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 into a press to achieve the shape of the ski. Certain devices were used to maintain the tips and camber.
Later in the history of skis the concept of gluing together many strips of different woods became the norm and the ski shape could be more permanent as the glue held the wood from deforming or the ski becoming flat.
