russellcook Report post Posted November 8, 2014 Hi all, For my next pair of turnshoes, I'd like to wax the soles with beeswax. Can anyone give me some tips on how to go about doing that? My impression is that this'd make them more abrasion- and water-resistant. Is that a reasonable expectation? Any help would be great :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnv474 Report post Posted November 10, 2014 Beeswax would make then more water-resistant for sure,while the wax stays. I don't know that beeswax would provide much abrasion resistance in a shoe sole--meaning it would scuff off pretty quickly. One option might be to use something like Huberds Shoe grease (for waterproofing). For abrasion you might want something harder, but even a carnauba wax would wear off easily. Something that can absorb some (eg beeswax mixed with olive or neatsfoot oil as some people use) will help carry the water resistance in. Or, hot wax, as shown on Youtube. The non-period correct approach would probably be to use a urethane/polyurethane/lacquer coating that is mostly transparent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eccho Report post Posted November 11, 2014 Sorry but waxed soles???? Sounds like a recipe for a broken leg to me. Waxed soles, wet marble or terraza floor, spells " law suit". Just sayin'........... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blueblazer Report post Posted November 17, 2014 I tried waxing the soles of my shoes once. They were a pair of double sole brogued longwings. Got them all polished up, waxed, and took them out for a spin on a warm spring day and... almost wiped out and barely caught myself from looking really silly slipping on concrete sidewalk, on a sunny, dry, day. I had to scuff up the soles real good before I could walk without my shoes slipping out from underneath me for a while. Honestly, I think that at worst it'll just be slippery, at best it'll just wear off. That being said, I am intrigued by Alden's "double water lock oiled" leather soles. I have no idea how they do it though. Maybe you could put wax on the inside of the shoe? the side of the sole that's not in contact with the ground? I imagine application would be something like with Obenauf's or Sno Seal, rub it on the leather, heat it up with a blowdryer to get it to melt and absorb and repeat until you're satisfied. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
russellcook Report post Posted November 17, 2014 Thanks for the replies. The idea about waxing from the inside is intriguing. I was thinking, I may not even need a hair-dryer, just rub on some wax to the inside of the sole, then wear the shoes around the house for a bit, and let the warmth of my feet and my body weight work the wax in. I'll let you guys know if I try it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
