Beeswax for Thread

[Acro]

I'm new to leather working and new to the forum.  Still getting supplies together and I had an interesting (unusual/odd) thought . . . I need some beeswax and I happen to have an abundance of Lip Balm that I'll never use.  I have 2 different types.

The first contains:  Sunflower Oil, Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Essential Oils of Orange, Lemon and Lime, Vitamin E, Rosemary Extract, Calendula Extract, Octinoxate (7.5%), and Oxybenzone (3%).

The 2nd contains:  Sunflower oil, Beeswax, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Rosemary Extract, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Avobenzone (2.0%), Octinoxate (6.5%), Octisalate (5.0%), and Octocrylene (1.5%)

I'll be sewing by hand, with polyester thread and using fish leather and reptile leathers.

Besides the beeswax, do you have any idea if the other ingredients will be ok on the thread and leather?

 

 

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Edited September 18, 2017 by Acro

[Matt S]

Most polyester thread is prewaxed, and even waxless is pretty slippery. Wax is essential for linen threads, though a mix of beeswax and rosin is miles better. I wouldn't bother with the wax on your thread, unless you try it and find that it needs it.

[JD62]

Try it out who knows may be you'll find the next great thing

[Acro]

Maybe I don't need to wax the thread, but I like the waxed thread look better.  At least, I think it's noticeable . . . or did I make that up?

Lip Balmed thread seems to work, yet I've not used plain beeswax before so I have nothing to compare it to. 

As for the ingredients, I was just worried that some of the ingredients would react with the thread and leather (example, staining, weaken, corrosive).  So far, I haven't noticed a problem, but it's only been a few days, and I only used the waxed lip balmed thread on a 2 inch section of leather.

[480volt]

I doubt anyone will be able to give you any kind of definitive answer on the long term effects of using lip balm. But why mess around? Beeswax is cheap and easily available, why risk adverse affects in products that should last decades?

Personally, I stitch with linen using shoemaker's wax, which is a mixture of beeswax and rosin, as mentioned by Matt S.

[Acro]

Good advice 480volt.  I ended up buying some beeswax (they didn't have the beeswax/rosin mix) at a local shop.

I thought to use the lip balm since I had it on hand (too much of it, that I never use) and I wouldn't have to spend any cash.  I imagine most of the ingredients would be fine, the oils, the beeswax, vitamin B, aloe, but I worried about the sunscreen chemicals added: Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Octisalate, and Octocrylene.  Again, I imagine that since they were made for human skin, there would likely be no problem.  But your right 480volt, why risk it.

Now I need to find something to do with all this lip balm.  Anyone need some?  I'll ship it free! 

[ChasCS]

I have a few dozen spools of dental floss. Yes, it's waxed. Haha 

Just not sure if I should sew with the peppermint or the cinnamon? ;-)

 

But any quality honey store should carry a mixed selection of various wax, in many configurations.

Here in Alberta I use a natural recipe for boot waterproofing. Bees Wax, Pine Pitch and a little MInk Oil.

 

ChasCS

[zuludog]

Don't be afraid to experiment; you already have the lip balm and beeswax is cheap enough

I can't see any reason why lip balm should be harmful to the thread or the leather, but I suspect it may be too soft. On the other hand, beeswax tends to be a bit hard. In his book 'Leatherwork - a Practical Guide'  Chris Taylor suggests softening beeswax with linseed oil to make it stickier, and you could try something similar

I've had a stick of lip salve lying around for ages so I've just done a trial in the Leatherwork Research Laboratory (my kitchen). I mixed lip salve and beeswax about 50:50; they were completely miscible with each other, and when set the lump of wax was still quite firm. You could increase the proportion of lip balm till you get the consistency & stickiness you want. The salve is a stick, a bit like lipstick, and I suspect the balm will be softer, like a cream, but you could try it

Make a water bath from a small frying pan and a small aluminium pie tray/dish. Heat the water till it's very hot, not quite simmering & stir the waxes together. Then remove the tray. When the mixture has set but is still warm and pliable, remove the wax and mould it in your hands to a suitable shape

I sew with linen thread and wax it with my own beeswax & linseed oil mixture; don't see why this new mixture should give me any problems

Or you could try using the balm as a leather treatment and see how it turns out

[ContactCement]

I read somewhere that yellow waxes may alter colored stitching thread.  I just use the non colored almost clear solid wax stick. Some oils may go rancid or rot the thread. Thinner lip balm would most likely make a nasty mess. If your making something nice, protect your time, money & effort invested in the project.

Edited December 14, 2017 by ContactCement

[Webicons]

On 9/18/2017 at 7:55 AM, Matt S said:

a mix of beeswax and rosin is miles better

I never heard of this though I can imagine that the stiffness and tack of the rosin would assist.  Can you recommend a ratio?  I would assume that too much rosin would have the opposite effect. 

[Matt S]

On 12/14/2017 at 2:36 PM, Webicons said:

I never heard of this though I can imagine that the stiffness and tack of the rosin would assist.  Can you recommend a ratio?  I would assume that too much rosin would have the opposite effect. 

A mix of waxes, resins, fats and oils used to be very common, certainly in the UK but I think other places too. Works much better than just beeswax -- I think just beeswax is a bit of a hobbyists thing. Search this forum for "coad" or "cobbler wax". Normally about 50-50 wax to rosin but that varies depending on the weather and the components you use. Some stuff ends up harder, some softer. If too much rosin is used it gets dusty and hard.

[ChasCS]

The whole idea of using the wax, particularly in saddle stitching, was to lock the individual stitches. 

So if any stitches got cut, the saddle wouldn't become unraveled, & fall apart. 

After stitching, a piece of canvas was rubbed briskly upon the stitch line, to melt that wax,  into the stitches. 

 

 

Chas

[bikermutt07]

Since we are on the lip balm topic.....

Carmex works wonders on dried cracked knuckles as well as burns. 

Another thing I have learned over the years is Suave 2in1 is perfect for body wash and shampoo. Think about it. Everything your hair and scalp needs, the rest of your body needs. 

And it's super cheap. I have been using this "hack" for more than 20 years.

[Mjolnir]

I'm sure the info is on this site somewhere. I have no intention of bothering to wax thread but if I were. Can someone explain how to make the rosin beeswax and how to applicate? I'd not heard of this mix before. The only rosin I'm familiar with is violin rosin.

[ChasCS]

Lip Balm, my other addiction. Hahaha

 

 

 

Chas

[garypl]

I bought Pine Gum Rosin on Amazon- melted it with beeswax- I believe the ratio was 80/20 beeswax/rosin.  Makes a nice sticky wax.  Poured melted mixture into small ramekins and when cool they pop right out.  I use to wax thread when saddle stitching.

Gary

[480volt]

There are several threads covering making coad/shoemakers wax on this forum. I went 50-50 rosin to beeswax by weight and formed it into balls, and use it on most threads I hand stitch with. It really improves your grip on the needles. I cut a length of thread, taper the ends and drag it over the wax a couple times till it’s sticky.

As I understand it, the type of wax used by shoemakers varied by season and temperature: the black wax which contained pitch was used in the summer and the blonde wax, which is what I made, does not.