waxing--metal or plastic scraper--

i went to my local snowboard shop this week just to get some rub on to tide me over for the last one or two times i go this season, but the dude there convinced me to just buy regular wax, a scraper, and to go get a cheap iron and do a hot wax myself. but he sold me a metal scraper. online i've read that some people say to use plastic, others say metal is ok if you're careful.

any advice??

I use metal to hot scrape when I am cleaning my base and a good "sharp" edged plastic scraper to scrape the reg. hot wax. Remember that you want to get as much wax off as possible. But he probably did you favor in the long run, rub on wax is a good temporary or on the spot kind of thing but it doesn't last nearly as long as a good hot wax. So I would say pick up a plastic one for reg. wax scraping.

You more likely to scratch you base with a metal scraper but I wouldn't sweat it if that's all you've got. Actually sometime when I let my wax set overnight I will hit it with my metal dakine scraper first.

If you eventually get a plastic you should still hang on to that for any ptex jobs you may have to do in the future

metal

you can get one from the hardware store that as wide as any board, just makes it easier

you have to be careful w metal to make sure you dont gouge out your deck

metal works for some people, if you're doing a quick job where you don't really worry about getting off all the wax (and don't mind possibly scraping off a little p-tex structure)

if you take the time to do a full wax where you get all the wax off possible, the chances of scraping off a bit of your structure with the metal scraper is really high (you can even scrape off structure with a sharp plastic one, if you don't know when to stop)

I always use plastic, except on the begining stages of p-tex repairs.  I wouldn't take the chance with metal for a wax job, especially since you're a noob and you probably aren't getting new boards every season

Metal scrapers take away a good big more of your base structure then you prob won't to keep losing so use a plastic one unless your board got scratched a little and has those fuzzy things.

Originally posted by vicente Metal scrapers take away a good big more of your base structure then you prob won't to keep losing so use a plastic one unless your board got scratched a little and has those fuzzy things.

I just keep a big sheet of sandpaper at my waxing station and do a quick sharpen on the wall before every wax...it only takes a couple of passes on each edge to sharpen plastic.

Pulling a metal scraper probably can't damage a base...pushing it is where things get sketchy

Originally posted by idshredhead I use metal to hot scrape when I am cleaning my base and a good "sharp" edged plastic scraper to scrape the reg. hot wax. Remember that you want to get as much wax off as possible. But he probably did you favor in the long run, rub on wax is a good temporary or on the spot kind of thing but it doesn't last nearly as long as a good hot wax. So I would say pick up a plastic one for reg. wax scraping.

Originally posted by Kenmanh I've always thought that metal scrapers were for scraping excess p-tex in base repairs.

there are no shop techs on here that can help resolve this? or add some pro know to the discussion, sounds like we are all guessing.  

Never use a metal scraper. Just use the plastic ones they work fine. 

metal works a lot quicker...but plastic is better for your base. 

i use plastics and they work pretty well. but wouldn't metal scrapper scratch the board?

plastic

i just did my first wax job with a plastic scraper, no problems here....

my plastic scraper does just fine.  don't want to risk it with a metal one.  

The metal scraper is so much faster, but I'd love to get hear more input from shop techs.

FWIW, the video guides over at snowboardingforum.com mention that it's OK to use a metal scraper, just that you have to be careful to avoid gouging the base with the blade ends.

A metal scraper is ok you just have to be careful with it. Make sure you don't dig the corners into your base or it will rip through it.

Sometimes I use a metal scraper instead of a perspex scraper when I want to do it quickly but yeah, the safer option is a perspex one.

I have used metal scrapers only for base repairs and plastic for iron on wax.

Metal scrapers is only after base repairs with ptex or smth else. Plastic after waxing.

someone up there ^^^ said to use a high quality ski iron. is this a good idea? i just a bought a $5 piece of shiz at a thrift store. as long as it melts the wax but doesnt burn the base??

Local department stores have triangular rulers.  It works well and it's cheap.

the metal one is too much for waxing
you don't have to return it... it will come in handy

it will really help when you're reapairing your base.... but you still dont' want to do it too hard with scraping off drip candles...

You don't have $3?