Identifying Antique Skis
How old are these skis? by Seth Masia International Skiing History Assoc.
Skis
Ski History
A Short History of the Ski
The concept of the ski dates from the retreat of the ice age in Northern Europe and Siberia when humans migrated to the northern steppes. Rock drawings dated at 5000 […]
Ancient Skis
The following series of images are photographs taken at the ski Musuem at Holmenkollen, Oslo , Norway. They show the ancient skis (or parts of) found in Fenno-Scandia from bogs.
Wood Skis
Wood Ski Construction
Early skis were made from solid wood shaped into a ski. The camber and tips had to be steamed or immersed in hot water for a period and then put […]
Wood Ski Bases
From the left: Birch base with hickory edges/birch base with lignostone edges/ hickory base with lignostone edges. Lignostone is an oil soaked compressed beech wood. From the left: birch base […]
Fibreglass Skis
Fibreglass Ski Bases
Fibreglass ski bases have gone from clear ABS through plyethylene to textured bases to provide mechanical grip on snow. Some of the iterations are displayed below.
Ski Testing
EARLY SKI TESTING The evolution of ski testing has gone from hand and eye ski evaluation to machine testing over the years. Wood ski evaluations Drawings are from Cross Country […]
Ski Accesories
Ski Transporter
CANADA WAS FIRST!!! At the 1992 Olympics in Albertville and at the cross country venue at Les Saises, the wax test area was not very close to the wax cabins […]
Ski Bindings
Ski Bindings: Illustrations
Ski bindings have evolved from a basic toe strap to the inclusion of a heel strap made from natural materials. Later came the introduction of metal to add strength and […]
Ski Wax
Wax History
A Short History of ski wax
GRIP AND GLIDE: A SHORT HISTORY OF SKI WAX Author: Seth Masia From pine pitch to perfluorocarbons, ski waxing has come a long way since the days of Scandinavian […]
Waxing Techniques
Waxing Equipment
Waxing techniques have changed radically over the years from open fire heating of skis to the use of torches and on to heat guns and irons. Below are some of […]
Clothing
Skiwear and how it has evolved
1879: The drawing below is taken from the 8th February issue of Canadian Illustrated News and is the first recorded news story about skiing in Canada. “Mr. A. Birch, a […]
Early Fashion Tips for Ski Enthusiasts
This article is undated but it may have been written in the 1930s. The author, Myrtle A. Cook, was a renowned Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the […]
Accessories
Ski Clamps and Tip Spreaders
Ski clamps and tip spreaders were made from wood and had metal hardware to tighten the clamps. Tip spreaders were used on solid wood skis to keep the curve in […]