Surfing Waves

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for maybe getting rid of some of the yellowish discoloration to a board? I just bought mine (used) and it has some wax at the tip and a few other places that I'm going to use a blowdryer to heat up and then a credit card to take off (That will work, right?), but I also want to try and clean it up a little. It isn't real bad or anything, just has a "dirty" look like it may need to be wiped down or something. Is there anything to use to brighten the coloring of it up some?

Well for that old wax its realy easy. The way you said would work but if you dont want to take the time with the blowdryer you can go to your local surf shop and pick up a tool that is used to take wax off. You just scrap and it takes it all off super easy and fast. A good buy imo. The colour might not come out im afraid. If you have already tried cleaning it with a rag and it doesnt come off it might be perminant from the sun. No worries though not like it will hurt its preformance. I know some places sell a kind of cleaner for your board. But if you are looking to stay on the cheap end dont worry about it. You can also have it redone by a shaper but if you bought a used board im assuming you dont have the bills to blow. Oh and what I used to do before I got a scrapper, I would take an old cd file it down on the cement and so one side is at a slant kinda sharp and use that on my board. It would take the wax and sand off no problemo.

well, the hair drier isnt the best idea, its heat can cause a bit of delamination if applied wrong. just get a credit card and scrape it off, it really doesnt matter about the rest of the stuff because ur probably just gonna load it up aagain with wax. theres a thread about it somewhere, has some great techniques. the yellowing might not be wax, but maybe sun yellowing (sometimes removed with some 220 wet sand) or might be a spot where the foam has been messed up with water in the board. got pics? i'd be nice to see another richmond guy hang around here....

tommy

YELLOW COLOUR = Cracked glass and water in the foam.

If the yellow colour is in the foam, there's little you can do about it - although I would suggest you try and find where the hole in the glass is and seal it up as quickly as you can.

I always recommend that people steer clear of boards with yellow foam because it means the board is/ has been damaged.

Get a ding repair kit and check the glass around the yellowing - if you find a hole, seal it up.

It won't get rid of the yellow you already have, but it will stop your board filling with water and rotting from the inside out!!

Cheers

Sinista

That's it, sinista, make 'em panic


Yellowing isnt necessarily water getting in - boards do yellow with age, particularly if used (or stored) in direct sunlight

And there really isnt much you can do about it once its yellow

You can clean up a board quite well using either a 'wax off' solvent from a surf shop, or meths does the job too. Use a small amount and gently scour all the old wax off (start with your credit card, wax comb, or funny shaped CD) then gently drop a small (like, tiny) amount of solvent on the board and gently rub the board with a washing scourer. Let's just emphasise that word gently

Then, voila, your board is as clean and un-yellow as its ever gonna get without spending lots of cash on it!

yep could also be uv damage drowning'' ..
imagine 2 pieces of toast...one a light golden yellow evenly thrughout the whole slice ....consider this 'uv' discolouration...now imagine the second piece yello in some bits and dark patches unevenly toasted ...now this would be water damage

... just to bring this into cheezee's perspective lounge !!

(checking for leaks & damage aside)..hicarbon : if your a begginner then your probably gonna whack it etc so i wouldnt bother spending too much time getting it pretty !

and if your a reasonable surfer already then .. " bro whatcha doing worrying about getting it pretty ..just get it in the water dude !! !!

I don't believe in sugar coating!!

Sorry if I did make people panic though - it's true that boards can 'yellow' for several reasons, sun, age etc.

Even if it is water damage, it doesn't necessarily mean the board's knackered - what I was trying to say is that you can repair it, but you won't get rid of the yellow.

Reading my earlier post again it was a bit harsh, sorry!!

...naaa bro !whatcha on about ..your post wasnt harsh ?!!

not in my world anyways

Get a wax comb, leave the board out in the sun for half an hour (is it sunny in California at the moment?) and the wax should slide off pretty easy with the blade side of the comb. I'm told an old cloth with a bit of meths on it should take off any other xxxxx on there.

Moncho, I've just noticed that you're at Unimaversity.

Do you have a set of shelves made from breeze blocks and planks of wood?

Yep. Stole them from a nearby orphanage-building site

there six blocks down ! i hope you happy now ...the ophanage will never open

If a board is consistantly yellowed all over it's because at some point it's spent lots of time in the sun. Foam (if unpainted under the glass) will eventually go yellow. U.V is a beautiful thing...

Most shapers now, when doing a plain or white board will actually spray paint the board white before sending it off to the glasser. Gives then a longer asthetic lifespan. If the yellow area is confined to specific areas...then you have (perhaps) a hole somewhere...

i said ;

yep could also be uv damage drowning'' ..
imagine 2 pieces of toast...one a light golden yellow evenly thrughout the whole slice ....consider this 'uv' discolouration...now imagine the second piece yellow in some bits and dark patches unevenly toasted ...now this could be water damage

brent ...just use the toast comparision
you know it makes sense

I really fancy some toast now

You can use a lot of stuff to get wax off. Dont leave your board in the sun, that pretty much cooks it. Just scrape off the wave with a razor blade, but be careful not to damage the glass. Get some acetone and pour some into a cloth and wipe down the board.

For the yellow, its either sun or water damage. check the board if it has any cracks in it or dings and fix it. You can still ride the board and everything, it'll just look like s***

oh and just o clarify DO NOT USE CREDIT CARDS I knakerd me decit card doing it .

Sorry Kmac, didn't read properly. A wonderful descriptor. Excellent work!

cue sarcism