Mad_Dog: de-gluing/re-gluing skins

&gt;&gt;jhamaker - when you say you iron the glue to spread it, are you using the "release paper" or is it possible to iron directly without gumming up the iron? &lt;&lt;<br><br>To finish spreadin the glue, I use a flat iron directly (one w/o holes) and turn the temp down a little from what I use for hard (glide) wax. I then use citrosol or annother ski safe solvent to clean up the iron.<br><br>I no longer use paper bags or release paper. Once I've scraped all the pineneedles and grit off, I re-apply the skin glue.<br> <br><br> <br> <br>

Thanks, everyone, for the additional info. Now that Robie has coordinated a complicated 3-way skin swap, I no longer need to figure out how to lengthen skins to fit my skis. Instead, I need to figure out how to trim them for shape and length.<br><br>Robie mentioned instructions about how to trim to shape, but I didn't find any with the skins (Ascension hydrophobic - purple). There is a trimming tool included. Does anyone have a link for a good description of trimming to shape?<br><br>Also, I'm wondering if the white paper which comes stuck to the skins (sort of waxy on one side) is the same as the "release paper" used for ironing?

Trimming Skins<br><br>Wide skins need trimming to size with a sharp craft knife or razor blade. To ensure an optimum fit, and to minimise wear, it's best to cut the skins as follows:<br><br>1. Remove the protective plastic sheet. <br><br>2. Put the elastic tip attachment on the skin, mount the skins on the skis and adjust the skin length by trimming and/or turning the skin back on itself through the front hook. About 5-6 cm is sufficient to ensure good adhesion.<br><br>3. Laying the ski on a flat surface topside up (preferably wood, or another flat surface that you can cut on), trim the excess skin from one side on the ski. <br><br>4. Now move the skin sideways away from the side already trimmed, so that about 2 mm (or 1/10th inch) of the ski edge/base is showing. Now trim the second side. <br><br>5. The skin now can be centered on the ski with a small gap on each side, which will prevent excess wear and fraying.<br><br>6. For Montana skins, the tail clip is supplied bent at 90°. Bend the clip around the tails of the ski for a good fit.<br><br>Thanks to:<br> www.telemark-pyrenees.com/e_index.htm

The TP "two cut" method will work.<br>I have set up a dozen or more sets of "wall to wall" skins. Being a bit of a gearhead and a perfectionist I usually go with Black Diamond's "three cut" method. Used with the supplied cutter (which is nothing more than a clever little envelope opener that you can buy in many stationery stores) it produces a perfect fitting set of skins, every time. I also think it produces a skin that more naturally centers itself on the skin. It is also the instructions they typically include with the handy little cutter. Charles, I will scan in BD's skin trimming instructions and email them to you in pdf format. Hopefully you will be able to put them up somewhere on your site for other's future reference.<br>Hopefully you will be able to put them up somewhere on your site for other's future reference.

Thanks again for the additional info. I took a quick look at the Black Diamond site and could not find the skin fitting and skin trimming instructions there, so I have put the two PDF files Ron sent me on my server so all can access them. Thanks for sending those files, Ron! Now all I have to do is decide exactly how I am going to set these skins up...and I 'll remember to measure twice and cut once.<br><br>Click for skin fitting instructions (169K)<br>Click for skin trimming instructions (85K)

On the topic of re-gluing skins, there is an article posted on Couloir magazine's site at www.couloirmag.com/Gear/reviews/accessories/reglue.htm