sibhusky

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If you are talking high in the middle compared to edges, then this would be common these days with lots of man made snow making it worse. Very abrasive and edge sides wear more.
I noticed my old carver skis are quite bad. We ski lots of man made snow here in Oz.

Question: Has anyone here used the base flattening tool from Ski Visions? If so what are peoples opinions? looking for cheaper long term option to base grind
Yes, but I use it for structuring. I'd say that over time, the regular structuring has meant it doesn't need flattening. Really, to flatten it, it would be easier just to get it ground.
 

MickM

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Yes, but I use it for structuring. I'd say that over time, the regular structuring has meant it doesn't need flattening. Really, to flatten it, it would be easier just to get it ground.
Cheers. My plan was to scrape with metal scraper then use the tool. Should work ok for recreational skiing.
 

otto

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I have probably posted this video before...

This shows how to keep base flat inbetween grinds, when there is aggressive snow that has "crowned" the base.

 

Jacques

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I have probably posted this video before...

This shows how to keep base flat inbetween grinds, when there is aggressive snow that has "crowned" the base.


Ha ha. I linked this one and another above. I use a burred scraper to impart structure while flattening.
 

CalG

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I suggest any "ski tuner" study up on the finer points of "setting" a cabinet scraper, and it's use.

It is a VERY EFFECTIVE tool for working the p-tex base of snow skis. Just keep the refined edge from contacting the metal edges! ;-)
 

Sibhusky

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Yikes. How did that even happen with a shop tune? Maybe a shop guy can tell us.

As to bringing them back, aside from "the principle of the thing", for me it would depend on your intended use. Are you going to be on firm groomers? Then definitely. They don't look that wide, so I'm guessing that's the case. But soft snow? It would depend for me on the hassle factor. But then I have a flattener of my own, so it's easy for me to say that.

At least they are not railed, which to me is far worse.
 
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Talking Monkey

Talking Monkey

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Yikes. How did that even happen with a shop tune? Maybe a shop guy can tell us.

As to bringing them back, aside from "the principle of the thing", for me it would depend on your intended use. Are you going to be on firm groomers? Then definitely. They don't look that wide, so I'm guessing that's the case. But soft snow? It would depend for me on the hassle factor. But then I have a flattener of my own, so it's easy for me to say that.

At least they are not railed, which to me is far worse.

Yes, they are my groomer skis that I occasionally take off piste. I have wider skis for powder and softer snow.

I'm still wondering if I overheated the base in that area and caused the issue - is that possible? Or was it just from skiing lots of abrasive snow? I've been waxing my own skis for a long time now and never had an issue so I'm hoping I didn't do this to myself, but I suppose anyone can make a mistake.
 
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Sibhusky

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Tough to say unless they were flat at one time. Could have been like that when you bought them even. Unless you can narrow down the time frame of when it might have occurred, anything would be speculation.
 

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