Members Kevin Posted July 15, 2011 Members Report Posted July 15, 2011 If you just want a little rosin, I think you can pick it up at a bowling alley in small packages. Kevin Quote
Members Happy Hooligan Posted July 25, 2011 Author Members Report Posted July 25, 2011 So I made some this weekend. My Rosin didn't seem to blend with the beeswax that well as the final ball of the stuff I have has little chunks of Rosin in it.. I did a 2 to one mix... wax to rosin. Although the rosin was liquid when I added the beeswax. Also I coundn't do the taffy thing with mine. It was more like dough then taffy.... did I do it wrong? It's stiff sticky stuff though... Quote
Moderator Art Posted July 25, 2011 Moderator Report Posted July 25, 2011 2 rosin to 1 wax, melt the rosin first then slowly mix in the wax. You have to keep the heat up so that the wax doesn't pull the rosin below its melting point. Blend the mixture thoroughly (stir it). Art So I made some this weekend. My Rosin didn't seem to blend with the beeswax that well as the final ball of the stuff I have has little chunks of Rosin in it.. I did a 2 to one mix... wax to rosin. Although the rosin was liquid when I added the beeswax. Also I coundn't do the taffy thing with mine. It was more like dough then taffy.... did I do it wrong? It's stiff sticky stuff though... Quote For heaven's sakes pilgrim, make yourself a strop!
Members amuckart Posted July 25, 2011 Members Report Posted July 25, 2011 The chunks of rosin will come out in the taffy pulling unless they're really big. When you say you couldn't do the taffy thing with yours, can you walk us through the steps you went through to get there? The mix does still have to be quite hot when you start to pull it - just cool enough that you don't burn yourself. You need to start the process by smooching it around underwater until the very hot liquid has cooled enough then lift it out and taffy pull. Quote -- Al. Medieval Stuff: http://wherearetheelves.net Non-Medieval, including my machines: http://alasdair.muckart.net
Members Happy Hooligan Posted July 25, 2011 Author Members Report Posted July 25, 2011 The chunks of rosin will come out in the taffy pulling unless they're really big. When you say you couldn't do the taffy thing with yours, can you walk us through the steps you went through to get there? The mix does still have to be quite hot when you start to pull it - just cool enough that you don't burn yourself. You need to start the process by smooching it around underwater until the very hot liquid has cooled enough then lift it out and taffy pull. well to start the violin rosin I got was pretty small. About the size of a two bit-o-honeys... so I crunched it up and put it in the bottom of a soda can in boiling water. After a while the rosin melted to a liquid. I added the wax and let it melt. I stirred it together then poured it into a bucket of water. I squished it till it was not burning hot and took it out and tried to start to pull it like taffy, but it never "stretched" it just pulled like chunky dough. so i needed it a bit then rolled it into balls. I think it will work, but it's just got chunks in it... Quote
Members amuckart Posted July 25, 2011 Members Report Posted July 25, 2011 Lots of instructions - mine included I think - recommend using a double boiler. I often end up going to direct heat because boiling water isn't quite hot enough. You could try re-melting the whole lot in a double boiler then heating it further over direct heat, just be careful not to let it get smoky. Pour, smoosh around and taffy-pull from there and you might get a better result. Quote -- Al. Medieval Stuff: http://wherearetheelves.net Non-Medieval, including my machines: http://alasdair.muckart.net
Members Brendan Posted August 2, 2011 Members Report Posted August 2, 2011 Very useful tutorial! (Love the Good Eats reference as well!) Do you have a source for the taffy-pull method? I do historical re-creation and would like to be able to document everything to the satisfaction of the most anal judges. Pine trees grow around here (Northeast Ohio, USA, near the Lake Erie shore), so I have a ready source of rosin. You mentioned bristles. I've been looking for boar bristle to experiment with ever since I read about the technique in the Stohlman book a few decades ago. Source? Please? Quote
Members amuckart Posted August 2, 2011 Members Report Posted August 2, 2011 Hi Brendan, No, I don't have any pre 18th century sources for the making of code at all. The Lystine Lordys Verament, as quoted on my site, tells us they had it in medieval times, but nothing about what it was made of or how. As far as I am aware, no such detail from any extant source has come to light. It's probable that it was pitch-based and unlikely that it contained beeswax. I'm working up a mix using pitch, rosin, and a tiny amount of tallow but it's pretty variable so down to experimentation with the materials you have on hand. Pitch is the key though, proper black pitch, not the rosin places like Jas Townsend sell as 'pitch'. Are you on the medieval shoemaking yahoo group? If you make medieval shoes, I'd suggest joining. There's a chap on there who bought a bulk load of bristles and is on selling them in manageable quantities. PM me your email address if you're not on the yahoo group and I'll send it on to him. Quote -- Al. Medieval Stuff: http://wherearetheelves.net Non-Medieval, including my machines: http://alasdair.muckart.net
Moderator Art Posted August 2, 2011 Moderator Report Posted August 2, 2011 Give John D. Devlin 1839 & 40 a read on wax-making. There are also formulae in Standage, "The Leather Worker's Manual" 3rd Edition London: Scott, Greenwood & Son, 1920. (1st ed. 1899) but this is maybe too late for a CW reference? Art Very useful tutorial! (Love the Good Eats reference as well!) Do you have a source for the taffy-pull method? I do historical re-creation and would like to be able to document everything to the satisfaction of the most anal judges. Pine trees grow around here (Northeast Ohio, USA, near the Lake Erie shore), so I have a ready source of rosin. You mentioned bristles. I've been looking for boar bristle to experiment with ever since I read about the technique in the Stohlman book a few decades ago. Source? Please? Quote For heaven's sakes pilgrim, make yourself a strop!
Members Brendan Posted August 2, 2011 Members Report Posted August 2, 2011 Give John D. Devlin 1839 & 40 a read on wax-making. There are also formulae in Standage, "The Leather Worker's Manual" 3rd Edition London: Scott, Greenwood & Son, 1920. (1st ed. 1899) but this is maybe too late for a CW reference? Art Thanks, Al. Every little bit helps. Quote
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