# Too early to wax ?



## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

Just got a new snowboard.... is it too early to wax it ? since its prolly another 2 months before snow starts to fall... or should i wax it now to protect the base and wax it again when the snow starts to fall ?

How often do you guys wax your boards ?


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

is it brand new? if so I wouldn't bother since you still have that fresh factory coat on.

but It's funny you asked, because I just waxed mine this morning because I was bored out of my mind.


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

WasatchMan said:


> is it brand new? if so I wouldn't bother since you still have that fresh factory coat on.
> 
> but I just waxed mine this morning because I was bored out of my mind.


i wax my boards about every month, because im bored haha


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

lol it was a new board yes... but last year's model ? so its been sitting in the store for a year.. jsut got it at 50% off so i was just curious.... is there such thing as over waxing ? i doubt if i over wax my board it will damage it ?


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> lol it was a new board yes... but last year's model ? so its been sitting in the store for a year.. jsut got it at 50% off so i was just curious.... is there such thing as over waxing ? i doubt if i over wax my board it will damage it ?


Do you know how to wax your board?

I mean I don't see why you would need to wax it just to protect it, when it's just going to be sitting in your closet.

Some people wax every other day, some every week, some once a month, some never do...

If you're riding every day/every other day I think you would be fine waxing it once a week. It's just a fun ritual to do..

You will be find riding it a few times, then waxing it up.


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> lol it was a new board yes... but last year's model ? so its been sitting in the store for a year.. jsut got it at 50% off so i was just curious.... is there such thing as over waxing ? i doubt if i over wax my board it will damage it ?


no, i usually wax my boards 5 times before putting it up for the summer. thats 5 different layers of wax. and thats not many at all


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

WasatchMan said:


> Do you know how to wax your board?
> 
> I mean I don't see why you would need to wax it just to protect it, when it's just going to be sitting in your closet.
> 
> ...



no i dont... but i was told by the store that i should put a layer of wax on it to protect it from drying out or something ? cant really remember what he said... 

i will learn how to wax myself eventually......


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Use unicorn wax with goat turds that were hand picked by virgins.

and yes I would like to see your youtube of you waxing yourself...on second thought probably not


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Definitely do it yourself, after two wax jobs you will have your money back. 

Heres a good video lesson by a member here.

 Part 1
 Part 2
 Part 3

You can pick up all your items separate or buy a kit.

The Dakine super tune kit is pretty decent. Or you can but the deluxe kit and buy your iron separate.


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## Tech420 (Jul 1, 2011)

WasatchMan said:


> is it brand new? if so I wouldn't bother since you still have that fresh factory coat on.
> 
> but It's funny you asked, because I just waxed mine this morning because I was bored out of my mind.


The factory wax job is piss poor at best. ALWAYS wax a new board before you use it. If you want to toss on a thick coat to protect it there is no harm in that. Most people toss a thick layer on after the season is over for storage.


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

Tech420 said:


> The factory wax job is piss poor at best. ALWAYS wax a new board before you use it. If you want to toss on a thick coat to protect it there is no harm in that. Most people toss a thick layer on after the season is over for storage.


ah thanks a bunch.... i'll prolly wax it again before i take it out at the start of the season..


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## sevenstarsfall (Jan 16, 2010)

I still don't understand why people say factory wax sucks? I never wax any of my new boards and they usually last 5-9 days before I have to wax them.


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

sevenstarsfall said:


> I still don't understand why people say factory wax sucks? I never wax any of my new boards and they usually last 5-9 days before I have to wax them.


The topic of waxing is always going to have a ton of different opinions. You ask 5 people you get 5 different answers...

Though, I definitely agree with Tech420 on "no harm in waxing"


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

sevenstarsfall said:


> I still don't understand why people say factory wax sucks? I never wax any of my new boards and they usually last 5-9 days before I have to wax them.


Try riding in the East 

Factory wax seems to last about a day, maybe


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

Bones said:


> Try riding in the East
> 
> Factory wax seems to last about a day, maybe


u mean it wears off after a day of riding ?


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## Karasene (Oct 20, 2010)

On the East coast, definitely.. man made snow/ ice and corn, your base will go white in a day or two.. but like WasatchMan said. 

Some wax every other day, some every week, some once a month, some never do.

If you want to keep you base nice and slick on the hill wax it.. if you don't mind a bit of drag and a decrease in speed then don't bother waxing it as often. 

PS. If you're going to buy a tuning kit.. don't get suckered into paying a high dollar for a "waxing" iron.. any iron will do.. travel irons work great. Pick one up at a yard sale and you'll be set.


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## CheeseForSteeze (May 11, 2011)

Won't hurt to wax early, won't hurt to not wax now. Unless you plan on doing an iterative waxing using an actual base wax and doing several passes then finishing with a race wax, you can just do it the week or night before your first trip. When I get a board, I take it to the bench grinder and take down the edges. Wax it up and scrape it, unless it's going to be sitting around all summer, in which case skip the scraping. Throw some stickers on it and wait for the snow.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Is the base sintered or extruded? Scuttlebutt says repeated waxings are good for sintered bases.


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## Karasene (Oct 20, 2010)

Tarzanman said:


> Is the base sintered or extruded? Scuttlebutt says repeated waxings are good for sintered bases.


You mean according to wikipedia.


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Karasene said:


> You mean according to wikipedia.


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

Karasene said:


> On the East coast, definitely.. man made snow/ ice and corn, your base will go white in a day or two.. but like WasatchMan said.
> 
> Some wax every other day, some every week, some once a month, some never do.
> 
> ...


awesome advice on the iron thank you.... not too worried about the drag or the decrease in speed.... more worried about maintaining my board (so that it doesnt get damaged) so that it will last me a while


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## AIRider (Dec 25, 2010)

waxed my board the other day for the first time…. more messy than I expected. It was fun tho.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

the more you wax the better! get some of this wax >> Wax Store: Choad Cheese | All-Temp and Cold-Temp Snowboarding Wax and Ski Wax


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I supposed this isn't maybe the right forum area to ask this, but it _is_ a waxing thread...

I recently (well, end of last season) switched from plastic scrapers to a metal scraper. The metal scraper seems to take the wax off much better with less effort, but I'm wondering if it's possible to take off _too much_ wax so that you end up with a suboptimal job. Should I back off more? I don't want to go back to the plexiglass scrapers. The edges wear eventually and I have to keep replacing them.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Karasene said:


> You mean according to wikipedia.


Snowboard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wikipedia has more to say about extruded bases than sintered (which isn't much). I didn't learn it from there, but yes... wikipedia is a great source of information. I use it almost every day for work. 
This entry on sintering ( Sintering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) has more information on its advantages.

I'm sure you knew all that already, though and didn't mention it since its patently obvious. 

BTW, how's your neck?


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

Donutz said:


> I supposed this isn't maybe the right forum area to ask this, but it _is_ a waxing thread...
> 
> I recently (well, end of last season) switched from plastic scrapers to a metal scraper. The metal scraper seems to take the wax off much better with less effort, but I'm wondering if it's possible to take off _too much_ wax so that you end up with a suboptimal job. Should I back off more? I don't want to go back to the plexiglass scrapers. The edges wear eventually and I have to keep replacing them.


im not sure if its possible to take off too much wax since anything left on top is excess anyway but it is probably possible to scrape some of your actual base off if you put to much pressure on it. when ever i scrape i usually dont get it ALL off anyway and just leave a slight layer to be taken off by the snow once i start riding.


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## skycdo (Sep 15, 2011)

Donutz said:


> I supposed this isn't maybe the right forum area to ask this, but it _is_ a waxing thread...
> 
> I recently (well, end of last season) switched from plastic scrapers to a metal scraper. The metal scraper seems to take the wax off much better with less effort, but I'm wondering if it's possible to take off _too much_ wax so that you end up with a suboptimal job. Should I back off more? I don't want to go back to the plexiglass scrapers. The edges wear eventually and I have to keep replacing them.


You're taking too much wax off when you start scraping the base off along with the wax. The whole point of hot wax is to get the wax in between the base molecules. It doesn't serve any purpose to have anything sitting over your base. Plus, you can always get a sharpening tool for your scraper to keep the edges sharp.


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Cr0_Reps_Smit said:


> im not sure if its possible to take off too much wax since anything left on top is excess anyway but it is probably possible to scrape some of your actual base off if you put to much pressure on it. when ever i scrape i usually dont get it ALL off anyway and just leave a slight layer to be taken off by the snow once i start riding.


First off, you should be using a plastic scraper. All of the plastic scrapers I have ever seen have been make out of polyethylene (I have one that I suspect might be polypropylene, but I don't have access to a GC anymore to check). HDPE has limits on its maximum hardness, meaning that it should be very difficult to scrape your board hard enough to damage to the base (without also wrecking your scraper simultaneously).

Waxing is half art, half science. Since karasene is fast becoming a wikipedia enthusiast, this entry should tell you most of what you need to know
Ski wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

Tarzanman said:


> First off, you should be using a plastic scraper. All of the plastic scrapers I have ever seen have been make out of polyethylene (I have one that I suspect might be polypropylene, but I don't have access to a GC anymore to check). HDPE has limits on its maximum hardness, meaning that it should be very difficult to scrape your board hard enough to damage to the base (without also wrecking your scraper simultaneously).
> 
> Waxing is half art, half science. Since karasene is fast becoming a wikipedia enthusiast, this entry should tell you most of what you need to know
> Ski wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


i already know most of what i need to know and do use plastic scrapers, i was just answering donuts question saying that a metal scraper will be easier to damage your base with unintentionally then the plastic


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Just use a metal file to sharpen your plexiglass scrapers. Edges just get rounded is all, square em up. No reason to buy new ones... actually if you know of a sign shop near you, you can prob get some acrylic offcuts for nothing and use those.
As for metal scrapers, i've been using one and as long as you are careful not to gouge into your base then you should be good. Even saw a 'pro' at the shop doing it. Must be legit


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

i have a toko scrapper sharpener. the thicker acrylic ones i just sharpen on the mill at work. i have about 20 plastic and 2 metal ones. i rarely use the metal ones.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

When I got the metal scraper, the first thing I did was round off the corners so I couldn't take out a gouge. What I'm hearing is I shouldn't get too enthusiastic about scraping with a metal scraper -- better to leave a little wax on rather than bear down too much. I can do that.


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## CheeseForSteeze (May 11, 2011)

Nothing wrong with using a metal scraper as long as you are careful not to gouge it with the corners. If you've rounded them off, it's fine. I usually take a sharpening stone to my metal scrapers every so often since I also use them for shaving off p-tex, although the straight razor works much better for this. The metal scrapers hold an edge for a very long time and are great for scraping off wax and freshly applied p-tex or epoxy infused p-tex.

As Cr0 already pointed out, you can't really scrape off too much wax. Either you are scraping excess wax or you are damaging the base. A HDPE scraper works fine too, just take care to maintain its edge or you will be doing a lot more work than you have to.


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## Phunky (Oct 5, 2011)

WasatchMan said:


> is it brand new? if so I wouldn't bother since you still have that fresh factory coat on.
> 
> but It's funny you asked, because I just waxed mine this morning because I was bored out of my mind.


Did the same for me and my roommate about 2 weeks ago...got paid a hetty 10 bucks for it so its all good


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## Karasene (Oct 20, 2010)

Tarzanman said:


> *First off, you should be using a plastic scraper. * All of the plastic scrapers I have ever seen have been make out of polyethylene (I have one that I suspect might be polypropylene, but I don't have access to a GC anymore to check). HDPE has limits on its maximum hardness, meaning that it should be very difficult to scrape your board hard enough to damage to the base (without also wrecking your scraper simultaneously).
> 
> Waxing is half art, half science.


First off, should you be advising Cro and the OP on what he/they should or shouldn't be using? 

Please, after stating that you have only been riding 3 seasons, live in a city and vacation to a resort once or twice a year I would like to ask a simple question.. How many boards (or times expecting you still have the board you began with which is understandable.) have you actually waxed??? Honestly.



Tarzanman said:


> Since karasene is fast becoming a wikipedia enthusiast, this entry should tell you most of what you need to know
> Ski wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


:laugh::laugh::laugh: Love the sarcasm. 


Tarzanman said:


> BTW, how's your neck?


I am actually doing great. It's not broken anymore! Both vertebrae set and healed properly themselves. I am truly thankful I've been so fortunate. I began riding again a week (3 days? shh.) after my brace came off in March (not that it was encouraged by my family/doctor.) I got in an additional 35 days of spring riding (with some pow! I was stoked) and I was able to use my credited flight to Japan towards flying down to Patagonia for some Andes bc riding this past Aug/Sept. Thanks for asking! 

BTW, how was your day off from the office?


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Karasene said:


> First off, should you be advising Cro and the OP on what he/they should or shouldn't be using?
> 
> Please, after stating that you have only been riding 3 seasons, live in a city and vacation to a resort once or twice a year I would like to ask a simple question.. How many boards (or times expecting you still have the board you began with which is understandable.) have you actually waxed??? Honestly.


Bought a 2 lbs block of bluebird wax a little over 2 years ago. It is 25% gone. I wax my 2 (soon to be 3) boards, and the snowboards of other riders on the trips I go on. I even occasionally wax my roommate's skis if we are going on the same trip. I wax before a trip and half-way through a trip (I bring the wax with me and buy an el-cheapo $7 iron wherever I am staying). Its cheaper, faster and more convenient for the folks I am staying with, and the $5 I charge helps offset the $40 I paid for the wax. 3 scrapers, brass brush, 2 brillo pads and a spray can of citrus cleaner. Is that legit enough for you? 

Do I wax as much as a tech in a ski shop? No. Do I wax more than the typical rider? Depends on whether they wax themselves or have it done at a shop. To date I have waxed boards and/or skis ~12 times. I started doing it myself when a local chain shop charged me $35+ for a wax and tune (back when I first started riding). 



> :laugh::laugh::laugh: Love the sarcasm.
> 
> 
> I am actually doing great. It's not broken anymore! Both vertebrae set and healed properly themselves. I am truly thankful I've been so fortunate. I began riding again a week (3 days? shh.) after my brace came off in March (not that it was encouraged by my family/doctor.) I got in an additional 35 days of spring riding (with some pow! I was stoked) and I was able to use my credited flight to Japan towards flying down to Patagonia for some Andes bc riding this past Aug/Sept. Thanks for asking!
> ...


The weather is great here, best time of the year to be outside. (Highs in the low 70's, and fewer bugs/gnats than in spring). I spent most of it playing bass and drums (the instruments, not D&B music), so I only made it outside for exercise twice. 

REgarding your trip, how was it? My roommate&friend are talking about a trip to south america next year, but if I go I will probably want to spend most of my time in the cities sight-seeing since I speak the language. I will have the same problem if I decide to go to Japan cuz I did 3 yrs of Japanese in school.

-EDIT-
I just fished my block of wax out of my snowboard bag after posting this. I think perhaps it was just 1 lbs when i bought it. Bad memory

-EDIT 2-
Here's a photo in some of the users here want to claim that I am just "listing stuff". lol http://riftwave.net/misc/IMG_8254.JPG


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## Karasene (Oct 20, 2010)

My trip was one of the best of my life so far. Spent almost 3 weeks in South America. Met up with my buddies who run SGT (SASS Global Travel | Ski/Ride/Surf Guides | Summer Ski & Snowboard Camps | Action Sports Outfitters) spent a week and a half riding and a week and a half traveling; Staying in Hostels and seeing the country on my own while not being able to speak the language was quite the experience. I loved every minute of it.

Alright I have one more question...

Are you a robot or an alien? :dunno:


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## SBE (Oct 9, 2011)

*I Say*

WAX IT!! It puts you at one with your board. It's a bonding experience!


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Karasene said:


> Are you a robot or an alien? :dunno:


ice t meets pimpbot - YouTube


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Tarzanman said:


> I started doing it myself when a local chain shop charged me $35+ for a wax and tune (back when I first started riding).


 Wow, I thought Sportsmart was bad!

Adds up really quickly even if the store charges a reasonable price. I wax a couple of times a month during the season. That's somewhere around 10-15 waxes. Even at $20 at the store, that's $200-$300 per season that I'm saving.


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

SBE said:


> WAX IT!! It puts you at one with your board. It's a bonding experience!


haha this! I pop in the head phones and wax the board with as much enthusiasm as i have when actually riding it! 

I suppose you could use a metal scraper if you were good enough, but more than once i have been going at it and caught the edge of the scraper and increased the angle so much it jammed into the board and took of a good bit of the wax i just put down, i wouldnt want to risk that sort of damage with a metal scraper.

also op's OG question, no, you can't wax it too much and have adverse effects, but you can wax it too much and waste wax. Do you need to wax it 2 months before you ride it...no. but if you are that anxious to get the snow season started and you want to occupy your time with snowboard related activities, go for it. But more than likely you will wax it now, then two months down the road you will end up waxing it again just to be sure, so you are just wasting wax at that point.


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

IdahoFreshies said:


> . But more than likely you will wax it now, then two months down the road you will end up waxing it again just to be sure, so you are just wasting wax at that point.



every time you wax a board it gets a layer deep in the pores so by doing it twice before the first time it really isnt wasting too much wax. its kinda like when you season a cast iron pan.


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## soundwave27 (Jan 16, 2011)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> no i dont... but i was told by the store that i should put a layer of wax on it to protect it from drying out or something ? cant really remember what he said...
> 
> i will learn how to wax myself eventually......


I'm a total noob!! But here's what I learned in my first season... 
Wax is your friend... 
You cannot overwax. Maybe you do it more than you NEED to, but it's not going to hurt anything.
Waxing is EASY. Either that or I'm doing it wrong. LOL. And it's fun and relaxing. A little challenging with you're traveling. Not everywhere has places where you can do it yourself. I might have broke the rules and snuck it up to my hotel room a couple of times. :dunno:

I typically wax before every outting when possible.

And I was told to do a storage wax for the summer, but that was cause it had been used over the season. I'm willing to bet that anothe month or two before you hit a hill with your new board isn't going to make a difference. People on here told me my factory wax would get me through my first few times out, and they were right.


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## SBE (Oct 9, 2011)

WAAAPOWW!
How-To Wax a Snowboard with Julia - YouTube


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

thanks for the replies guys..... i will just find some old iron laying around and use that instead cause it seems iron costs alot at the stores....


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## SBE (Oct 9, 2011)

just dont turn it on to hot and dont iron your shirt with it! the point is a good dripping point for the wax!


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> thanks for the replies guys..... i will just find some old iron laying around and use that instead cause it seems iron costs alot at the stores....


yea the only problem with a regular iron is that its a lot easier to damage your board so be careful about how hot you set it. if the wax starts smoking you should turn it down a little. 

you should also try and stay away from the steam irons with holes in it if you can and get one thats smooth on the bottom


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

so if it has holes on the bottom i cant use it ? or is it just not suggested


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## SBE (Oct 9, 2011)

just put some thick aluminum foil over it, it should be fine.


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> so if it has holes on the bottom i cant use it ? or is it just not suggested


ski/snowboard specific irons are really not that much money. $30-$40 is well worth the ease of mind, perfect temperature ranges for waxing boards, small and compact, solid-flat base etc....


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

i use an iron with holes around the edges, i just drained out the water and make sure its not too hot and it works just fine. like they said, just keep it moving and don't let it sit in one place. Also since we are talking about waxing a board make sure you loosen your binding hardware from the base so the board so it does not cause adverse warping.


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## C.B. (Jan 18, 2011)

Yeah i feel ya, when i bought my new board i was just thinking "Ah i'll keep it in the wraping untill i get the bindings"

Dontcha know 20 minutes later i found myself with a stick of wax in one hand, and the neighbor girls iron in the other.


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## Karasene (Oct 20, 2010)

Yeah, I didn't think the ones with holes would work either till a saw a friend using one no problem. Like he said.. just never add water.

Again, watch your temp.


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