Middleman C Charbroiled 2 0 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 I was round my Japanese friends house the other day and he showed me his first set of skis. Incredible they were, from many decades ago. Quote: Lund Skis made by Christian Lund: Christian Lund was a Norwegian immigrant who founded the Northland Ski Company in 1911 and was direct competition with Strand. There were plenty of skiers and few manufacturers, therefore much work for all. They had two factories, one in St. Paul Minnesota and later added another in Laconia, NH. Their first season they sold over 4000 Pair of skis. Most of his buyers were expert ski jumpers and racers. The 'nipple' or point on the tip of the ski (also known as a Norwegian or square tip) was originally designed to prevent maple skis from splitting down the ski, but also served as purposeful as skins were easily applied, and braces attached to maintain camber. This became fashionable and was used on most skis of the era. Northland however produced skis into the 60's. A fine early example of Lund skis, with a low serial number of 0096 and complete leather Trailmaster bindings. He was telling me lots of his stories. It made me wonder just how much the experience has changed. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Amazing how far we've come eh Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 What's the oldest stuff you've skied on Toque? I'd love to have a go on all that old stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Early 80s equipment I'd guess Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 What we would recognise as "modern" gear came in during the sixties. Plastic skis with metal edges, step-in bindings and plastic boots. My contempories at school (bstards, I couldn't afford to go) used cable bindings. By the time I hit the slopes in 1973, we were well up to date Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 a quiz: what was the first twin tip? Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Somewhere in the 80s a ski magazine wrote an article how you could make a twintip from a regular ski. I 'made' my first twintip ski in 1991, but I wasn't able to use much as I was blasted from the halfpipe by territorial snowboarders. But I'm interested in the real answer. Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 The Lund skis look very similar to the one's I have but mine are Michel's with Tulla patented bindings. Did he seriously ski on those, first? They are 200cm and impossible to stear. I also have a pair from the fifties. You could very well imagine skiing on those. Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by Sanno: But I'm interested in the real answer. i can't find a good picture but it is the Olin Mark IV. (the big orange ones)if i remember correctly it was designed so that one could side slip better. Link to post Share on other sites
jgraves 0 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I wish my skiis had nipples. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by daver: i can't find a good picture but it is the Olin Mark IV. (the big orange ones)if i remember correctly it was designed so that one could side slip better. You're supposed to wait more than 1 day before you give the answer. I'd have won that one There is a pair of Mark IVs with original bindings sitting at the ski rack at the bottom of Tsugaike gondola. They've been there for a few years. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by Tohoku bum: I wish my skis had nipples. You need a girlfriend. Link to post Share on other sites
jgraves 0 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I don't think my wife would like that very much. But i'll consider it. But seriously, why are ski tips so lame? There is practically zero functionality in their current design. Why not make them more functional or at least interesting? With the loss of nipples, ski tips seem to have LOST a lot of both. Now, for durability, many ski makers attach big hunks of heavy metal to tips--and that's just to prevent delamination which really doesn't matter much anyway, and in some cases, the metal/rivets are so thick that you cannot attach skins to them. The only recent ski tip "innovation" (which is a revival of a feature lost from skiis centuries ago anyway) is drilling a hole in them so you can convert them into a sled to pull an injured person out of the woods, haul gear, etc. THAT one didn't take much brains. Wonder what improvements could be made if designers actually thought about the tips of skiis. Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 well they could put lazor beams on the tips but that would be tredding on this thread. Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by Toque: You're supposed to wait more than 1 day before you give the answer. I'd have won that one i suspected as much, hence i had to beat you to it. Link to post Share on other sites
Hokkaidough 4 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 Quote: With the loss of nipples... Can someone explain this? Skis used to have, er, nipples? Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted May 24, 2006 Share Posted May 24, 2006 From the original post: "The 'nipple' or point on the tip of the ski (also known as a Norwegian or square tip) was originally designed to prevent maple skis from splitting down the ski, but also served as purposeful as skins were easily applied, and braces attached to maintain camber." Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 Here is a picture of the 'nipple'brace. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 This thread is taking an alarming turn. Chains and all. Link to post Share on other sites
Middleman C Charbroiled 2 0 Posted May 28, 2006 Author Share Posted May 28, 2006 I have met my friend again and mentioned this thread - nipples, lasers and all. He might join up sometime and join in.... Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by rach: This thread is taking an alarming turn. Chains and all. Yeah skis can be a sort of medieval torture device, especially the old ones. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 The bindings don't look like they would be very sturdy there. Looks laughably loose. It must have been really difficult to ski on them things. Link to post Share on other sites
nagoid 4 Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Quote: Wonder what improvements could be made if designers actually thought about the tips of skiis. Spoke about this last night with some friends. We couldn't come up with anything (better than a drink holder or "lasers" of course). Link to post Share on other sites
jgraves 0 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Why not shape tips more like the bow of a boat? Certainly skiis cut through powder in a similar way to a boat cutting through water. That would probably improve their float and speed in the deeps. . . Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Dynastar little big fats are shaped like the bow of a boat They cut through snow much like a boat cuts through water But I don't think they help in the performance at all FT you want to add in on this seeing as they are your skis Link to post Share on other sites
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