Scratched Surfaces..

[tcharron]

Another question from the mouth of the old/new.

Well, we've got our skis, Billy's new Scatch skis are in, and going to be dropped off to be waxed and the edges sharpened, but..

The surface coat is scratched pretty decent, nothing deep, but there are used kids skis, and hence, have been run over a few times. How much of the top coat scratches can be buffed out or filled in and then polished out to not be quite so obviously scratched? I can't seem to find too much online on the subject, mostly pages commenting on complete recovering of boards..

Ideas? Comments?

 

[hammer]

I don't think you have to bother doing anything to the tops...just get the tune done and you'll be set.

My son managed to put a 1/2 dime size gouge in the top sheet of one of his skis. I do plan on putting some epoxy in at some point but for now a small strip of color-coordinated duck tape is all I've done.

 

[tcharron]

I don't think you have to bother doing anything to the tops...just get the tune done and you'll be set.

My son managed to put a 1/2 dime size gouge in the top sheet of one of his skis. I do plan on putting some epoxy in at some point but for now a small strip of color-coordinated duck tape is all I've done.

Yea, we dropped it off for a tuneup, and to have the bindings adjusted for Billy's size as well. It sounds silly, but really the only reason why I wanted to shine them up is he'll be going skiing with his school, and he'll be bringing them in. Mostly little-kid cool factor.

 

[Greg]

It sounds silly, but really the only reason why I wanted to shine them up is he'll be going skiing with his school, and he'll be bringing them in. Mostly little-kid cool factor.

Beat up skis will likely make him look "cooler"...

Seriously though, not sure I would be encouraging a materialistic way of thinking like this. Eventually his skiing skills will speak for themself...

 

[riverc0il]

Seriously though, not sure I would be encouraging a materialistic way of thinking like this. Eventually his skiing skills will speak for themself...

what greg said. there is already enough peer pressure to be "cool." why not encourage your kid to not worry what other people think about him? top sheet scratches effect the quality of the ski by absolutely nothing. some skis scratch easier than others so it can not even be used as a barometer of how much use the ski has received. i would be concerned if i bought a kid a new pair of skis and all the kid thought about was the top sheets.

 

[tcharron]

Maybe it's just a fallback to me being a kid and always having used skis. But mine where of the yard sale variety. He seems to be more impressed with the fact that he can ski backwards with them now. ;-)

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

Just an FYI....you ski on the bottoms, not the tops.....

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Maybe polishing or rubbing compound that you use on your Lexis.

 

[Greg]

Maybe polishing or rubbing compound that you use on your Lexis.

That's kind of a shot.... :-?

 

[ajl50]

Be careful if the tops are gouged and the core of the ski is visible then you should get that filled. My GF fell last year and left a mig scar on the top of the ski that went to the core and we didn't want water to get in there and mess around. If it's deep get it filled - it cost 5 dollars with the tune up.

 

[hammer]

OK, I might open myself up for a few :flame:but I think everyone's being just a little harsh here...

If having equipment that looks cool gets a kid more interested in skiing/snowboarding then I don't see a problem with it. If that same kid gets upset the first time their "cool" equipment gets a scratch or ding then the parents just need to say "they're skis/boots/a snowboard, they are meant to be used" and leave it at that.

Do my kids like it when they get "cool" looking gear? Sure they do...but I/they don't get hung up on it once that equipment gets "used".

 

[jack97]

Be careful if the tops are gouged and the core of the ski is visible then you should get that filled. My GF fell last year and left a mig scar on the top of the ski that went to the core and we didn't want water to get in there and mess around. If it's deep get it filled - it cost 5 dollars with the tune up.

I've used clear epoxy when the tops is exposed. Don't know if this is the best way to repiar but I haven't had problems so far.

I think it is cool to have beat up ski. The more epoxy and t-pex, the better.

 

[hammer]

Be careful if the tops are gouged and the core of the ski is visible then you should get that filled. My GF fell last year and left a mig scar on the top of the ski that went to the core and we didn't want water to get in there and mess around. If it's deep get it filled - it cost 5 dollars with the tune up.

Thanks for the reminder...the duck tape did a good job last year of keeping the water out but I don't want to push it.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

That's kind of a shot.... :-?

Ok, the Lexis thing is tongue in cheek but to remove scratches, not deep ones, you can use either Dupont Polishing or Rubbing Compound(depends on the surface).....works great on a wide variety of glossy metal/plastic surface, originally used for cars.

http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060929073444AApz1cS

 

[tcharron]

Be careful if the tops are gouged and the core of the ski is visible then you should get that filled. My GF fell last year and left a mig scar on the top of the ski that went to the core and we didn't want water to get in there and mess around. If it's deep get it filled - it cost 5 dollars with the tune up.

Well, none of the scratches are deep, they ARE purely cosmetic in nature.

 

[Marc]

I've used clear epoxy when the tops is exposed. Don't know if this is the best way to repiar but I haven't had problems so far.

I think it is cool to have beat up ski. The more epoxy and t-pex, the better.

Don't use epoxy if it's a foam core ski or has foam in it. Epoxy can eat away at foam, and I believe vinylester can as well. Stick with polyester resin where a structural repair is needed, or if you just want to seal a hole and keep water out, use Elmer's.

 

[Marc]

Well, none of the scratches are deep, they ARE purely cosmetic in nature.

Meh, in that case tell him to stop being such a sally- suck it up and use the ski. It doesn't matter.

 

[tcharron]

OK, I might open myself up for a few :flame:but I think everyone's being just a little harsh here...
If having equipment that looks cool gets a kid more interested in skiing/snowboarding then I don't see a problem with it. If that same kid gets upset the first time their "cool" equipment gets a scratch or ding then the parents just need to say "they're skis/boots/a snowboard, they are meant to be used" and leave it at that.
Do my kids like it when they get "cool" looking gear? Sure they do...but I/they don't get hung up on it once that equipment gets "used".

EXACTLY! Billy really didn't mind the scratches much, he KNOWS he got a good pair of skis and is really excited. I just figured if I could do a little something to make the scratches look a little better, he'd be happier. It's not a matter of making sure the lexis is nice and shiny. It's a matter of having a nice used car, with a scratch on it, so you try to buff it out a bit. ;-)

I'm not talking about wanting to make it all shiny new or anything.

 

[tcharron]

Ok, the Lexis thing is tongue in cheek but to remove scratches, not deep ones, you can use either Dupont Polishing or Rubbing Compound(depends on the surface).....works great on a wide variety of glossy metal/plastic surface, originally used for cars.

That's what I wanted to know. Like I said earlier, it's not about making a top of the line car shiny every day. It's about making the scratches in the side of my chevy look a little less obviouse. :-D

 

[FridayHiker]

Maybe it's just a fallback to me being a kid and always having used skis. But mine where of the yard sale variety. He seems to be more impressed with the fact that he can ski backwards with them now. ;-)

Tcharron, I'm curious whether Billy has actually mentioned the scratches himself, or if you're just taking the initiative? Just curious; I have kids myself who have never had brand new equipment (or brand new clothes for that matter :lol, and I haven't ever heard them complain about scratches on the skis. That just isn't part of the coolness factor in the school ski program here.