Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

My Fischer Sbound, Inbound Crown. 68-58-64 skis have lost their grip due to use (minimal "kick" left). I like the skis a lot. Anyone ever tried to restore the "grip" via filing, Dremel tools, grinders to restore the edge on the grip surface? Thanks.

If the ABS/Ptex base material is worn down, the scales very eroded, not much can be done--chances are the base material is way too thin to recut anything of use.
With a router, router table, and skill, you might be able to rout a couple of wax-pocket length, 1/2" wide grooves and glue in some climbing skin material to sub for the former scales.
Just buy a used pair on Craigslist, etc., and move on.

As stated above, a skin conversion could be an option. Another thing I can think of is to try to rebuild some of the base with P-tex. I'm thinking maybe you could build up the are where the base is patterned and then cut in a pattern again. That being said, this may be a completely crackpot idea. I've used ptex once to repair a hole in some bases and am not very good with the stuff, so I have no idea if what I'm describing is actually possible to do or do well, but hopefully that's at least something to think about.

I haven't worn out a pair of scaled skis to the point that they lost grip. I have noticed that as the scales get chewed up from use that the skis don't glide as well and they have a tendency to clump up in clumpy snow. Does anyone have a fix for poor glide?

You could try just using them as waxable skis. If the scales are so worn down that they have no grip, applying kick wax and removing it later shouldn't be too difficult.

DaveT wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 21, 2021 6:20 pm

My Fischer Sbound, Inbound Crown. 68-58-64 skis have lost their grip due to use (minimal "kick" left). I like the skis a lot. Anyone ever tried to restore the "grip" via filing, Dremel tools, grinders to restore the edge on the grip surface? Thanks.

@DaveT did you ever try to recondition the grip section of the bases? I just got a pair of waxless Red Europa 99’s off EBay and the crowns are scraped down to nothing. Otherwise the ski tops are in great condition. I did a quick test with a soldering iron to see if it’s hot enough to melt a groove in the base. Not quite hot enough. I was think of taking a spatula tip and cutting it down to a > and melting a new pattern in. I don’t have a Dremel or Router.

I have a delaminated set of ski's where the grip section is a separate piece of plastic, it is keyed into the the front and back glide surfaces with a puzzle piece pattern. If you trusted your glue technology, transplanting the kick zone from another ski might work.

Skis wear out. Maybe consider purchasing a new pair. I know us telemarkers need to perpetuate the cheap and frugal image but sometimes it gets in the way of actual skiing and becomes ridiculous. Is that the case here? I don't know but it almost seems like it could be...

connyro wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:18 am

Skis wear out. Maybe consider purchasing a new pair. I know us telemarkers need to perpetuate the cheap and frugal image but sometimes it gets in the way of actual skiing and becomes ridiculous. Is that the case here? I don't know but it almost seems like it could be...

Part of how I get psyched up for the ski season and also get ready to make the most of an always too short season is to fiddle with ski things. Part of my enjoyment of this hobby are the technical skills and manual tasks involved. I now have ten pairs of skis including some S-Bound 98's that I bought in the spring and have yet to use. Well I'm not buying any new skis this season (I think, I hope?), but if I do come across, say, an old pair of Europa 99's for cheap that need some work....

connyro wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:18 am

[...]us telemarkers need to perpetuate the cheap and frugal image [...]

That reminds me. I need to get over to Goodwill and see if I can find a coat. Something I can waterproof with beeswax would be sweet.