wd-40 on bases??

I've used WD-40 as a base cleaner, particularly for spring "pollen" gunk. But only because I happen to have it lying around and its quick and easy to use.

Periodic hot waxing is important to keeping bases in good condition, as is proper scraping after waxing so that only wax absorbed into the base structure remains.

Stone grinding is popular treatment offered by shops, but I'm skeptical of it's value. I prefer to maintain my edges using edge tools and to repair gouges in the base with P-Tex repair string, a base welder, sureform file and conventional file. If I was racing, I'd spring for a base restructuring tool, that will carve precisely shaped groves in the repaired base areas.

Tognar toolworks is good source of ski maintenance and repair tools and supplies.

A couple of tips for good base maintenance.

Clean your bases with a specialty penetrating hot wax that you scrape off while still warm. If you have never done it, use a specialty steel brush to clean the gunk out of your base structure. Then hotwax with a universal temp hydrocarbon wax, let stand for 2-24 hours, then scrape, brush with brass brush and nylon brush (or combo brush); I add rubbing with a fibertex/scotchbrite pad (I'm more pickly with my downhill skis than with my AT skis).

Whenever your base shows some graying/whitish surface, rewax as above with the universal wax, scrape, brush.

Check out Jacques (Sagina99) on utube--he has an extensive short course on ski maintenance; Willi from Toko has a shorter short course.

You will appreciate the improvement in your ski performance if you haven't been doing something similar. As Jacques says "If you want your ski to perform as reviewed in the magazines/utube, then you better do a good prep." He says the initial prep of a brand new ski is far more time consuming than subsequent maintenance.

Have a good day

btw, I wax my wife's and my skis after about every 3rd day of bc skiing.

Breaking the surface tension of the wet snow / ski base interface is the goal. Unless it is too cold for my hands ,  I will wax , brush or both at the top of every run relative to conditions. Cold snow likes hard wax , fine structure and polishing. Warm, wet snow likes soft wax , coarse structure , coarse brushing. The following technique for wet conditions is so simple , effective and easy that even a snowskater like myself can perform it while on a chair lift. 1st turn your bases toward the sun to heat them up. Next rub the flat edge of either yellow , universal or a warm wax , pressing hard . If you can get the bar to chatter against the base even better. Rub it till it starts to form bumps and dimples. The bigger the better , much like surf wax. Rub diagonal also. You can now drag your coarse brush diagonal to create diamond shapes. Put the ski in the snow to cool. Your now ready for the anti-suck experience. When your first turn is important to set your rhythm , you wont be singing the blues . It usually lasts about one run depending on how dirty the snowpack has become.   X