Waxing

For those who saw my wax demo at Jeff's jumbo wax palace-
The first sequence will be the step-by-step complete wax job for skate skis.
The second sequence will include some variations or add-ins that will increase durability and speed.
The third sequence will be the shortened version for when you just want to get out and ski.  This works best when your skis are well cared for.
Equipment- wax bench, iron, scraper and sharpener, groove tool, cleaning brush, stiff nylon hand or roto brush, cheese grater.  I also have and use a razor scraper.  All scraping should be from tip to tail and done very carefully.
1- Brush out the ski with the cleaning brush- these are usually fine bristled metal brushes.  This removes any dirt and old wax.
2- Razor scrape until the scrape is clean.  I only do this once or twice each year before a big race like Mora or the Birkie (not both).
3- Crayon on a soft cleaning wax.  I prefer Toko yellow, my second choice would be Fast wax base prep.  We also had Swix red bulk wax available.  I did not like that as it was too gooey and not my preference.  I hear great reports about Rex Base Oil, but have not tried it yet.
4- Iron and then hot scrape the cleaning wax. 
5- Apply a harder wax (I used Rex Blue for the demo, several of you applied Fastwax Teal which was probably the correct choice), crayoning first if possible then applying wax to the iron as you work your way down the ski.  This method saves wax by the ton.
6- Go to the second ski and repeat steps 1-5. 
7- If you have more skis to wax- your own second pair, or the skis belonging to your spouse- repeat steps 1-5 on each ski you are waxing.
8- After the first ski has cooled (room temperature, not outside unless you want to buy new skis), scrape and brush the ski thoroughly.  It should be glossy when held up to the light.
9- Apply the HF glide wax of the day.  This coat can be reheated after the ski has cooled- you get another "coat" without scraping. 
10- Repeat step 8 and 9 on all the skis you are waxing.  If it is a very hard wax, apply it with the cheese grater.

Sequence 2- add-ins
9a- Scrape and brush the step 9 wax layer and re-apply.  This will give you a top wax coat that has less of the previous softer wax layer mixed in.  You can then reheat the 9a layer as many times as you wish.  I usually apply some of that wax to the iron before I start each new iron pass as the ski should have absorbed some of the wax and it's safer to do so.
11- Rilling- use a rilling tool to apply structure.  No structure was needed today- you want a perfectly flat ski when it is cold.  When it is above about +10f structure helps remove water/suction from under the ski.
12- Pure fluoro- For shorter races I have a Toko block with dedicated application pad that is crayoned and then buffed.  This is a universal.  For colder days I have a Fastwax Green paste wax and similar application pad.  For the longer races you can get pure fluoro.  If you want to take this step, take a $100 bill and a few of it's smaller friends and go to a very good ski shop.  Get their help. 
The low-tech way.  I own only Rex TK-72 fluoro.  I only apply after I am absolutely certain I am waxed right. I have a dedicated cork that is kept in a ziploc with the TK-72. I cork and cork and cork and then do a light brushing with a horsehair brush.  The Toko polishing pad can also be used.

Sequence 3- for most of the time, especially in a winter like this where we have been blessed with continuous cold clean snow.  This will get you out the door with skis that will be great for training.
1- Brush out the ski with the cleaning brush- these are usually fine bristled metal brushes.  This removes any dirt and old wax.
skip steps 2-3-4.
5- Apply a harder wax (I used Rex Blue for the demo, several of you applied Fastwax Teal which was probably the correct choice), crayoning first if possible then applying wax to the iron as you work your way down the ski.  This method saves wax by the ton.
8- After the first ski has cooled (room temperature, not outside unless you want to buy new skis), scrape and brush the ski thoroughly.  It should be glossy when held up to the light.  If it is a very hard wax, apply it with the cheese grater.
Sequence 3 works very well with consistent mid-winter snow.  I adapt my procedures when we start to have transformed snow.  Transformed snow is melted and refrozen.  Those waxing changes are well beyond today's lesson.