mixing waxes

[Tkleather1]

I am trying to concoct my own wax mixtures but I am having trouble melting some of them( they caught on fire) I know ha ha. what is the best way to melt.

1. Glycerin Saddle soap

2.Bees Wax

3.Parafin

I know this sounds trivial but I am trying to experiment here and I am having no success.

I know some of you mix your own waxes and such so it you could help me out I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks

Tim Worley

[bruce johnson]

Tim,

I melt beeswax and parafin together. I put them into a pyrex measuring cup, set them on a burner, and heat them slowly on the stove. Go slow and swirl as they start to melt. Then I pour them off into cupcake papers to cool and harden.

[TimKleffner]

Tim

When I melt waxes, I try to use a double boiler. This gives better control of the temperature. BE PATIENT! Ya don't need a remodel to your kitchen when the wax overheats and does REALLY BAD stuff.

Happy melting

Tim

[MADMAX22]

For cheap I took a regular pot and filled it half full of water and got that boiling, then I take a mason jar and put the waxes in there and set that in the boiling water and give it a whirl everyonce in a while. Then poor it into molds as suggested. This way I dont have to worry about getting wax in the pot since its kind of hard to get it off .

[Tkleather1]

Yeah I was gonna use a double boiler and then I decided ahh this oughta work. Nope I shoulda used the double boiler. No damage to anything it was a Very small fire and it was outside on my outdoor stove(camp stove) but now I need more wax.

Thanks guys.

Tim

[cybertracy]

Hi Tim,

When you come up with a winning recipe, be sure to post your success & share! Funny how I can't wait to try a new leatherworking concoction but have to be dragged kicking & screaming to make dinner.

[PaganBear]

I have been playing with this myself recently...

double boiler 100%, either pot in pot or I have seen old metal coffee pot in stockpot. the mix I used was beeswax & neatfoot oil at like a 60:40 mix. I have liked the results so far.

[OdinUK]

Can I ask, what is the advantage of mixing waxes, is it to get the benefits of each type in one 'compound' ?

[pete]

what exactly are you using this concoction for?

pete

[bruce johnson]

Pete,

I use the parafin/beeswax mix for edges that aren't dyed after I have them pretty slicked. Beeswax by itself tends to be stickier for me, but colors up well. Maybe an effect from the friction heat of the stickier wax. Parafin makes a really slick non-sticky edge, but doesn't color as much. The mix gives me the best of both. If I am going over a dyed edge, I use straight parafin.

An old guy told me he mixes in neatsfoot oil in his to make a mushy paste and uses it as water-resisting dressing on leather workboots exposed to brine.