Rocket Science

After doing damage to my Stockli's last month and getting bad news from my dealers I faced the challenge of finding some new skis head on. It should be really straightforward to buy new skis, walk into a ski shop, point at a pair and wave a credit card. Many retailers now only offer skis and bindings as a package, not much use if you need a flat ski, and a toe lift plate.

So I did some web surfing and thought I'd found a decent ski and binding pairing from Telemark-Pyrenees in France and placed an order. A few days later an email arrived to say that they were out of stock of both the ski and the binding. It would seem that their web store is not linked to their stock levels, which is a shame.

I can't find any other supplier that can get me the ski I want at other than daft prices, so my 2nd choice ski came from Sport-Conrad in Germany and the bindings from an Ebay trader, Winter Shack, in Scotland. Everything arrives, and it's all fine!

I'd already been in contact with a guy who mounts skis and does servicing, advised him what I'd got lined up, and as he'd done the mounting for my Black Roses I anticipated no problems with a straightforward mounting of some Dynastar Bindings on Dynastar Skis. That's where everything started to go pear shaped.

I sent him some photos of the skis and bindings and read his response with a certain amount of dismay. Apparently I'd need some Driller Killer Inserts, a Custom Made Toe Shim, Machine Screws, because my heel piece screws would be too long, toe piece screws too short and he can't make them shorter/longer, and he'd need the skis for a week as the glue for the inserts needs 48 hours to go off.  Most ski shops do this work in an hour, how hard can it be?

Hmmm, not good. I offered to get shorter screws, no response. These are only screws after all.

Time for Plan B which involves a second opinion. Luckily my bootfitter carries all the Dynastar binding spares nationally, and is very familiar with the bindings I want to fit, so I send him the photos. I then take in the skis and bindings, and he puts them in position, they will fit straight onto the ski. He can't see what the need would be for all the inserts and custom made stuff I'd been told about.

He finds a slightly shorter screw for the heel pieces because I'm not using the Heel Lifter Plate, and confirms that I don't need longer screws for the toe pieces, the ones Dynastar provide will do nicely. He was even able to offer me alternative Race Plates for the toe pieces. They would fit straight on as well.

So, now, all I have to do is cart the skis to Switzerland and ask my local ski shop to do the mounting. What could be simpler.........

Frustration

I was given an old sewing machine at least 25 years ago, and up until today I got by. It's a very old machine, and only really did 1 sort of stitch, until today. So, I'd decided that today would be a good day to replace the main zip in my favourite ski trousers. I did all the unpicking, pinning, and tacking up yesterday, and was ready for the big sewing machine session.

1 slight problem, I now can't get the Bobbin to work, the cotton is pulling from the wrong place and after an hour, I admit defeat. It's an old machine, and the parts are very worn, nothing I did made any improvement. My trousers remain tacked up and I've now spent a shed load of money at Amazon buying a machine to replace it.

Of course, the price for a new pair of ski trousers, and a sewing machine is about the same. I'm justifying the purchase based on other repairs I might be obliged to make in the next (n) years.

Never mind, as it dates from 1917, I expect I can sell it to a collector, it must be worth a few quid. Apparently not more than £10, delivery charges exceed the value. I will be spending more as I'm now obliged to drive it to the tip since our garbage collectors won't take anything heavier than a Larks tongue these days.