skimom Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Anyone know the rationale for graphite waxes? And, of those who have used them, how do they measure up with otherwise comparable nongraphite waxes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 They are used for their anti-static properties on old, manmade snow. There is friction from static, so it allows skis to pass more easily, as opposed to simply repelling water. I don't use them, so I can't give my impressions, but they do come in LF and HF (graphite only makes up 1/99th of the compound). Best to test it yourself and see how it feels on your skis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorovr Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 From my limited knowledge of them, you really have to know quite a bit about snow conditions, temperatures, etc... If you put the wrong kind on for the conditions, it'll feel like you've put sandpaper on your bases. This applies to all waxes, but the difference is just much more noticeable with the graphite powder or pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimom Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 I figured it had something to do with static. But, how much friction does static add anyway? It certainly is the winter for old, man-made snow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 IDK, 'Mom, I just never put any effort toward that variable. After lots of testing, I've ended up pretty happy with either LF6, LF7, or LF8, with PTFE when it's over 25 degrees. Dr. D sent me some of his low fluoro waxes for both warm and cold snow, but I haven't tried them yet. Montage's NASTAR is just about the perfect testing ground for waxes, since it's usually 30 seconds, with a long tuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 i use static fighting wax in a base with static fighting additives. its superb in the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicSkier Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Ski999, I thought the stuff we were using at Belleayre/Blue was Graphite? Or Was that teflon? Whatever that stuff is, it's TOO slippery BTW Ski, our bases on our GS:11's are high-electra graphite i believe, whatever that means Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 electra has graphite as an additive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 PTFE, Jeff, is pure fluoro. It's in the Teflon family. Now known to cause cancer in lab rats. It was a big study that came out and Dupont has agreed to stop throwing it's byproducts into the environment... And there was Ty and I on Sunday, kneeling over our skis, dumping lots of PTFE all over our bases, hands, faces... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimom Posted February 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 How about graphite when it's cold but dry - don't we get more static when it's dry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papasteeze Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 (edited) Dr. D sent me some of his low fluoro waxes for both warm and cold snow, but I haven't tried them yet. Montage's NASTAR is just about the perfect testing ground for waxes, since it's usually 30 seconds, with a long tuck. I used Dr.D's warm on Sunday on one ski - definite positive difference. However I thought it was weird that I could only scrape it warm. It gets really brittle. Edited February 1, 2006 by Papasteeze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 wouldnt scraping it warm just pull it out of the base? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 wouldnt scraping it warm just pull it out of the base? Yes. As you know, it's the best way to clean your bases. Graphites come temperature specific, 'Mom, but most are directed toward low-humidity and/or older, manmade snow. So yes, it follows the logic that dry=more static. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicSkier Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 wouldnt scraping it warm just pull it out of the base? That's how I clean my bases, iron it on, and scrape and brush right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 yee, its safest and most effective way. maybe your other wax was dirty and gripping the snow, and removing all the wax and dirt caused the definite positive change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidude Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Ski999 I heard running over your bases with a horse hair brush when you are done your tuning and waxing will take out any extra static in them (not sure if its true or not, but a pass probably won't hurt) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Ski999 I heard running over your bases with a horse hair brush when you are done your tuning and waxing will take out any extra static in them (not sure if its true or not, but a pass probably won't hurt) I always use a horsehair as a final brush....not for that reason, though. To be perfectly honest, I'm just pretty set in my temp/snow type mixes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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