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Removing Rust from skis

post #1 of 29
2/23/08 at 8:49am
Thread Starter 
These beautiful skis were left standing on their tails in a damp place. Now I have them, but there's rust on the edges for the last 6 inches.
Any suggestions on a liquid cleaner to use to remove it before using my bevel tool on the metal itself?
I'm concerned that the usual rust removers, solvents, might damage the body of the ski.
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post #2 of 29
2/23/08 at 3:24pm
Do the (sharpen), the edges ..... then just light steel wool the base edge then wax.

If you don't have anything to sharpen ..... just light wool ... wax ...
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post #3 of 29
2/23/08 at 3:59pm
If they were recently tuned chances are the rust will come off with the friction of one run and ski fine.
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post #4 of 29
2/23/08 at 4:16pm
Using a (course) 3M Scotchbrite pad works like magic on surface rust on ski edges. I haven't seen anything work as well.
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post #5 of 29
2/23/08 at 5:46pm
Thread Starter 
I'll try the scotchbrite. The rust is thick on the last 6 inches of the skis, and nowhere else.
In fact, by the fingernail test the edges from that point forward are still sharp after standing unused for two years.
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post #6 of 29
2/23/08 at 9:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DropCliffsNotBombs View Post
Using a (course) 3M Scotchbrite pad works like magic on surface rust on ski edges. I haven't seen anything work as well.
My experience is with fencing blades/swords and not skis, but "Brillo" pads also work well for taking rust off of steel. I think the material is pretty similar to the Scotchbrite.

Steel/copper wool sort of works, but tends to just scratch the hell out of it and not effectively remove all the rust. I imagine it'd be hell on ski bases, too...

Quote:
The rust is thick on the last 6 inches of the skis, and nowhere else.
If it's rusted through, the edges may be too far gone; the structural integrity just won't be there. If it's just on the surface you can clean it up and they should be fine.
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post #7 of 29
2/24/08 at 12:29am
Gummy stone works great to remove rust.
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post #8 of 29
2/25/08 at 9:08pm
Thread Starter 
The rust was built up on top of the metal, like mold. It's possible the cellar where they were standing had a 6 inch flood.
I ended up using my old 10" mill bastard file, then finished up with a pot scrubber and orange cleanser.
Once the skis were waxed they FLEW on the slightly sticky snow at Hunter today (40 degrees, bright sunlight).
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post #9 of 29
2/26/08 at 10:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phlogiston View Post
I ended up using my old 10" mill bastard file, then finished up with a pot scrubber and orange cleanser.
Once the skis were waxed they FLEW on the slightly sticky snow at Hunter today (40 degrees, bright sunlight).
Another convert!
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post #10 of 29
2/27/08 at 6:22pm
Go ski, the rust will come off.
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post #11 of 29
2/28/08 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fischermh View Post
Go ski, the rust will come off.
If this is superficial surface rust with no pitting or corrosion, sure. But from the description, it sounds as it these may be badly corroded. If so, try the Gummi stone and see how happy you are with the results. Base grind if still necessary.
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post #12 of 29
2/29/08 at 10:33am
Thread Starter 
The rust problem was only on the last six inches or so of these 180 CM skis; rust free the metal is slightly dull, but not rough, and no friction problem. I generally do all my edging on ice using the 12 inches in front and back of the binding and don't rely much on the tips or tails.
The formerly rusted area looks like 'stuff', but didn't slow down the skis at all. Oh, and I waxed the edges for those last inches.
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post #13 of 29
2/29/08 at 12:43pm
Cleaned up someone elses skis last night. Person insists on tranporting his new skis on the roof. Last week he left them on the car overnight and drove home in the rain over salt saturated roads. When he got home he just took them off the car velcro straps still on the skis...skis looked destroyed, they are 1 mo old and skied on maybe 5 times.

I used etching acid, Scotch bright pads, sand paper and a carbide gummy-stone to remove most of the rust. They are much better but he did manage to do some permanent damage to the edges. The rust actually pitted the metal; to get it all out would necessitate too much material removal.

Friends don't let friends use ski racks.
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post #14 of 29
2/29/08 at 1:53pm
I've rescued most of my skis from the dumpster and never seen anything that a file, stone, wax, and sweat couldn't bring back to clean, flat, and fast. I've seen some that have been sitting for several years. If you are lazy, a belt sander for a few seconds (not a few minutes!) will do the job, just use fine paper on the last iteration then file the bases. You may see some rust stains in the p-tex remaining. Those will usually wear off with use.
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post #15 of 29
2/29/08 at 2:48pm
Thread Starter 
I was just looking at unprotected skis on top of cars on the NYS Thruway last night, and wondering, 'what's wrong with these people?'.
I remember a Salomon representative giving a presentation back in the seventies and telling everyone to put a nylon sleeve around their bindings to protect them when carrying skis on a car rack. Thirty years later people still don't know.
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post #16 of 29
2/29/08 at 3:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phlogiston View Post
I was just looking at unprotected skis on top of cars on the NYS Thruway last night, and wondering, 'what's wrong with these people?'.
I remember a Salomon representative giving a presentation back in the seventies and telling everyone to put a nylon sleeve around their bindings to protect them when carrying skis on a car rack. Thirty years later people still don't know.
I don't put my skis on a rack unless they are in a full ski bag. I'm actually mor worried about the edges than the bindings. Even so, I rinse them and dry them off when I get home because there may be some salt still hanging around in the water they use to make manmade snow.
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post #17 of 29
3/2/08 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 
Yep, back in the day the big worry was bindings not working after being windblasted with filth from the highway for 100+ miles.

Now the thought of driving salt and grit into my edges, or into the wax that remains on the base of my skis is horrifying.

I don't scrape all the old wax off and replace it each time I ski; I do usually touch it up, leaving what's there and filling in where it's gotten a bit worn off.

The thought of mixing new wax with old wax that's saturated with salt, sand, diesel exhaust, bits of road kill, spent ufo fuel rods, bad karma, depleted uranium, and whatever else is in the air of I-87 is disgusting.
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post #18 of 29
3/4/08 at 3:23pm
A guy my parents know had some skis in horrible condition.... Chewed up bases and edges, rusted edges, etc.... 3 sets of them in this condition... I'd like some opinions on my methods, but it seemed to work well...

First, I took a file and wrapped it in some higher grit sand paper, and sanded the bases until the rust was gone on base edges and the bases were flatter. I sanded, scraped, sanded with some finer grit, scraped again. This got the bases nice and flat and the rust off the base edges...

I used an edge guide with a 3 degree bevel and a file for a couple passes down the side edges until the majority of the rust was gone (some of the rust was so bad it had started pitting).

After that, I reset the base bevel and did a normal tune.


I know that in the shops they basically use a big belt sander to stone grind, so is my method just as good? It took more time, but it didn't cost me a dime.

I haven't done this on any other skis, but it seemed to work very well and I'd obviously start with finer grit sand paper if the skis were not in bad shape... opinions?
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post #19 of 29
3/4/08 at 3:25pm
A little side note: The guy was not appreciative at all about it.. apparently the skis are back in a similar condition as they were before I tuned em up. The guy and his wife are lawyers, so I have a feeling it's a case of "All dollars, no Sense" or just your typical lack of respect for material possessions because you can afford 12 more of the same thing if you wanted....

*Grrr*
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post #20 of 29
3/4/08 at 3:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hydrogen_wv View Post
A little side note: The guy was not appreciative at all about it.. apparently the skis are back in a similar condition as they were before I tuned em up. The guy and his wife are lawyers, so I have a feeling it's a case of "All dollars, no Sense" or just your typical lack of respect for material possessions because you can afford 12 more of the same thing if you wanted....

*Grrr*
Funny you should say this. The person who's skis I repaired was ready to put the them back on the roof!!!! Then even asked me if I was sure that this was the reason his skis got so rusty to begin with! Unbelievable.
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post #21 of 29
3/4/08 at 3:42pm
I did it gratis, too.... At least I got a little practice out of it..

I see people driving around here with rusty skis in roof racks all the time... I just laugh...
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post #22 of 29
3/4/08 at 5:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hydrogen_wv View Post
A guy my parents know had some skis in horrible condition.... Chewed up bases and edges, rusted edges, etc.... 3 sets of them in this condition... I'd like some opinions on my methods, but it seemed to work well...

First, I took a file and wrapped it in some higher grit sand paper, and sanded the bases until the rust was gone on base edges and the bases were flatter. I sanded, scraped, sanded with some finer grit, scraped again. This got the bases nice and flat and the rust off the base edges...

I used an edge guide with a 3 degree bevel and a file for a couple passes down the side edges until the majority of the rust was gone (some of the rust was so bad it had started pitting).

After that, I reset the base bevel and did a normal tune.


I know that in the shops they basically use a big belt sander to stone grind, so is my method just as good? It took more time, but it didn't cost me a dime.

I haven't done this on any other skis, but it seemed to work very well and I'd obviously start with finer grit sand paper if the skis were not in bad shape... opinions?

Did you sand out the structure or replace it? I sanded these bases and they are running very well. Important to sand. Sounds like you did a fine job for those unappreciative dolts.
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post #23 of 29
3/5/08 at 7:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hydrogen_wv View Post
I know that in the shops they basically use a big belt sander to stone grind, so is my method just as good? It took more time, but it didn't cost me a dime.
No, shops use a big belt sander to belt sand, and a big stone (bonded abrasive grinding wheel) to stone grind. Thus the names of the processes.

My only opinion on your process is that you should get some free legal advice out of it...
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post #24 of 29
10/20/11 at 2:11pm

i got a really nice pair of atomic deviants. I love these skis with a passion. I want every possible thing known to man to keep these skis safe. I want does and donts and how to keep them in great condition. Ps, we keep them in the car and not on the roof

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post #25 of 29
10/21/11 at 10:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by atomicdeviants1 View Post

i got a really nice pair of atomic deviants. I love these skis with a passion. I want every possible thing known to man to keep these skis safe. I want does and donts and how to keep them in great condition. Ps, we keep them in the car and not on the roof



Keep them coated with storage wax when not in use.  Also, don't store them in a garage, attic, shed, or anyplace not climate controlled where humidity/moisture/dew/condensation can attack the edges.

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post #26 of 29
10/26/11 at 12:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by atomicdeviants1 View Post

i got a really nice pair of atomic deviants. I love these skis with a passion. I want every possible thing known to man to keep these skis safe. I want does and donts and how to keep them in great condition. Ps, we keep them in the car and not on the roof



Wax, wax, wax, sharpen, wax, wax, wax.

 

Honestly there are tons of great info in this forum.  Peruse some of the threads and you'll find just what you need.  Just a forewarning though, you'll probably get obsessive with the tuning if you love your skis with a passion.

 

Good luck!

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post #27 of 29
11/1/11 at 5:07pm
Thanks for the advice. I have allready used a.scotch brite pad on them and theylook far better r r.than what they used to. What should I wax on the skis. Base and edges? Oh yea and sorry for the grammer and other mistakes, I'm using my phone..touch.screens and tournament don't go together well
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post #28 of 29
11/6/11 at 5:25pm

I'm always careful to dry my skis when I come home.

Then if there is rust, I just take out a file. Usually one pass over does the trick.

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post #29 of 29
11/7/11 at 2:00pm

I would lose the scotch bright pad, you wax the bases and file the edges, if you want to look after your skis have a look at http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/content/category/5/14/34/, its a UK site but will give you an idea of what you need and how to do it, there are a number of US based sites that can sell you what you need.

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