able to perform with properly prepared equipment. Being a somewhat competitive person, I am very satis-
fied to be a part in a successful competition result.
How much time do you spend on every pair of skis that comes through your shop?
New-ski full preparations, being the most extensive, require about one and half hours to prepare. On the
other hand, a race preparation (edge sharpen, polish, and race wax and brush) takes about half an hour.
Above all, Richter Race Service is about quality over quantity!
How are you and your staff staying current?
I am currently providing ski service to the U.S. women’s World Cup team. That is staying pretty current! As
long as RRS has been open, I have continued to travel nationally and internationally providing ski service
at the highest levels, including at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
What do you think is the most exciting trend or technology in ski tuning?
The quality of stone-ground finishes is very high right now. The idea that race skis can not be “reground”
in the competition period is outdated. A skilled operator with a high quality machine can produce a fresh
stone ground finish that is ready to race with
minimal wax cycles/time on snow. Also, dia-mond/ceramic disc edge grinding is very exciting to me. The level of accuracy of edge geometry along with the longevity of “sharpness”
is very high compared to hand filing.
Jonathan “Napa” Weyant has worked with Casey Puckett, among others.
If you could share anything about being
a ski tuner, what would it be?
There is a very direct relationship between
being a successful ski racer and being a suc-
cessful business person. Both require a great
deal of consistent hard work, motivation, and
attention to detail. To be successful in any en-
deavor in life, you must be passionate to ac-
quire as much information possible and put in
the hours doing your work, be that in the gym,
on the hill, or behind the bench!
CATHERINE KERR
Storing Skis for the Summer
Even if you’re chasing an endless winter in Mount Hood and South America, you’re
probably thinking about putting away your skis for a bit. Keep these points in mind.
1. The tune. Most likely, you’re ending your season on some excellent corn snow, or even
a spring powder day if you’re lucky. But it’s just as likely that your next outing will be on hard
snow, whether it’s at a summer camp or next fall on hard, machine-made snow. So now is a
great time to make sure things are just the way you want them and avoid a future scramble.
Look carefully at your bases — is the grind still visible and even across the width? If not, a
re-grind may be in order. Get those edges sharpened up and polished, too.
2. The base. As the snow begins to melt, all the dirt that has been trapped and deposited in
the snow begins to become more visible. Cleaning your bases (using the hot-scrape method) should be part of your program all season; now that the season is done, take some time
to use a soft, warm wax and repeatedly hot scrape clean those bases until there is no black
gunk left. Don’t be surprised if it takes three to five hot-scrape cycles to get them clean. Skis
that have been freshly stone-ground will also benefit from being hot-scrape cleaned, too!
3. The wax. You’ll be leaving it on the skis for storage. It’s a safe bet that the next time
you’ll be on your skis, the snow will be hard, abrasive snow. I like to use a medium-hard wax
along with graphite/moly for summer storage, as it’s most appropriate for a scrape-and-go
situation the next time I am on the hill. Graphite/moly is terrific for high friction and/or dirty
snow situations, just like those you’ll encounter on a summer snowfield or early season machine-made snow. A couple of my favorite combos for these snow situations are Swix LF6
& LF7 and Holmenkol Graph/Moly in a 1:1:1 ratio OR crayoning Holmenkol GW- 25 on the
base then waxing Holmenkol Betamix & Graph/Moly in a 2:1 ratio. In either case, you’re using some fluor (dirt repellent) and graph/moly (friction fighter). And remember, salted snow
is usually around minus 12 degrees Celsius when it sets up and warms gradually.
4. The details. Be sure you’ve scraped your base and side edges clean. Any wax left on
your edges for storage will trap humidity, and you’ll grow barnacles. I like to bury the bases
in wax in case the skis are exposed to a high-heat situation. I also like to put some cardboard between the skis and then tape them together tightly, so they are ready to travel for
the next adventure. It’s a good idea to put a piece of tape on the skis with the date and what
you waxed, too, just so you don’t have to recall it later.
5. Your tools. So you’ve got your skis all dialed in and tucked away. Now take a look at
your tool situation. Throw all the worn-out stuff away, recycling what you can. Clean out
your toolbox. Take some time and clean your good tools. Do some organization. And the
spring is a great time of year to find deals on wax and tools from your favorite supplier at a
better price than in the fall, so stock up! — D.P.
