More Retro memories????

Quote:

Originally Posted by MidwestPete 

 

 

Below is a related article I posted a couple months ago from SKI magazine 1988 ...

 

Funny that the ads for the Nordic Track is opposite the Skier's Edge. I could barely give away two Nordic Tracks last year (the 'buyer' came 3 hours, one way, and brought a couple bottles of wine which were unexpected) yet the Skier's Edge is in it's umpteenth revision.

My buddy was a Skier's Edge sponsored racer for a couple years and competed in the Masters International races, both here and in Europe. He placed well despite the first races he went to in Europe were raced on borrowed equipement when his gear didn't make it where he was. It is a pretty nice, albeit expensive, training system. He has developed various exercises on it that utilize the sliding platform, but not the traditional skiing actions. For one he gets on his knees and slides the foot stand away then towards himself, kind of like with that rolling wheel that you see in the infomercials. He figures, get more exercises out of an expensive piece of hardware.
 

MR

SDS,

Thanks for posting the video!  Your collection is awesome.  I demo-ed the Nava "system" at Ski Liberty in Pennsylvania back in the 1980s.  Also skied two seasons ago on a pair of Burts (the original version) on a pair of Olin Mark VI.  The Olins skied just great and I had some fun showing off the Burts' retractability capabilities in the lift line.  I hope you catalog the whole collection on film and post it on the internet someplace like Flickr (hint, hint!). 

Thanks again,

Cold Warrior

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdogskier 

Here is a little video news report on my collection from the local cable company that ran last week.  A little hokey, but fun to make.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Philpug - 6/16/2009 at 07:35 pm GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by MastersRacer 

 

Funny that the ads for the Nordic Track is opposite the Skier's Edge. I could barely give away two Nordic Tracks last year (the 'buyer' came 3 hours, one way, and brought a couple bottles of wine which were unexpected) yet the Skier's Edge is in it's umpteenth revision.

 

My buddy was a Skier's Edge sponsored racer for a couple years and competed in the Masters International races, both here and in Europe. He placed well despite the first races he went to in Europe were raced on borrowed equipement when his gear didn't make it where he was. It is a pretty nice, albeit expensive, training system. He has developed various exercises on it that utilize the sliding platform, but not the traditional skiing actions. For one he gets on his knees and slides the foot stand away then towards himself, kind of like with that rolling wheel that you see in the infomercials. He figures, get more exercises out of an expensive piece of hardware.
 

 

MR

I have a Skier's Edge -- it's great! I've had it for 9 years but have yet to buy new bands (which are recommended every year). I suppose one day I'll be using it and one will snap and I'll take an unexpected dive into the TV.
 

A few years ago I upgraded to the foot beds which pivot.

We did have a Nordic Track but like you we got rid of it after a while...

Here is me doing a quick on snow review of a Nava System on a "shaped ski".

Glad someone found pleasure in the Olin III, Burt II,  Scott I, and Garmont 0.. I posted it here knowing someone might want something there.   Looking at Stenmark's Salamon boot cracks me up.  Was it such a terrible boot that it required 12 or so extra rivots to suit his needs, or did he do that to every boot?

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

Glad someone found pleasure in the Olin III, Burt II,  Scott I, and Garmont 0.. I posted it here knowing someone might want something there.   Looking at Stenmark's Salamon boot cracks me up.  Was it such a terrible boot that it required 12 or so extra rivots to suit his needs, or did he do that to every boot?

Stenmark racing in an off the shelf boot would be like Mark Martin racing in an off the lot Impala. The SX92 was about as good of a RE boot that was ever produced. 

Hi, Guy. 

     The skis and the bindings are very nice.  Here are a little more of my black hole collection.

The black Scotts 1971.   The blue 1972  The reds were production Super Hots ( 3 piece ) And my favorite Hard back scott. Not to many of these around any more! Very few of these were made. 

And two piece  SUPER Hots.

How about a little of the modern and old.  K2 mach GS with spademan super II and SuperHot Scott. 

Skied them and loved them. They were something else!!!!!!!!!  Mack

I posted the rest of the Jim McConkey story on the previous page.

Looks like he had a pair of Scott skis in 1968 (I didn't know they made skis back then).

"Wong's World"...SKI Jan., 1998

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackware 

Hi, Guy. 

 

      

The black Scotts 1971.   The blue 1972  The reds were production Super Hots ( 3 piece ) And my favorite Hard back scott. Not to many of these around any more! Very few of these were made. 

 

Mackware
 

I have always heard the Scotts referred to as the Superlights (the original lowbacks), the Superhots (the white hard backs) and the Superhot IIs (your red and blue highback pair with the soft neoprene back, the three piece). 

I skied, and broke, the Superlights for a few seasons, and even took, and passed, my Level II CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructor's Alliance) ticket on them.  The examiners weren't impressed with the boots, or me as bump skier taking the instructor's course, but I had been fortunate enough to train with the Red Mtn Ski School and Red Mountain Racers that season, under former National Team Coach Butch Boutry, and I learned how to carve a decent ski that season.  Then I upgraded to a pair of red Superhot IIs, using my old liners, and I liked them even more.  The SH IIs were high enough on the shin to provide enough performance to actually turn a ski.  That was in 1976.

I have quite a few pair of both the Superlights and the Superhot IIs, but only one pair of the original Superhot (white hardbacks).  They were absolutely terrible to get in and out of.  No wonder there aren't many around now.

I will have to get out on some SH IIs next season, and give them a whirl.  The feather light weight aspect is awfully appealing, especially for touring.  I am not so sure about the Spademans, though.  Having skied them throughout my formative years, I think that they were good for two things:  1) saving my ACL, because they constantly released, even with the stiffest spring and biggest (red) spacer, and 2) teaching me to ski, and survive, at high speed on one ski, because that's what I ended up doing so often in the bumps when one ski would release on the fly.

Your safety straps on the Speed Machines scare me.  Combined with an easily releasing binding,......... I see windmilling in your future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

Here is me doing a quick on snow review of a Nava System on a "shaped ski".

 

Phil

I am impressed that you were able to carve the tails of the ski around as well as you did on that set up.  The front of those boots is just like a Sorel snow boot!  All the support of pair of slippers.  Do I have a pair of K2 boots for you!

I had a Nava binding on a pair of K2 VO slaloms 205s remounted to fit a pair of Nava boots (brand new, my size) at the local shop, and the shop tech proudly stated that he was a 'certified Nava Technician', from 1984, I believe.  He then confessed that this was only the second pair of Navas that he had ever worked on, the first being just after, or during, his certification exam.  He did note a cool little micro adjustment on the front plunger that allowed for a measure of control in the 'pre-DIN' setting of release tension.

I haven't had the nerve to take them out, though.  Partly the skis, partly the whole get up.  Next season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdogskier 

 

 

Phil

I am impressed that you were able to carve the tails of the ski around as well as you did on that set up.  The front of those boots is just like a Sorel snow boot!  All the support of pair of slippers.  Do I have a pair of K2 boots for you!

 

I had a Nava binding on a pair of K2 VO slaloms 205s remounted to fit a pair of Nava boots (brand new, my size) at the local shop, and the shop tech proudly stated that he was a 'certified Nava Technician', from 1984, I believe.  He then confessed that this was only the second pair of Navas that he had ever worked on, the first being just after, or during, his certification exam.  He did note a cool little micro adjustment on the front plunger that allowed for a measure of control in the 'pre-DIN' setting of release tension.

 

I haven't had the nerve to take them out, though.  Partly the skis, partly the whole get up.  Next season.

 

The last ski I would want to try with the Nava would be a 204cm VO Slalom, let alone the very rare 205cm  .  There is a local shop by me that still has a few customers out there on Nava's and is more than willing to work on them for the skier. I passed these over to Comprex, lets see if he will take them out. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MidwestPete 

"Wong's World"...SKI Jan., 1998

 

 

Edited by MidwestPete - 6/17/2009 at 03:03 am GMT

Trophies (I believe) were as follows:

First Place: The Ski

Second: Scott Boots

Third: Spademan Binding

I recall reading somewhere, about the time of this article, that there was an event around Tahoe that this gear was desired to be used as trophies. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

 

The last ski I would want to try with the Nava would be a 204cm VO Slalom, let alone the very rare 205cm  .  There is a local shop by me that still has a few customers out there on Nava's and is more than willing to work on them for the skier. I passed these over to Comprex, lets see if he will take them out. 

Phil

What's 1 cm between friends??

Let's face it, they intimidate me either way!  And I raced a 203 Salomon SG in the Valley Race Series this winter, and LOVED it.

Of course, that was on a pristine and closed SG course, early start bid (reverse order of age!!), with great conditions. 

The Nava's have NO forward pressure possible (as you noted so well on your video!), and the old VOs are hardly suited to a floppy slipper of a boot.

Still, I expect to try them next season.

Who in their sick mind mounted Nava's on a VO???? 

Ladies and Gentleman......

This is great thread, thanks for rekindling some memories both good and painful (Raichle Fibre-Jets!)

Cheers Da Flav 

Here's an ad for the Scott skis from the November 1968 issue of SKI at p. 118:

Wayne Wong Dog Noodle?

 As in Lancia Flavia?

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaviaman 

Ladies and Gentleman......

 

 

This is great thread, thanks for rekindling some memories both good and painful (Raichle Fibre-Jets!)

 

Cheers Da Flav 

Si!

Da 

Flav 

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterSobran 

 As in Lancia Flavia?

 

 Nice!

Quote:

Originally Posted by flaviaman 

Si!

 

Da 

Flav 

 

A general question here for the collective:

How does everyone clean their old skis, both for preservation and for display?  I am reluctant to use anything too harsh on the older, more porous of the skis, and yet I need to use something to clean off the years of grime/magic marker/tape residue.  I have tried varsol and acetone on the worst of them, and I would prefer to use something less toxic, to me and to the skis.  Orange-based citrus compounds seem to be good for general purposes, but I haven't found a product that is strong enough for the worst of it.

Also, any preferred leather cleaners/treatments for dried out leather boots?

I have had visions of trying to pick up an old Montana or Wintersteiger ski tuning machine, to spruce up the bases and wax the ptex for preservation, but any used machines that I have found are either across the country, or in the multi-thousands of dollars.  Of course, Lou Dawson was able to pick up a used unit for the hauling, but he is pretty well connected, and based in Colorado to boot:

http://www.wildsnow.com/684/every-home-workshop-needs-a-ski-tuning-machine/

Any ideas on how to tune up 450 pair of skis, simply and cheaply?

Thanks

SDS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdogskier 

A general question here for the collective:

 

How does everyone clean their old skis, both for preservation and for display?  I am reluctant to use anything too harsh on the older, more porous of the skis, and yet I need to use something to clean off the years of grime/magic marker/tape residue.  I have tried varsol and acetone on the worst of them, and I would prefer to use something less toxic, to me and to the skis.  Orange-based citrus compounds seem to be good for general purposes, but I haven't found a product that is strong enough for the worst of it.

 

Also, any preferred leather cleaners/treatments for dried out leather boots?

 

I have had visions of trying to pick up an old Montana or Wintersteiger ski tuning machine, to spruce up the bases and wax the ptex for preservation, but any used machines that I have found are either across the country, or in the multi-thousands of dollars.  Of course, Lou Dawson was able to pick up a used unit for the hauling, but he is pretty well connected, and based in Colorado to boot:

http://www.wildsnow.com/684/every-home-workshop-needs-a-ski-tuning-machine/

 

Any ideas on how to tune up 450 pair of skis, simply and cheaply?

 

Thanks

SDS

 

 

One pair at a time!

I do them the old fashioned way.Clean them with Simple green or TSP, ptex candles, hand files and wax with the iron. I use Boesheild T9 for the top sheet and bindings.

Repeat as required    (of course I have only a quarter of your stash.........so far!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by crgildart 

 Looking at Stenmark's Salamon boot cracks me up.  Was it such a terrible boot that it required 12 or so extra rivets to suit his needs, or did he do that to every boot?

I remember Marc Giradelli skiing in Salomon's for a short time.  He had steel rods going up the shaft on the outside of the boots.  Who knows what type of re-enforcement he had inside.  Toward the end of a WC SG race, which he was probably leading, the boot literally exploded just before the finish line almost causing him more serious injury.
 

He skied in Lange's for the rest of his career.

JF

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdogskier 

A general question here for the collective:

 

How does everyone clean their old skis, both for preservation and for display?  I am reluctant to use anything too harsh on the older, more porous of the skis, and yet I need to use something to clean off the years of grime/magic marker/tape residue.  I have tried varsol and acetone on the worst of them, and I would prefer to use something less toxic, to me and to the skis.  Orange-based citrus compounds seem to be good for general purposes, but I haven't found a product that is strong enough for the worst of it.

 

Also, any preferred leather cleaners/treatments for dried out leather boots?

 

I have had visions of trying to pick up an old Montana or Wintersteiger ski tuning machine, to spruce up the bases and wax the ptex for preservation, but any used machines that I have found are either across the country, or in the multi-thousands of dollars.  Of course, Lou Dawson was able to pick up a used unit for the hauling, but he is pretty well connected, and based in Colorado to boot:

http://www.wildsnow.com/684/every-home-workshop-needs-a-ski-tuning-machine/

 

Any ideas on how to tune up 450 pair of skis, simply and cheaply?

 

Thanks

SDS

 

 

I had a couple of machines, a Mohn and a Montana, at my house. Keep an eye on Craigslist (and Ebay) that is where I bought and sold mine. They are out there and they can be had for a reasonable price. 

To clean a retro ski I like to use a Mr. Clean Eraser sponge with hot water. If the bindings are really dirty I will use a hot steamer to blow the old grease and gunk out. Of course I only have 10% of the skis Snowdogskier has so I can spend more time on each.

For vintage wood skis I use Homer Formby's Wood Cleaner (supposedly it is pretty gentle).

I have used chrome polish on some old Cubco bindings, and that seemed to work pretty well.

Story about Richard Allen from SKI magazine, October 1998. I met Richard Allen in his Aspen shop a few years ago. I talked to him again last year in Las Vegas -- he closed his shop but still has his web-site where he sells vintage/retro gear.

click to zoom in

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior 

Here's an ad for the Scott skis from the November 1968 issue of SKI at p. 118:

 

 

Thanks for posting Cold Warrior. I see Corky Fowler is mentioned in the ad. I remember Corky Fowler being in the ad when I bought my Scott boots in 1979.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

 

I had a couple of machines, a Mohn and a Montana, at my house. Keep an eye on Craigslist (and Ebay) that is where I bought and sold mine. They are out there and they can be had for a reasonable price. 

 

Okay, Phil, I'm calling you out! 

You claim to be focusing on binding collection because you don't have any room for further ski storage, and then you show us that you have TWO ski tuning machines in your house?!?!!  Those things weigh about 15 tons apiece! 

Sure, they are available on eBay for a few hundred bucks, but then you have to pick up and transport them yourself!  And then find a place to set them up! 

Something doesn't compute.  What are you keeping from us?  Are you actually 'collecting' ski tuning machines, or are you just a technical gear freak (i.e. bindings and tuning machines)?.......................... Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I am just looking for clarification here.

We won't tell anyone.

Thanks

Here is something Phil could collect since he doesn't have extra space. I bought these on my honeymoon in Vail in 1992. I had never seen any before that nor since. I wouldn't mind finding some more.

I just need to find some mini bindings to mount on them (correct era of course!).