I didn't know skis could rust

[dovski]

Are edges stainless steel? Or some other steel?

Well if the edges rust then they are not stainless steel lol

 

[silverback]

After hauling my skis back and forth every weekend for a few weeks I noticed that the edges have got all rusty. Is there something I'm doing wrong, or something I should be doing, to prevent this? Is it a problem?

How and where are you “hauling” them? Rooftop ski rack?

 

[crgildart]

^^^This.. Also, they are using more and more salt to help stuff freeze up at higher temps. There is salt that washes down the access roads and ends up in the retaining ponds used for making snow.. That causes your edges to rust more than straight up natural snow with no salt content.

 

[SKI-3PO]

Best way to prevent edge rust while transporting skis after ski day

Hi all, I always take the skis out of the bag and dry them after a ski day, but during the 2-3 hours the skis are in the ski bag rust is already forming. Are there some tricks to prevent this? Things I am already doing: Putting spacer straps between the skis. Leaving the ski bag a bit open in...

www.skitalk.com

 

[JC Ski]

Springs, bolts, screws, pins? There’s a lot of metal that’s not aluminum.

Many of these fasteners are likely stainless steel or at least zinc plated both of which would be more resistant to rust. Other binding parts are sometimes made with magnesium which doesn't rust but does corrode, so it's likely plated or alloyed with something to reduce corrosion.

Are edges stainless steel? Or some other steel?

A little research shows edges are carbon steel. Some sites stated this was due to stainless being too hard to flex with the skis, and others because carbon steel is easier to sharpen. Cost may also play into it, but the steel is not the most expensive part of the ski.

Well if the edges rust then they are not stainless steel lol

They actually still could rust if they were stainless steel. Stainless steels form a chrome oxide layer on exposed surfaces, typically during a passivation or heat treating process. Even steels that aren't stainless (>10% chrome) may form some level of chrome oxide layer. This chrome oxide layer prevents moisture from oxidizing the iron in the steel.

Damage or dings to the ski edge from rocks or similar could remove or penetrate the passive chrome layer allowing the iron in the steel to rust more easily.


This leads to probably the only practical thing I'll say here: removing large dings or burrs from your edges will also help prevent rust in your edges regardless of the steel type or composition. By removing these inconsistencies you're giving the water less places to hang out and continue to rust the edges.

 

[Swiss Toni]

Are edges stainless steel? Or some other steel?

These days most ski edges are made from C67S (1.1231) spring steel http://www.steelnumber.com/en/steel_composition_eu.php?name_id=354 other steels such as 100Cr6 (1.3505) bearing steel and X39CrMo17-1 (1.4122) martesitic stainless steel have been used in the past.

 

[dovski]

This season, the real issue and threat to our edges has been rocks not rust. My kids have a comp this weekend and we are marking left and right ski so they have the better inside edge. You can remove rust but you cannot replace metal :-(

 

[Talisman]

Are edges stainless steel? Or some other steel?

Ski edges are typically made from hardened steel Rockwell 48 hardness which is why people use diamond stones and purpose manufactured files to tune the edges. I have never seen stainless steel edges, but I imagine there are boutique manufactures that have found a stainless steel edge material that is hard enough to remain sharp and flexible enough not to crack when the ski flexes.

 

[Wasatchman]

If you don't feel like getting into the whole tuning thing just take your skis in to a shop for an edge and wax. But the vast majority of the time the rust is very superficial and you can remove it easily enough with a gummi stone or even a kitchen scouring pad will do the trick.

 

[Jeronimo]

When I put the skis away for a span I always take a little bit of a mild oil, damp a cloth with it and just run it down the edges. Emphasis on the light here, don't want the oil penetrating into the seam of the edge and the bases.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Well if the edges rust then they are not stainless steel lol

You need to try sea fishing. There is no such thing as not rusting steel.

 

[dovski]

You need to try sea fishing. There is no such thing as not rusting steel.

Until they start making salt water snow I am going to focus on maintaining my ski gear within the current PNW conditions lol

 

[JC Ski]

Until they start making salt water snow I am going to focus on maintaining my ski gear within the current PNW conditions lol

I can only imagine what salted race courses do to a pair of skis