# I bought a metal wax scraper and have a few questions



## Notebender

Like the title said, I bought a metal wax scraper from the local shop.

How should I use it to avoid scratching my board's base, is it any different than using a plastic or plexiglas glass scraper?


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## Snurf

How should you use it? In a word "don't"

IMO metal scrapers are likely do more harm than good. Get a plastic (plexiglas) scraper and you won't damage your base.


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## Notebender

They were out of plexi glas and plastic unfortunately, I'm gonna go return it tomorrow.

Glad I saved the receipt


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## ShredLife

i use a metal scraper and my base is fine


you CAN damage your base with a metal scraper if you are a retard and scrape until you rip ptex off, or dig a corner in and take a huge pull or something. if you use common sense and look at what you are doing you can use a metal scraper and get the job done in 1/2 the time and effort that it takes to do it with a plastic one...


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## Notebender

ShredLife said:


> i use a metal scraper and my base is fine
> 
> 
> you CAN damage your base with a metal scraper if you are a retard and scrape until you rip ptex off, or dig a corner in and take a huge pull or something. if you use common sense and look at what you are doing you can use a metal scraper and get the job done in 1/2 the time and effort that it takes to do it with a plastic one...


Good to know at least someone uses a metal scraper. I looked all over the Internet, and didn't find a single damn thing on how to use it properly. 

Do you apply the same pressure? 

Sorry for noobish questions, but I haven't been riding for much time at all


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## Qball

plastic scrapers suck. I only use metal just dont be dumb


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## ShredLife

just pay attention to what the scraper is taking off.. you'll see shavings of wax, then you'll see less.... you'll notice less wax on the surface of the base. that's about it


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## Notebender

Alright man, appreciate the info


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## jdmccright

Yea I have seen several people say not to use a metal scraper but I have used both and the metal is the way to go. I just dont get the hate for them, unless your a complete tard or noob you want have any problem using them. You could round off the edges if your worried about gashing your board as well.


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## Gustov

i refuse to use a plastic scraper. it's easy to tell if you're going to hurt your board. it takes a lot to hurt it.


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## jyuen

do they make actual metal snowboard scrapers now? or are we talking about metal dry wall scrapers?

i used to use a dry wall scraper but i found that that the rectangular ptex things you buy from board shops actually do a better job scraping.

they're sturdier and you can push down on the base harder. dry wall scrapers are super flimsy and didn't do a very good job of taking wax off.


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## ShredLife




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## CMSbored

I too use metal scrapers. i have a stiff putty knife one and 2 ski/snowboard specific ones. and i also use plastic/plexi scrapers. i have a million of them.

the one Shredlife posted is the one i have. and i have a different brand one. They also sell them on Tognar.


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## Tarzanman

If you aren't racing (or doing physics experiments), then the difference between using a metal scraper vs a plastic scraper over time is negligible.

If you looked at your base under a microscope, you'd probably notice more wax left down and less scratching of your base by a plastic scraper.

The metal scraper is faster, but I worry less about dinging the board or wearing on my edges with a plastic scraper. Ergo, I use the plastic scraper for wax and leave the metal scraper for ptex


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## Riley212

i thought metal scrapers are for removong the flash from small scratches and scraping off Ptex after you have melted it in, not for removing wax.


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## mjd

Riley212 said:


> i thought metal scrapers are for removong the flash from small scratches and scraping off Ptex after you have melted it in, not for removing wax.


that's what they are intended for but you can use them to scrape the wax off. you have to be careful sharp corners don't gouge the base. you can file the corners down a bit to prevent that. some ppl angle them like this / and some like \. either way works. 

plastic scrapers are a pain in the ass- they dull real quickly. i like the drywall scraper idea- have to check that out.


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## CheeseForSteeze

Metal scrapers are fine as long as you are careful, as Snowolf and Shredlife pointed out. Of course, that's true about any scraper; even a plexiglass scraper can damage your base if you are just careless with it.

I stopped using metal scrapers and went back to plexiglass because I find I can keep them extra sharp which actually works better than metal scrapers. Having a good scraper sharpnener helps a lot. I use a Toko World Cup Scraper Sharpener and Toko 3mm and 5mm scrapers. It takes me maybe 10 minutes to scrape and scotch-brite.

A metal scraper can be sharpened but they don't have to be. I'm super lazy, so an extra sharp plexi scraper (takes 10 seconds to sharpen) is preferred. I still use a metal scraper and/or razor for working with p-tex, metalgrip and epoxy.


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## Smokehaus

I have used metal and plexi and ended up sticking with plexi. Purely a personal opinion, but I just enjoy using them better and for myself I find no real savings in time using metal over plexi. On my metal scrapers I just took a dremel tool and rounded the edges which works out great.


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## grafta

Last season I had oneballjay biogreen wax and the only way I could scrape it was with a metal scraper. It was really hard wax, plexi scraper took way too long.

I'm using some other wax that is softer so i'm back on the plexi scraper now. Seems easier with plastic scraper and new wax is lasting much longer than that other oneball crap :thumbsup:

So yeah, it depends


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## Smokehaus

Lets not get ahead of ourselves. Most companies make a "green" earth friendly wax, and they suck across the board as far as I am concerned. OBJ makes amazing wax, but I am sure their biogreen left much to be desired.


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## grafta

Expensive shite. Big block of no name was only $4 more and 3 times the weight. I've got no problem saying that biogreen stuff was crap. Seems anything with a snowboard specific 'brand name' is pumped up cost-wise and is the same stuff when you get down to it.


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## Smokehaus

No doubt it is more expensive for that reason alone, but that does not make it bad wax. There are cheap waxes out there just are not the same (insert some kind of cake wax), and do no provide the quality of ride that I expect out of a proper wax job. Don't get me wrong either. I have used big blocks of no named wax before with great results, but I still like OBJ. Does it do the same job as a cheaper wax? Probably. Does it smell like heaven in my room when waxing? Every time. 

I understand waxes all do the same thing (for the most part), but I don't mind paying extra to use a wax that I enjoy.




Miller lite will get you drunk for cheap, but I will stick to my Magic Hat and meet you on the other side.


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## grafta

Smokehaus said:


> No doubt it is more expensive for that reason alone, but that does not make it bad wax.


Actually dude, that wax was expensive and it was a bad wax that didn't work or last well :thumbsdown:


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## Smokehaus

I was talking about OBJ in general, not just their biogreen shit...


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## grafta

Smokehaus said:


> I was talking about OBJ in general, not just their biogreen shit...


I was talking about Biogreen, not OBJ in general :laugh:


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## Smokehaus

grafta said:


> *Seems anything with a snowboard specific 'brand name' is pumped up cost-wise.*


This was what I was talking about. Since it is branded it is for sure more expensive. Nothing else was trying to be said.


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## Smokehaus

Lol all I am saying is that I am NOT backing their biogreen wax as I am sure it sucks. The rest of their waxes have been great for me though (even at a higher price, which I don't mind paying to enjoy).


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## grafta

teh interwebz


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## Smokehaus

Get Out Of My Head


EDIT: I always forget about the all caps rule. So funny that they had to implement it.


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## grafta

Yeah, it's funny cos it still works on headings. Just not the body of a message right?

Back to off topic: Think I was more just stoked to get a wax that seems to last real well that wasn't like $22 for a small block.

Rock on!


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## Smokehaus

Yeah man whatever does the trick. I really wanna try out some Hertel's, but will probably just buy some OBJ in bulk.

I actually bought block of the biogreen shit last season (it was the only one left and I was out of wax) but ended up losing it somehow which was probably fate telling me not to use it.


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## grafta

Yeah Hertels was on my shopping list til I remembered I live in Canada :laugh:


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## Smokehaus

Do they not ship to Canada?


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## Danger Mouse

I bought a 12" metal paint trimmer to use as a scraper. It has rounded edges as well. They make a longer 23" one but that's just ridiculously long. It cost me less than $5 and works pretty well.


Shop Warner 12" Paint Trim Guide at Lowes.com


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## Smokehaus

EDIT: you got it.


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## KIRKRIDER

ShredLife said:


> i use a metal scraper and my base is fine
> 
> 
> you CAN damage your base with a metal scraper if you are a retard and scrape until you rip ptex off, or dig a corner in and take a huge pull or something. if you use common sense and look at what you are doing you can use a metal scraper and get the job done in 1/2 the time and effort that it takes to do it with a plastic one...



Yep, same here. If you go too heavy with the wax it makes scraping much faster. But don't dig it in your base at an angle


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## grafta

Smokehaus said:


> Do they not ship to Canada?


I'm sure they do, but f&*ked if i'm paying tax and border fee's and shipping for a block of wax


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## Notebender

So I waxed my board today and used the metal scraper

It worked great, :thumbsup:


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## grafta

Notebender said:


> So I waxed my board today and used the metal scraper
> 
> It worked great, :thumbsup:


Woo! Stoked! Happy to be of help 

:laugh:


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## ShredLife

Snurf said:


> How should you use it? In a word "don't"


PWNED!!!!!


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## Notebender

Do your guys' binding toe buckle wiggle at all? 

I've noticed mine does on both bindings, although the strap stays tight, I don't like that the buckles feel kinda loose and wiggly.

:dunno:


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## Toecutter

Notebender said:


> Do your guys' binding toe buckle wiggle at all?
> 
> I've noticed mine does on both bindings, although the strap stays tight, I don't like that the buckles feel kinda loose and wiggly.
> 
> :dunno:


Ummmm...what?


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## Notebender

The buckle on the toe strap on my bindings, it feels loose. Even though it can keep the straps nice and tight on my feet, they still feel loose... If that makes sense?


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## Snurf

I don't know what bindings you are using (did you say?) Most buckles are attached on the strap with a screw (phillips thread is common). Try tightening them if they are loose.


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## Notebender

Snurf said:


> I don't know what bindings you are using (did you say?) Most buckles are attached on the strap with a screw (phillips thread is common). Try tightening them if they are loose.


They're Burton customs, and they don't have anything I can tighten them. They have these flat head pins that keep them in place, but there's no way incould use a screwdriver to loosen or tighten them. /:


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## Toecutter

Notebender said:


> They're Burton customs, and they don't have anything I can tighten them. They have these flat head pins that keep them in place, but there's no way incould use a screwdriver to loosen or tighten them. /:


I too use a metal scraper, being cautious to not dig in the corners.


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