Beeswax Receipe

[Garyspruill]

I have read on several posts and from burnishing companies (folks that sell burnishing wares) that say they have the “perfect” recipe for wax while burnishing.

 I have about 2 lbs of beeswax with me.

 Would it be too forward to ask what is the difference (normal beeswax or special recipe)? Anything special to add to beeswax for burnishing, or is it just "snake oil"?

 Gary  

[fredk]

Bees' wax melts at about 65*, its also very soft.

I add a quantity of carnauba wax to it so it has a harder finish. Just that makes a good wood polish. But its too hard to spread into leather so I mix it with neetsfoot oil. The nfs helps feed the leather

Don't ask quantities/measures; I have a very soft mix with more nfs and a little bit less carnauba, and I have a harder mix with more carnauba and less nfs, and I have a harder one with no nfs but with some (a very little) vegetable oil. I just mix it by - 'uh, thats about right'

[Garyspruill]

Got it fredk,

Want harder wax, add a lot of carnauba wax, want it softer, add more neetsfoot oil. 

The ones I have been seeing are almost "white" in color?

I am looking for something that makes it easier to apply when burnishing.

 

Gary

[Stetson912]

1 hour ago, Garyspruill said:

I have read on several posts and from burnishing companies (folks that sell burnishing wares) that say they have the “perfect” recipe for wax while burnishing.

 I have about 2 lbs of beeswax with me.

 Would it be too forward to ask what is the difference (normal beeswax or special recipe)? Anything special to add to beeswax for burnishing, or is it just "snake oil"?

 Gary  

Hey Gary, have you read the edge burnishing how to by hidepounder in this section? Real good info. 

I assume this is what you intend to use the beeswax mix for correct?

It seems to me that everyone will have a different formula and just as many opinions on the matter. It's somewhat a "to each their own" kind of thing. 

I have heard of people making a beeswax mix as fredk describes to be a leather conditioner and finish, but personally not as a edge dressing for burnishing. 

When I burnish I just rub a block of beeswax on my edge then work it in with canvas. This happens after the major burnishing is done with my super secret burnishing liquid recipe...(water with a squirt of dawn...shhhh! No telling!) Then after the wax and buff, I sometimes seal with resolene. Just how I do it, certainly there are other methods. Just gotta find the one that works for you

Oh, also, parafin works all the same. And some people mix parafin wax and beeswax to make their own concoction, yet again... Haha

[Stetson912]

And finally, there are (if you aren't familiar) burnishing products like Ron's edge magic, tokonol, and gum tragacanth that are meant for slicking edges. 

[Garyspruill]

28 minutes ago, Stetson912 said:

And finally, there are (if you aren't familiar) burnishing products like Ron's edge magic, tokonol, and gum tragacanth that are meant for slicking edges. 

I will look it up and see the magic, thanks

The method I am used to is: water - saddle soap - wax - light sand high grit - paint

Gary

[Stetson912]

Basically the method I follow. Works well for me haha

[fredk]

6 hours ago, Garyspruill said:

The ones I have been seeing are almost "white" in color?

I am looking for something that makes it easier to apply when burnishing.

1. your wax will be yellow-ish. That wax is the common wax; it comes from the honey stores after the honey is extracted. Some might come also from the brood frames if the bee keeper is renewing the brood frame. White bees' wax comes from the caps, the sealing tops, of the honey cells. They are sliced off carefully just before honey is extracted. For every 1lb of yellow wax there is just about 2 oz of cap wax. Its no better than the yellow wax. Yellow wax can be bleached white [almost to cap white] by leaving it in very bright sunlight for a while; the length of time depends on your sunlight

2. I use my medium hard mix for burnishing edges. I use a bit of linen cloth. I take some wax mix on it and rub it onto the edge, about 4 inches at a time, then rub the cloth very vigorously  to warm the wax and burnish it into the edge. It only takes a short time to do both edges of a long belt. Sometimes I'll also use one of my wood slickers to go over the edge as well

[alpha2]

My secret sauce is beeswax, paraffin, neatsfoot oil. It ends up being a yellowish cream color, and is a paste in final form. It works into leather very nicely. I was using it on edges, but then went to a few drops of water into the saddle soap tin, and apply with a finger. I saw that online in a video, and I thought it looked easy and quick, and his edges were great!

Jeff

[Garyspruill]

On 8/10/2018 at 8:23 AM, alpha2 said:

My secret sauce is beeswax, paraffin, neatsfoot oil. It ends up being a yellowish cream color, and is a paste in final form. It works into leather very nicely. I was using it on edges, but then went to a few drops of water into the saddle soap tin, and apply with a finger. I saw that online in a video, and I thought it looked easy and quick, and his edges were great!

Jeff

Thank you alpha2,

I will give it a try. I currently use Fiebing's Liquid Glycerine saddle soap. Nothing added to it. 

 

Gary