Dealing with Swix CH-4 and Other Super Hard Waxes

[NMU Alpine Boarder]

Ok, since winter decided to finally show up, I've needed to break out the super cold wax.... I'm curious how I should go about using though... I've been told that it's ok to scrape these super hard waxes as soon as they solidify after ironing... I've also been told that you actually pull wax out of the base if you let it sit for a while because it "chips" off instead of "Shaving" off... Anyone have any advice? I am lost here....

[wavechaser]

Leave the iron alone - crayon it on, use a Wax Whizard (www.alpineskituning.com) to drive it into the base, brush it out - ride.

[Gleb]

i tried crayoning my ch4 wax and its impossible to do it. It just doesn't spread when i start using the wax wizard.

[pebu]

This seems like a good thread. I haven't done it myself, but I'm about to. Seems like gleb would have a valid point. It's hard to crayon a hard wax.

[Mr. T]

A couple of things I learned from waxing nordic skis and snowboards, are to use a base prep wax and a warm scrape prior to cold wax application, this supposedly helps clean the base, heats up the core a bit more and helps to draw the harder cold wax into the base. Try and apply evenly, with good coverage but don't over do it. Once it is set up use light scraping, difficult to do without it flaking at the edge, then rotobrush which is preffered if you have one ( I don't ) if not try a nylon hand brush ( this is what I use and it works but not like a roto) or wax wizzard. I usually end up leaving a lot more wax on the base than I otherwise would for warmer waxes. Seems like the colder snow is more abrasive and removes wax from the base faster hence I don't feel as bad with the bulk o' wax on the base. Not sure if this is the ideal techniqe or not, love to hear how others do it.

[wavechaser]

i tried crayoning my ch4 wax and its impossible to do it. It just doesn't spread when i start using the wax wizard.

I usually put my board (base side out), and the wax, in front of the heater for about 15 minutes before I do it - not close enough to melt the wax obviously. I use Dominator Bullet (5 degrees and below) and it spreads just fine.

[Fastskiguy]

I've waxed with something a little softer than ch4, then scraped, brushed, then put the ch4 on. It's some friggin' hard stuff, feels like hard plastic. Then I like to do most of the scraping and brushing while it's warm, otherwise it seems to chip off and flake in a funny way. Haven't tried it on a snowboard tho....just skis

[chadx]

I've been using the Swix 180gram of CH6 with my waxwhizard and while yes, it is rather hard it does crayon on if you use just the corner of it and some elbow grease. Definitely helps if the board and especially the wax have been kept indoors where warm overnight. Wavechasers heater idea would help even more. I've only used the waxwhizard with CH6 so far. I got it a few weeks ago and that has been the range wax I've needed. It's warmed up a bit, so will be trying some CH7 this week, which I'm sure will crayon way better. The CH4 would probably be a bit tough, but still doable with warming the board first or maybe even just a quick tap on the iron before crayoning (yes, that is an extra step in a process that is supposed to by simplified and the reason we have turned to the whizard in the first place, but with CH4 type waxes, it might help). You can always go for the paste waxes, too.

By the way, it is spelled waxwhizard and not waxwizard. Wax Wizard is a trademark name for a software on the Swix site that has you input outside temp, humidity, type of snow, ect. and then recommends a wax for you.

http://www.swixschool.com/web_tysk/wizard2.html?langInput=lang2&menuInput=subM2

As for the original question and using an iron, yes, first clean with a real soft wax. After scraping and brushing, then go with a medium wax. After scraping and brushing, your cold wax should work in better. One way to get it to work better is touch the CH4 to the iron for a second, then crayon it on. Once you have crayoned the whole base, you can then do the usual melted wax drizzle over the crayoning. Then when you iron it, it seems to take it better. Scrape it a few minutes later before it turns to total rock. Brush it out and done.

[Pat Donnelly]

SWIX BASE BURN POWDER

Sprinkle some of this ultrahard powder wax on your base (or at least along both edges) just before hotwaxing with your wax of the day...then iron both waxes in together. It helps protect the base in very cold and abrasive (icy, manmade, frozen spring) snow against base burn and can help increase wax durability. Use the hydrocarbon powder for temperatures -26* to 12*F (-32* to -12*C)...and the lo-fluoro powder for -25* to 14*F (-32* to -10*C).

EXTREME COLD WAXES

Very coarse snow crystals, manmade snow and ice are especially abrasive and strip wax from bases quickly, which can create base “burn”...an oxidizing process that seals p-tex and diminishes its ability to absorb future wax. Extreme cold wax powders are made primarily of hard synthetic paraffins to combat this. It’s sprinkled on bases...or at least along edges where base burn risk is greatest...before dripping your

hydrocarbon wax choice of the day over it. The two are then melted in together. They are offered by most major wax companies.