Use Masking Tape to Protect Your Kick Zone
Classic ski waxing tip
Tue, Dec 19, 2006 - By Mike Muha
Here's an easy way top keep glide wax from getting in your classic ski's kick zone when you're glide waxing: use masking tape to cover the kick zone.
Notice the ski below. The back of the kick zone is marked by a little angled Sharpie mark just to the left of the upside down "P" (The "P" is where my kick zone used to be. Either the skis have gotten softer or I've gotten heavier, so the kick zone has moved slightly).
But I'm generally not looking at the side of my ski when I'm ironing or brushing - I'm looking at the top. Can you tell me where the kick zone ends by looking at the top of the ski below?
Ah! Put some masking tape over the ski, ending at the edge of the kick zone. Now I know how far to glide wax AND I don't have to worry about the iron getting too close to the kick zone.
Go one step further - especially if you use a Roto Brush: cover the entire kick zone with masking tape. Now I don't need to worry about messing up the kick zone while scraping or brushing!
Masking tape: Not just for painting anymore. Put it in your wax box!
UPDATE! Received this in e-mail moments after the article was published:
Hey Mike,
Good tip. Even better is the high quality blue
painter's tape. Glue doesn't transfer as much as the cheaper tan variety. Get
the right width for your skis. And the blue is strong enough to cut just to your
kick zone length, lay it down along the entire kick zone, glide wax, remove tape
and hang it on the wall for the next time. Or leave it on over binder to keep it
from getting contaminated in your bag before applying the final waxes at the ski
venue.
Blue painter's tape and duct tape........skiers
best friends.
Scot Wilson, CXC Chief Operating Officer