Caldwell Sport started as a grinding service in 2002, and the Tazzari RP23 remains the at the core of our business. We grind 1100-1500 pairs of skis annually, and we take a great deal of pride in our work.
For 2022-23 we have raised our grind prices for the first time since 2011. Our pricing now starts at $100 per grind, with standard batching discounts available (see our work order form linked below) and further team discounts set based on team relationships. Please see our article explaining the pricing increase here.
Grind Menu 2022-23
Our grind menu is in a state of constant evolution. We do this because it’s both challenging and rewarding to design and produce surface solutions for ever changing snow conditions. New solutions feel like authentic discoveries, or maybe inventions. It keeps us engaged in the work and excited by the process. Trust me – you want us to be engaged and excited when we’re grinding your skis!
It can be frustrating to try to keep up with an ever changing menu of structures. In the end, most customers just ask us to put on what we think is best, and most teams work with us to design a contained program for consistency and predictability. We’re happy to consult with you, and you can always ask if you want to try something new. Likewise, you can always ask us to produce an old favorite. However, special requests sometimes get pushed back in the work flow since they don’t fit into batching that well.
Please download and fill out the excel work order sheet linked to the right for shipping instructions, to calculate costs, and to provide us with all necessary information for grinding your skis.
Heatbox & Race Hardening
After grinding, skis should be saturated with wax, and then “hardened” for optimal speed and durability. We offer these services as post-grind treatments. If neither of these services are selected, then the skis will be returned with a protective layer of wax rolled onto the base.
Heatbox Saturation (HB – $20) The heatbox is an efficient way to get a lot of wax into the base pretty quickly. To be clear, saturation of the base with soft paraffin is not what makes the skis fast. But it helps to condition the base, and ensures that subsequent layers are well anchored. If you don’t want to heatbox your skis, you can get them ready with four to six repetitions of standard ironed-application of a soft paraffin.
Race Hardening (HB+RH – $45) Hardening is a process that involves bringing the amorphous material of the base up to what appears to be a secondary glass transition temperature range. Wax is used as the vehicle to carry heat into the base, and evenly transform a consistent layer of surface material. This is the same process as “burning” the base, but it’s done with care (like searing a steak, instead of burning it), utilizing carefully designed waxes and specific iron temperatures. We use two different hardening waxes in the shop, depending on the target conditions range of the skis being hardened.