How do you prepare freshly grinded skis to get the most out of it from the first ski ride on the track?

There are many different types of grinds for cross-country skiing. This is pure science, and what is best varies a lot. Choose a few different grinds and work appropriately with the skis afterward.

Then you are well on your way to the top grind in the ski track. However, you do not necessarily have to grind a new ski, says Ronnie Frydenlund Hansen. He is the responsible technician behind the grinds for the Norwegian national team.

“Try the skis first and see how they are. It is a waste of money to grind a ski before it has been tested,” says Frydenlund Hansen.

Many skis come with a factory grind that can work optimally in the right conditions. Many specialty stores also have their grinding machine and sell skis where grinding is included in the price, but ask to test the skis first.

If you have thought of a specific grind, Frydenlund Hansen recommends a cold grind on skate skis and a medium grind on classic skis.

After grinding, the important work begins. Here Frydenlund Hansen shares his procedure:

• Clean the skis thoroughly with fluoride cleaner.
• Wax the skis two times with cold wax without fluoride.
  Scrape between each time and brush with a steel brush. Feel free to pass the wax iron in the opposite direction to the sliding direction, then the hairs in the coating will rise and come off more easily when you scrape off with a sharp plastic scraper.
• Heat a cold wax three to four times without fluoride, melting more as needed. Let it cool between each melt.
• Allow the skis to cool appropriately, scrape and brush thoroughly with a steel brush. Replace with cold wax without fluoride.
• After this, the skis are ready to use. You may want to add wax for the current day. For best results, cold wax as a base is recommended.

With a piece of wise advice, Frydenlund Hansen adds that usually the more you work with the skis, the better the result is.