Starting in late November or early December
2012, Anders Morley and his brother are going to be setting
out from Quebec City, Canada to ski west to the British
Columbia coast. Anders will be using Åsnes wooden
Norwegian Army skis. Check out their website at http://www.bigski.org
Snip from the Past
"By the end of the 1970s, the all-wood
ski will probably have dparted the way of the dodo.....only
that elusive thing called taste might partially check this
trend. A finely crafted all-wood ski, like the Madshus Birkebeiner,
is a thing of beauty; its hand-rubbed hickory finish seems
the very embodiment of tradition in a sport whose roots
sink 4,500 years in the past; it is also a quality light
touring ski in its own right. Tour skiers have already proven
an unusually indepndent lot, so the exact direction here
is hard to predict."
Excerpted from The Regnery Guide to Ski
Touring by Sven Wiik and David Sumner. 1974. Henry
Regnery Company. Chicago.
COMMENTS
4/29/12 - I have just returned from the North
Pole for the 10th time and soon heading to the South Pole
again. I have been asked to lead a team back to the North
Pole in April for a month they would like to do the expedition
with traditional skis. My question is: would it be possible
to have 6 sets of wooden skis for the North Pole made to
fit modern bindings? I look forward to hearing from you.
Editor: Alan, I know of two people who
could make traditional skis for you; Mark Hansen from Grand
Marais, MN and Paul
Terpstra from Canada. Mark is an instructor at North
House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN, USA (www.northhouse.org)
and Paul makes custom skis. Mark Hansen actually made about
10 pair of wooden skis a few years ago for the BBC for their
documentary on a North Pole expedition.....Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4/24/12 - Hi,
I have found a pair of brand new, never used (without bindings),
wooden skis (hickory base with lignostone edges). I'm not
able to find informations about the ski brand may you help
me? I would like to use for the 1st edition of Historic
Marcialonga 2013!(The day before the Marcialonga main race).
Brand:Nordic Sport, Model:Classic, Colour:Orange , Made
in Sweden
Thanks in advance. Andrea......Italy
Editor: Nordic Sport was founded as early
as 1972 by Börje Österberg. A true entrepreneur,
who started his career as a businessman at the age of 11.
He put on his skis and started skiing to the neighbors in
a small hamlet in the north of Sweden, selling weekly magazines
and since he has continued on that course. He built a javelin
factory in Arvidsjaur, then he opened a sales office in
Skellefteå and finally he went out to sell his products
to the biggest events he could find in the world. Börje
Österberg has managed to position the company and its
products in the largest arenas, and built a fantastic network
around the world of athletics, and the story continues.
By now the company is well established on all markets......Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4/23/12 - Hi Greg,
I've bought old Sigmund Ruud ski's from a
second hand site. They are in very good condition. The flex
is still very good.
My first question is kind of a strange one. Everyone keeps
telling me it's a shame to go skiing with them and that
they should stay on my wall because they are to old for
this. I think they are still in a very good shape and they
only need a few coats of varnish on the top and some pine
tar on the bottom. The previous owner has cleaned the base
completely.
So, in your opinion, is it a shame to ski with them or is
the shame in putting them on the wall?
I would like to restore them so I can go skiing
with them. I go to Norway about 3 times each winter because
I guide groups for a non-profit
organization that's promotes nordic skiing in Belgium (SRHF).
I love the northern heritage and would love to combine these
with Rottefella super telemark 3-pin bindings and Crispi
leather 75 mm boots. They now have the old 3-pin bindings,
but I can't find any shoe's that fit because the modern
duckbills are to thick, so I will need to replace them.
My second question has to do with the varnish.
It needs to be refreshed, because where the logos are on
the tip, it is starting to crackle so there can get water
in the ski's. But I'm afraid that I will ruin the logo's
if I sand the varnish. Is there a way to keep the logo's
intact and put on a new coat of varnish? Or is the only
option to sand down the complete ski (including the logo's)
and then put on a new coat of varnish? Again the same question,
would this be a shame or are these ski's not exclusive enough
to be worrying about this?
So, all your thought are welcome. Btw, you
have a great site and it is nice to see how you keep the
heritage of these ski's alive............ Koen in Belgium
Editor: Koen, Ski on those skis! Hundreds
of people in the United States enjoy skiing on wooden skis,
including myself. I also ski on a pair of wooden skis using
super telemark bindings and Asolo Snowfield boots.
For refinishing old skis, I recommend
using 0000 steel wool and mineral spirits. Very lightly
scrub the ski with the steel wool and mineral spirits to
remove dirt and wax. Do not scrub over the logos, but go
around them. When you are done cleaning, you may have to
sand the skis a little bit. Wipe clean. After the skis are
dry, you can use a spray urethane to cover the logos, so
that they will be preserved. You may need 2-3 coats. Once
the logos are covered and protected, you can apply urethane
over the entire ski. Good skiing to you......Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4/5/12 - Good afternoon my name is David Nicolas
Suarez of Argentina and I am a long time in my family there
a couple of ski quite old. No information meeting, I met
his website and that is why the consultants so that I can
guide on the history and origin of these skis. sent some
pictures and I hope I can help.
if you require more photos or information
do not hesitate to contact me.
from already thank you very much
2/25/12 - I purchased my first pair of skis
from an army surplus store. They were wood, painted white
with a hole drilled in the tip. We would fill the hole with
wood putty, remove the white paint and have metal edges
installed. We did not want anyone to know we had used army
skis, but I am sure they knew.
When I had enough money to buy a pair of “real”
skis, I purchased a pair from Walter Linton. Walter Linton
had a factory producing wooden skis in Denver. In order
to prove the strength of his ski, he would place a pair
between two chairs and let you jump up and down on them
before you made the purchase. He said if they broke, he
would give you a free pair.......Barney B., Denver, CO
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2/14/12 - Hi,
Question! My Husband has a pair of Jofa sport
wood skis they are
painted black on the bottom. Is this a transitional ski?
and can the paint be taken off and redone with pine tar?
Would really appreciated your input wih this! Thanks Carol
Carol, Yes. In the 1950s, wooden skis
were painted black or red on the bottoms. Later in the 50s,
a plastic called Ebonite was installed on the sole of wooden
skis. You should be able to take the paint off and then
pine tar the skis......Greg Fangel
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/28/12 - Hi there,
I enjoyed reading your web site which I somehow
"accidentally" found as I browsed the web for
some new mountain skiis (fjellski) as I'm crossing the Hardangervidda
mountain plateau in the Easter. Will need some skiis with
steel edges for that though.
Just wanted to tip about http://www.finn.no
which is the norwegian "ebay"
where most people sell and buy their stuff nowadays.
http://www.finn.no/finn/torget/tilsalgs/ (torget = marketplace)
is the random category where you will find skiis. A quick
search on "treski"
(wooden skiis) gives some different adverts at a cheap money.
I can't imagine how many got some old wooden
skiis in their basement, never to be used anymore and will
be probably be garbage. Too bad, but such skiis aren't valued
much nowadays, other than for a design detail on a cabin
wall.
Have a nice day.
Med vennlig hilsen,
Øyvind......Norway (Norge)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/28/12 - Hi Wooden Ski Folk,
up in Montréal QC and have been daily skiing a pair
of 205cm 1950's Gresshoppas for years with modern bindings.
I am looking for 2 things one is a replacement once they
reach the end and in the mean time a replacement metal clip
to close the back as I have a little splitting going on.
Any help would be much appreciated,
Fellow woodster,
Kevin........Montreal
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/26/12 - Hello,
I was just wondering if you knew of any wooden ski manufacturers
in Ontario, Canada? Or knew of any shops that might be able
to manufacture wooden skis?
I have been skiing on wooden skis all my life and my pair
of Trysil Knuts are about worn out. I would like to order
2 pairs........I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully
getting the skis – I really want to stay with wood
skis and can’t find any up here!
Hi Greg, super nice job on the site and thanks
for posting info/pics on the Vintage
Ski Festival in Mazama. We had a great event, now we just
need a few more people!......Tracy
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/13/11 - Hello Greg,
I just wanted to thank you for your absolutely great website
for wooden skis.
Simply awesome.
I have added it to our list of favorite links at:
http://www.exoticskis.com/ExoticSkis/Links.aspx
Keep up the great work.
Wow.
Eric Edelstein
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/3/11 - Greg,
My skis came this week and they are beautiful. Well packaged
for freight and a joy to pull from the box...
I have worked on plenty of thrift store bought
wood skis in all these situations, but with this amazing pair
I want to be careful. Can't wait for snow or enough time to
head to the UP and give these a try. Thanks in advance.
Jim......Madison, WI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11/20/11 - Thanks for all the invaluable info
on woodenskis.com, it's been a great resource!
I saved my father's Kongsbergs (probably from
the '60s) when they moved a couple years ago and have been
waiting to put them to good use. I've been training my Siberian
Husky by "longboardjoring" (on a longboard skateboard)
in the spring & fall for the last few years and am looking
forward to adding skijoring to our repertoire. I have to pick
up a pair of 75mm boots and tar & wax.
When it comes to the wax, I've done some research,
but all the cross country skiing I did as a kid was on waxless
skis so have little experience. Thanks to your YouTube videos,
I'm comfortable with attempting cleaning, tarring, and waxing
myself, but would like some sort of "starter kit"
for waxes to get me going and experiment more over the coming
years...........Morgan in Vermont
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11/19/11 - Skis arrived safe and sound. Very
well packaged. They were as described, so I'm VERY HAPPY with
my purchase. I'll be looking for another pair of wooden skis
from you, likely for the 2012/13 season
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Stewart in Canada
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11/13/11 - Greg… the skis arrived and
they look great! Now its time to find some bindings. REI is
an OK source. Thanks for all your help! ........James, Ann
Arbor, MI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10/20/11,
Hello - I love you site. I started skiing
again a few years ago on cheap hand me down skis. Over time
I found more and more info on wooden skis and started looking
for a pair to buy. I mentioned as much to my father in law
and he had an old pair of Troll's just "lying around".
I enjoyed the entire last winter on that pair and much to
my dismay, I rolled over a rock in the spring and splintered
the tail. Do you know of anyone that could repair? Or how
I could do it myself?...Chad
Chad, I would try to repair them yourself.
Try using a good, slow setting epoxy. Clamp well using wax
paper to protect the clamp from the glue on the ski....Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10/4/11,
I am planning on building my own pair of
skis for my senior project and I was wondering what type of
wood is best to create a ski out of? I have heard that pine
and birch are good but I wanted to know what was the best
type of wood in your opinion....Jordon in Virginia
Jordon, Maple and Birch are two good
options, while pine would be my last choice. I'll send you
some information on making your own skis....Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8/4/11 - Hi,
I am refurbing a pair of wooden skis. They have
a slot through them for leather bindings. There are plenty
of leatherworks places around who are happy to make me a simple
strap to go over the toe. I am interested in something a bit
fancier, possible with a strap around the heel, as well. Do
you know of any plans for these that I could share with the
leatherworks places?
By the way, I love your site. The one big advantage
of wooden skis that you don't mention is that they are warm.
You can ski on wood when it is -20F and your feet will stay
warm. At that temperature fiberglass will suck all the heat
right out of your feet.
Thanks,
S. Hansen.....Wisconsin
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7/18/11 - Hello,
I live in Australia and I have a pair of Bonna 2000 waxless
that I bought around about 1978. Are they wood or fibreglass?
They were used once. I am wondering who would benefit from
them now?
Anyone in Australia you know who would appreciate them?
I love looking at your website, thanks, it is great.
I send you new information about the our new
contact info and web pages from Lahti Finland.
Lahti
Suomi Hiihtomuseo
Displays, good library, 10% in languages other than Finnish.
Best regards
* * * * * * * * *
Suvi Kuisma
tutkija/ curator
Hiihtomuseo/ Ski Museum
PL / POB 113
15111 LAHTI, FINLAND www.lahdenmuseot.fi
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2/5/11 - Greg, Received my Troll skis today
and I can not thank you enough, I think they are the most
beautiful skis I have ever laid eyes on!
I can not wait to try them out, beauty and function ...what
could be better. Until I came across your web site I thought
I was the only one that had an interest in wooden skis, now
I see there are a lot of us out there!...John, Central Bridge,
NY
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2/5/11 - I just found your website - Wood N
Skis. What a delight was! I was so happy to find a site devoted
preserving wooden skis, skiing and that skiing on these kind
of skis has not died.
I am 72 and I live in Ontario, Canada. I had not been cross
country sking for a number of years but now have moved to
an area of abundant snow. So I needed to get out the skis
and get them ready. I found your site while searching for
waxes for my "woodies".
I have a pair of Madshus's. I bought them as far as I can
remember between 1968 and 1970. At that time I could not find
cross country ski available in Canada. I ended up buying a
pair directly from Norway. (My grandparents came from the
Hallindal area, and an little community called Dokken. I do
not remember if there was a model name for the skis. There
is a # On them - 200 65986. I do remember however, that they
were advertised as the same ski the King of Norway used. Perhaps
they may have been called a Royal Madshus?...Derwyn, Ontario,
Canada
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/27/11 - Greg,
I just wanted you to know what a TREMENDOUS
birthday gift those skis were for my mom.
She told my dad the day before she turned 70
that she wanted to “ski out of the decade of the 60s”
by a cross country ski up “Cache Creek.”
He said, “great, get ready…” She did and
when she went to the back of the car once at the trail and
he had the skis there with a bow (all mounted with new NNN
bindings…)
She flipped out! Thought they were her good friend’s
skis. Couldn’t believe I had done this or found such
a “beautiful” pair of Madshus ever! She LOVED
skiing on them, said they
had real camber, couldn’t believe they were hers, hadn’t
realized how old and lifeless her old had become. She said
she would be skiing on them for the next 40 years!
What a huge success thank you thank you.
Best, Lynne...Jackson, WY
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/23/11 - Greg,
The brand STRIDE
was registered by myself in 1972. I had graduated from Cornell
Business School with an MBA in 1970 at the age of 22!. I went
to ski and train in the winter of 1971-2 in Finland at the
National training center up in the interior of Finland with
a group of Canadian skiers. I had the pleasure of skiing many
long distances with the famous Finn Olympian Eero Mantyranta.
I soon recognized the commercial possibilities of the sport
and visited factories in Finland, Sweden and Norway getting
all sorts of samples and a complete product line to brand
STRIDE. I gave up racing to promote the commercial side of
the sport! I soon had customers coast to coast in Canada and
through an associate firm Dovre SKi Binding in West Concord
Mass we distributed many thousands of skis, boots, poles and
bindings across America as well...Christopher, Tremblant,
Quebec, Canada.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/14/10 - Dear madam, sir,
My father and I live in The Netherlands. We
would like to make our own solid wooden ski's from ash. We
have experience in wood working bur never made ski's before.
The ski's will be used for general tour skiing
in the forest.Can you perhaps supply us with a building scheme?I
would be very gratefull.
With kind regards, Merijn W., Netherlands
Merijn,
See attached information from an article
that was published in Fine Woodworking Magazine in 1981 and
from Popular Science Magazine in 1937. There should be enough
information that you could build your own skis.
Veel geluk op uw project en gelukkig skiën
aan jou!......Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11/29/10 - Having a devil of a time finding
the spreader attachment for a propane torch for waxing old
wooden skiis. Any ideas?....Sid
Otherwise, tray Amazon.com and search for
"flame spreader". I found one there.......Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11/28/10 - I just discovered your business yesterday.
I am very impressed with your inventory and whole approach.
The wooden ski inventory is remarkable.
I've been nordic skiing since 1963 up here in
Alaska and remember many of the great brands, e.g. Jarvinen,
Asnes, Lampinen, etc. So, it is with great pleasure to see
these again. I do think wooden skis are the best in certain
conditions, particularly in dry snow. But you guys already
know that!
Anyway, I plan on buying a pair in the near
future. Have you shipped to AK much?
Charllie..........Anchorage, AK.
Ed: Charlie, Thanks for the nice comments.
Yes we have shipped many pair to Alaska. Let me know what
you need.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
11/6/10 - Thanks for all the great info on
wooden skis. I've been getting together some cross country
skiing gear for the coming winter, and purchased a couple
of pairs of Splitkein Spesial Bass skis with Troll bindings,
thanks to your website's encouragement. A pair of BC 3 pin
boots I have that fit very nicely in Rottefella 75 mm bindings
didn't fit quite right in the Trolls; the Troll bindings seem
to be just slightly wider (maybe a 1/16 or a 1/32?). The wire
bails seem to be closer to the base of the binding too. Are
they made for a thinner soled boot? ............Jonathon
Jonathon, 3-pin bindings are slightly
different between manufacturers. You mention that the Troll
bindings are wider. 79mm bindings are 4mm or slightly more
than 1/8" wider than 75mm bindings. Usually, the larger
bindings are for larger boots. Sometimes BC boots have thicker
soles, which means that you might need a 75mm BC binding......Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
3/16/10 - Great to find that there are others
out there enjoying wooden skis:-)
For me wooden skis for years was the only option. My "Åsnes
Veteran" that I bought new in 1982 has served me well
since then. Ten years later they got company of my first pair
of plastic-skies, my Åsnes Sondre mountain-skis. Moving
to the west coast of Norway, cross-country skiing in wet snow
was not ideal for my wooden skis. A few years later I returned
east, outside Oslo with a drier climate and colder winters.
The latest winter has been the best for years, with 1,5 meters
of snow and weeks of 15-25 celcius below! Lots of kilometers
on my Åsnes Veteran.
Wooden skis are still something people just throw away here.
You can get as many as you like of them for a few dollars
on a flea-marked. So if you´re visiting Norway, look
up a one of these and get you a pair of skis:-)
Funny to read "The Cradle of Skiing" on your web;
my wife is from Telemark, our youngest son is named Sondre,
and both my wife and I are now preparing for this years Birkebeiner
ski race from Lillehammer to Rena, that takes place this weekend.
Enjoy your (wooden) skiing!
Regards,
Mads.....................Norway
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
3/9/10 - Can you give me any info on these
skis? .....Jeff
Jeff,
I received one other email like yours in
2005 asking the same question about
identical skis. There were no answers. I suspect that these
skis were from
Lapland in Norway used by the Samis. Latu means "ski
track" or "ski trail"
in Finnish. Given that Sweden, Norway, and Finland meet at
the top, I think
that the name carried over from Finland to Norway. Looking
at the logo at
the tip, it looks like a Sami image. The long, pointed ski
tip is also an indicator of Sami skis.
The skis look like they were made in the
1960-70s. I'm also basing my
information on the previous person who had an identical pair
of skis to
yours.
Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/24/10 - Just wanted to let you know that
my daughter received her skis in Halifax and mine arrived
same day out here in Alberta. Both sets are great! I had the
Asnes Tur-Modell's out today for a quick 10 km. in the mountains
west of Calgary and I'm thrilled with how they look and feel!
It brings back such fond memories of my first pair of touring
skis (Toppen Tur-Lett's, back in the early 80s...)
Thank you so much for finding such wonderful skis for my daughter
and me!
Ron in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/19/10 - I thought you might like to know
that I skied my Bonna 1800s to an overall Wooden Ski Division
win in this past weekends Seeley Classic 22km race. I skied
them well enough that I also managed to finish in the top
100 of the race (300+ entrants) overall and top 25% in my
55-59 age group. In other words I had the Bonna's cookin'
and competitive. :-)
Mark.....Rhinelander, WI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/4/10 - We got hit with a two-day mini-northeaster
so I gnawed open the package from FedEx, screwed the part
onto the ski and zipped across the street to a local park
I use when time is of the essence. Again, I thank you so much
for your generosity...I will continue to tell others about
your website.... You were an unexpected Christmas gift because
none of the ski shops in and around Massachusetts could be
bothered with my plight. Even places in Vermont couldn't help
so you can imagine my immense gratitude. You made my New Year.
Thank you many times over.
Sincerely,
Johanna.....Massachusetts
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/12/009 - Hi Greg, I was just looking online
for a refresher on pine tarring my wood skis. I liked the
first one I read - and when I reached the end I discovered
it was yours! A name I know I can trust.
I was dismayed to read the part about sanding my skis - they've
not seen sandpaper in 35 years.... that may be too much for
them...
Today was our first time on the boards for the season - we
did a few rounds at Cleary Lake, one of my favorite early-season
parks. 'Twas a lovely day, sunny and warm. And those wood
skis did just fine - the skier was a little rusty though.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!......Julie N., Minneapolis,
MN
Editor's Note: Julie was one of the handful
of women in the state of Minnesota to race on wooden skis,
while in high school in the 1970s.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/12/09 - Just wanted to know that we received
the beautiful skis and are "over the moon". We are
so glad that we found you and the amazing skis. A thousand
thank yous and have a Merry Christmas!....Tara and Greg, Calgary,
AB.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/4/09 - Hello! First off, thank you for the
fantastic website on wooden skis. Its the only one I have
been able to find and I have found it wonderfully informative.
I am interested in building my own laminate wooden skis, with
the assumption of following the graphic you have on the website
outlining the use of hickory, beech, ash, and spruce. While
the actual construction seems "relatively" straightforward,
Im surious as to what an optimal camber would be for a 210cm
ski of that design style. I have a set of modern wax less
skis, would the camber be similar to those? I would really
appreciate your advice/input.
Many thanks!........Alan D.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12/2/09 - Great website. I live in Petersburg
Alaska on a 10 acre muskeg and am an avid wooden skier and
have been for over 40 years. I've about 8 pairs of wooden
skis (mostly Bonnas) and am looking for a single 1800 @ 215cm.
Got one? I broke it's mate on Angle Peak near Togwotee Pass,
Wyoming 15 years ago. BTW, I made the first ski descent of
the South Teton on US Army oak 7' skis in 1972 or 3. Thanks.........
Doug
10/10/09 - I am a student at Prescott College
in Arizona, and I am a Minnesota native. I am close to finishing
school, and in the process of developing a senior project.
Skiing is my passion. I am interested in preserving the heritage
of the lifestyle. I am wondering if you know about anyone
in Minnesota preferably in the Minneapolis region that continues
to manufacture wooden skis. I am interested in finding someone
to apprentice under, in order to preserve tradition, keep
wooden skis alive and pass it to the generations that fallows
mine. I would greatly appreciate any information.
Cheers,
Kyle
Kyle: Northhouse Folk School in Grand Marais
makes wooden skis for classes that it offers. They have classes
coming up in November for ski making.....Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
9/23/09 - I learned to XC ski in the mountains
of Pennsylvania in the late 1970's and always rented the woodies.
Also, I remember the great pine tar smell and how the shop
hand waxed the skiis before sending you out on them. When
I did buy skis I bought plastic bottomed skis. I now live
in Colorado and ski only several times a year and want to
get back into it.
And I found some great old 3 pin boots in
a used shop that are a bit heavier but fit like a glove. The
heavier boots may be good for my novice tele turns, although
ill be primarily skiing on groomed trails but you never know.
I did get your info./website link from the "White Grass
XC Ctr." website in Davis, WV and I skiied with Chip
many years ago when I was in college.
BTW it is snowing in the high mountains
here...
Mark C.......Colorado
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
9/11/09 - Hi Greg - Just wanted to let you know
I've finished making some more wooden skis.
I have just finished a pair out of Ash which
turned out really nice. They have a sidecut, traditional style
bindings, and a more traditional tip.
I also finished two out of Hard Maple that will
have a 3 pin binding on them.
I also just came back from a trip to Europe.
My wife and I first went to Norway where we visited Ulf Ronning
from Treski.no - (I found him through your website) - and
I saw his shop and learned about the skis he makes. We also
went to Morgedal where there are two guys that make traditional
skis and do workshops there through the Ski Museum. (www.morgedal.com
is a great link I would suggest for your website) Both visits
where very inspiring.
Attached is one photo (of the ash skis) and
you can see more at my blog and flickr site.
All the best,
Paul
http://thewoodwright.blogspot.com/
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5/25/09 - Hi there
This might be a slightly strange request but
we are looking for a pair of wooden skis for guests to sign
at our wedding reception. Can you help ?
We are an English couple and we are both mad
Skiers. I used to ski for the British Army in the Land Command
Ski Championships and Elizabeth was in the English Schoolgirls
Ski Squad. Neither of us went on to do anything further but
we look forward to the thrill of skiing on our annual ski
holiday. Last year I proposed to Elizabeth on the slopes in
Killington on Bear Mountain and this year we are getting married
in London in September. As part of the day we wanted to get
our guests to sign a pair of skis that we could mount on the
wall at home and have as a memory. We have looked at buying
a pair on eBay but we are not clear on the quality and more
importantly we are not sure of whether the signatures of our
guests will really work; what pen do we use to ensure that
the ink doesn’t bleed ? Do we varnish the ski’s
afterwards or will this darken them and make the signatures
indistinguishable ? Will it all look like a black mess at
the end ?
We then saw your website and hoped that you
might be able to help us. Would it be possible for you to
advise or create a pair of “blank” skis for us
? Most of all as you have knowledge working with the materials
would you be able to advise on how best to go about preparing
them so that we can get the signatures and effect that we
want before we mount them on our wall after the wedding as
an enduring memory ? Ultimately we would like to be able to
put something on the skis to show what the occasion was.
I note that you live in a beautiful part of
the world. I work for Thomson Reuters (Thomson bought Reuters
last year) and the main Thomson site is in Eagan, MN which
I have visited a couple of times, staying in St Paul each
time. It’s beautiful country out there !
Hope to hear from you soon
Stewart and (soon to be) Elizabeth Pedler.......England.
Editor's Note: 7/26/09 - Through correspondence
with Stewart, we were able to sell him a pair of 1930s vintage
skis and have them engraved with wedding information. They
were recently shipped so that Stewart and Elizabeth can have
their guests sign the skis as a momento to the wedding at
One Whitehall Place in England. Best wishes Stewart and Elizabeth.
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2/22/09 - Back in the days when the 75mm,
3 pin was the state of the art boot/binding system, the holes
in the boots which would accept the binding pins would eventually
deteriorate. After a while the boot could not be firmly clamped
onto the binding. You could attach a thin metal plate called
"smiley plate' onto the bottoms of the duckbill portion
of the boot. This plate had holes which would line up with
the pins and help keep the boot holes from elongating. Do
you know where I can find a pair of "Smiley Plates"?.....Fred
- fswark@charter.net
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2/14/09 -
Every now and then over the last 20 years
I get nostalgic for my old wooden Madshus Birkebeiners and
wonder how I could have “lost” them when I moved
from Vermont to Seattle. So tonight I googled to see if anyone
was selling some and found your website. What a great story
you have, and what a wonderful service you are doing preserving
old wood skis.
When I switched to fiberglass waxless skis,
I was so thrilled that I could go skiing on a moments notice
– I lived in Vermont where one day could be purple klister
and the next day special green. I tried not to think about
the decreased performance, but I’ve never forgotten
how wonderful it is to ski on a perfectly waxed wood ski.
I was surprised to read about how popular
the Madshus Birkebeiners were, since I never once saw another
pair back when I used them 1973-1983. Everyone seemed to have
Bonnas, and I was forever explaining that my weird unpainted
skis were really quite good. And I was dismayed because it
means they will be harder to find now.
Sooooo, if you do ever come across a pair,
in the 200cm range, I’d be thrilled to buy them from
you. Who knows, maybe they would actually be my old pair –
I do hope they aren’t just rotting in some fallen down
barn in Vermont. And again, thanks for what you are doing
in saving these old skis, and getting the word out about them.
Alison......Seattle, WA
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2/9/09 - Howdy folks, nice site.
I always figured I wasn't the only one who
knew that wood was best for all-around touring. Here's my
brief history: My age is 63 next week. Semi-retired. I live
in Price, UT. I ski on the top of the Ashleys and the Manti-Lasal.at
around 9000 ft. The Ashleys have the best powder in UT...period.
I am about an hours drive to either. I have skied a min. of
20 days for the last 32 years. Several seasons were over 40
days. I've had 30 mi. days on a snowmobile track.
Lots of full moon overnighters.I always
ski 'haul'in the freight' ie, about a 40 lb. pack...see photo.In
my youth I would ski in Oct. on wet rocks or a heavy frost,
now if it ain't powder, I go home. I gave up skiing on red
wax 25 years ago.Its Toko blue special (or Swix if I can't
find Toko) end of list.
I've skied all the new stuff, waxless, metal
edges, contacts bindings, etc. All junk. My first ski was
a pair of Bonnas, 2400's in 210. No lignastone edges. They
came with a pair of Alpha low cut touring boots and bamboo
poles. $40. I still use them for new turks who want to learn
to ski but have no equipment. I have a bunch of Bonnas in
2000 & 2200 as well as Asnes...most all skinny (what I
call track skiis.)
For the last several seasons I have been
skiing a pair of ASKEOM's . Its the only pair I have ever
seen They're wide bodies (2400) with lignostone edges. I got
them with clap trap cable bindings , but put some TROLL 3
pin bindings on . I've bought junk skis just to get the TROLL
bindings..I think they are the best, but the Marker &
Rotofella are ok.
Does anyone know anything about these skis??
Made in Norway is all I know. Well if anyone gets the urge
to kick some good powder over their gators... give me a shout.
Today was 10 - 12 in. new powder, virgin trail, skied the
storm. Day 15.
Regards, John M....Price, Utah
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2/7/09 - Dear Wood n' Skis-
Thank you very much for providing me with the Victor
C. Dunder Award. The skis were wonderful to have for a
year and my team will be very happy to be able to use them
next year. Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Kati H., Willmar, MN
Editor's Note: The Victor C. Dunder award
is given, through an application process, to motivated, first-time
high school skiers and is sponsored by the Minnesota Nordic
Ski Coaches Association. Wood N Skis contributes most of its
proceeds to non-profit ski and outdoor related organizations.
Click here to see our list
of philanthropical recipients.
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2/2/09 - Hi there. I love your website! .......I
am 25 years old, and have built many things including a kayak,
and cutting boards that I sell. But I must say that I feel
the one thing I've built that I am most proud of is this pair
of skis.....Photo
I am curious if you know of any resources
on the advantages and disadvantages of different wood types
for skis (both cross country and downhill).
My skis now are out of birch, but I've heard
of skis made of hickory and ash.
If you know of any books or online resources
not listed on your website I would love to know of them.
Thanks so much,
Paul
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1/26/09 - Hi,
Thanks for your site, excellent!
I found a Finnish manufacturer, check out
their website at http://www.suksitehdasylonen.fi/.
Unfortunaltely it seems to be only in Finnish at the moment.
Best Regards........Tommi L., Finland
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1/23/09 - Late last season I found this site.
It had been some time since I used my Bonna 2000s and I had
a desire to come back to the sport. I was elated to find your
site because no other site on outdoor sports had any current
knowledge of wooden skis, and most responses to my inquires
suggested I save my skis as a decoration and buy the newest
equipment. This season I have been in the local woods several
times and have used the information you have posted as a refresher
course.
Now, if I am successful in losing the last 10 pounds, I will
put on my old knickers!
Thank you,
Dom G.........Boston, MA
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1/19/09 - Greg--I was lucky enough to marry
up and in that process our ski collection grew considerably.
My wife is a first gen American of Norwegian/German parents.
In our collection we have a lot of woodies all in great shape
(Bonnas, Splitkeins, Anses, Skiloms). These are likley all
from the 60s and 70s. The top of our collection is my father-in-law's
Splitkein Splitkanas. He unfortunately passed away before
were were married. We recently moved and I no longer have
a good shop to have service done. I want to clean up the skis
(all of them) but had some questions.
First, the Splitkanas. The base colors are different from
the other skis. The ligno edges, which are in pretty good
shape aside from one gouge that needs repair, are lighter
brown than the other skis. Also, the bases are near black.
I was wondering about the color of the wood bases on those--it
seems they have an opposite color arrangement. What else can
you tell me about them?
Some time ago, I bought a pair of Asnes Veterans. My wifes
loves them and they ski pretty well. But I am looking for
another opinion on the tops of them. To protect them, I have
used linseed cut with mineral spirits (the same process I
use on furniture). But I want a bit more protection. I have
Epifanes spar varnish (Wood Finish Matte) that I use on my
boat. I spoke with them about the flexibility of the boat
and bought based upon their recommendation. Should I apply
a varnish to the Veterans? Or continue to use the linseed
approach?
Thanks much!! Great site, nice to see woodies
alive and well. .....Todd
Editor's Note: Todd, I use linseed oil
thinned with turpentine to refinish clear coat skis such as
the Asnes Veterans, Madshus Birkebeiners, and Normark VIs.....Greg
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/13/09 - Hi there.
I love your website! I am actually in the
process of making wooden cross country skis. They are nearly
complete. I am 25 years old, and have built many things including
a kayak, and cutting boards that I sell. But I must say that
I feel the one thing I've built that I am most proud of is
this pair of skis.
I will email you some pictures when they
are complete.
I am curious if you know of any resources
on the advantages and disadvantages of different wood types
for skis (both cross country and downhill).
My skis now are out of birch, but I've heard
of skis made of hickory and ash.
If you know of any books or online resources
not listed on your website I would love to know of them.
Thanks so much....Paul
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1/12/09 - Hi,
Do you know anyone who is interested in matching up single
skis? I'm sure that there are many of these lonely hearts
out there. While wood skis were made in pairs, matched skis
are usually good to ski on. Attached is a picture of 4 single
skis I have that are looking fro a good home; a 180 cm Birkebeiner
in almost new condition, a 205 cm Splitkein Special, a 215
Asnes Tur-modell, and a 215 cm Toppen Tur-lett. I'd be willing
to either trade with someone or part with them for shipping
costs and a few dollars.
I really appreciate your site. We try to get as many people
on wood skis as possible. It's amazing how many people have
been turned off of cross country skiing due to being sold
narrow fiberglass skis, and then find out how much fun skiing
on wood is.....Click
here for photo of skis.......Norm
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1/11/09 - Greg:
Thanks so much for your website. It’s
so nice to know that I am not the only fan of wooden skis
around. I’m still skiing on my first pair of X-county
skis purchased in the mid 60’s, a much beloved pair
of Asnes tur langrenn’s. I had no idea that anyone still
made the base pine tar for wooden skis. Mine have not had
the treatment in many years, so upon seeing that the stuff
was still available, I quickly ordered some.
I recently gave away as a Christmas gift,
a beautiful pair of Bonna 2400’s (in like new condition)
to a German friend of mine, who noted to me that in Germany,
wooden skis are still treasured as well, so this is not some
quirky Minnesota thing. Thanks again for the site and information.....Dave
