Making Sticky Wax

[electrathon]

Does it make a difference if the pitch is from pine or fir trees? We mainly have fir trees around here.

Aaron

[amuckart]

Here's how I do it.

Look for local apiarists for beeswax. Look for traditional paint suppliers, or rodeo supply for rosin.

Sap and rosin are different. Rosin is basically sap with a bunch of the volatiles boiled off. Sap itself is way way too soft and sticky.

[Lobo]

A note about melting and mixing waxes: be very careful when doing this. Most waxes are flammable. When melting waxes there can be significant vapors emitted into the air, and a combustion source (like the heat source used for the melting) can ignite those vapors. If done in an enclosed space the result might be an explosion.

I use a mixture of 50% beeswax and 50% paraffin for finishing and burnishing edges. I have this made up for me by a candle maker who has a wax melting machine.

Another method is to use a pot of boiling water, place the waxes to be blended into heavy duty freezer bags, then immerse the bags into the water until the waxes have melted and blended, then pour off the mixture into molds. I've done this outdoors on a camp stove, avoiding any possibility of vapor build up in an enclosed space.

Pine pitch is also quite flammable, and the vapors and residues are extremely irritating to the lungs, nasal passages, and mucuous membranes (ask any old time roofer who has done hot roofing with pitch! Nasty stuff.). If I were attempting to work with pitch I would make very sure there was good ventilation, and avoid any contact with the stuff.

[triage1998]

Here's how I do it.

Look for local apiarists for beeswax. Look for traditional paint suppliers, or rodeo supply for rosin.

Sap and rosin are different. Rosin is basically sap with a bunch of the volatiles boiled off. Sap itself is way way too soft and sticky.

amuckart I made a 2 lb. batch of Code from your instructions. Came out perfect. Great instructions. It should last me a good couple years. Love the smell.

I got my Rosin from US rodeo supply and my beeswax from ebeehoney.com

Edited May 22, 2012 by triage1998

[J Hayes]

Can this sticky wax be purchased pre made anywhere? Time to make it may be hard to come by for me, I guess I'd rather spend the time stitching.

Or should I just suck it up and make it? Jastown.com has pitch $16 per pound and beeswax at $10 per pound.

Jeremy

[RandyScott]

On the advice of 'nthe10ring' a couple years ago, I purchased 'bowstring wax'. Still using it. Here is a link: http://www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=4192

I make a few sheaths from time to time; the wax is 'sticky', smells great, and seems to do the jiob for me. Best yet... the cost is reasonable.

[J Hayes]

On the advice of 'nthe10ring' a couple years ago, I purchased 'bowstring wax'. Still using it. Here is a link: http://www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=4192

I make a few sheaths from time to time; the wax is 'sticky', smells great, and seems to do the jiob for me. Best yet... the cost is reasonable.

Ah, that looks perfect! I will order some tomorrow. Thank you. I may still try making

some but for now this is the ticket.

Jeremy

[ChuckBurrows]

A note about melting and mixing waxes: be very careful when doing this. Most waxes are flammable. When melting waxes there can be significant vapors emitted into the air, and a combustion source (like the heat source used for the melting) can ignite those vapors. If done in an enclosed space the result might be an explosion.

I use a mixture of 50% beeswax and 50% paraffin for finishing and burnishing edges. I have this made up for me by a candle maker who has a wax melting machine.

Another method is to use a pot of boiling water, place the waxes to be blended into heavy duty freezer bags, then immerse the bags into the water until the waxes have melted and blended, then pour off the mixture into molds. I've done this outdoors on a camp stove, avoiding any possibility of vapor build up in an enclosed space.

Pine pitch is also quite flammable, and the vapors and residues are extremely irritating to the lungs, nasal passages, and mucuous membranes (ask any old time roofer who has done hot roofing with pitch! Nasty stuff.). If I were attempting to work with pitch I would make very sure there was good ventilation, and avoid any contact with the stuff.

or you can just use an old slow cooker aka crock pot. no external heat source to ignite the fumes and yes one should always do it with good ventilation and also keep it covered and don't get it too hot - just hot enough to melt is enough - melt the wax first and add the pitch/rosin that limits the fumes......

as for whether you can use fir instead of pine yep or spruce as well...

Edited May 23, 2012 by ChuckBurrows

[UberSquid]

Just in case anyone were to decide and try to use my suggestion of using a toilet ring for waxing thread or as a component for sticky wax... I went to Lowes today and was looking at the rings they had there. It seems that the rings I found weren't bees wax at all! Some research revealed that they are actually a distilled petroleum product that I'm guessing probably wouldn't do leather a whole lot of good. I don't remember where I got the one that I have that says it's 100% bees wax but I wasn't able to find another one so ebay has become my source of choice for more wax.

My apologies if I led anyone down the wrong path!

[electrathon]

Just in case anyone were to decide and try to use my suggestion of using a toilet ring for waxing thread or as a component for sticky wax... I went to Lowes today and was looking at the rings they had there. It seems that the rings I found weren't bees wax at all! Some research revealed that they are actually a distilled petroleum product that I'm guessing probably wouldn't do leather a whole lot of good. I don't remember where I got the one that I have that says it's 100% bees wax but I wasn't able to find another one so ebay has become my source of choice for more wax.

My apologies if I led anyone down the wrong path!

In the old days bowl wax was commonly bees wax. Not sure when this changed. You were not wrong, just dated )