DIY Beeswax preservative/sealer.

[Aloha]

I bought some beeswax a little while ago ( 1lb ).   I wanted to try a sealant/presever recipe for leather, specifically my leather sheaths.  I was going to try it on my canvass bag too.

I was into the project so no picture of the process sorry. 

There are many recipes online as always.  I wanted one that didn't involve too many items or steps.  I wanted something relatively harsh chemical free.  What I found was several involving cooking oils.  I decided to try one using coconut oil and a drip or three of pharmaceutical mineral oil ( the one for constipation ). 

I used my Trangia stove and small pot.  I used a small mason jar.  My ratios were 1 part beeswax to 3 parts coconut oil with a about 1/4 part or less of mineral oil. 

My mason jar sat inside the pot filled with water ( double boiler ).  I added the beeswax till it liquified then moved pot with jar off the heat and added coconut oil.  I stirred till the mixture began to solidify then put back onto the trangia stove till it all melted again.  Once I was satisfied the beeswax and coconut oil were combined I again removed from heat and added mineral oil. 

I allowed the mix to cool to a smoothish solid.  Its about the consistency of lip balm, hard yet will smear when pressed (make sense?).  I've applied some to my Case Sod Buster sheath and will again later then photograph. 

I chose to make a small batch for now and see how I like it.  Anyone use beeswax?

[SteveC]

    let us know how it works for you !


I've used candle wax to stiffen up old worn out Leatherman sheaths before with good results. Bees wax should work well I think it's the main ingredient in sno seal.

[Aloha]

Beeswax seems to have been used for a lot of things in times past.  More recently its being used in a lot of products that involve moisture retention or sealing.  I have quite a lot of the beeswax left so I may try another recipe but I really want to stay away from harsh chemicals for no other reason than simplicity.  I can buy pre made products and I do.  I have snoseal.  Its great. 

[Sparky415]

This one has a few chemicals in it 
I wouldn't put it on my lips but it is nice on wood handles 
Added;  and leather sheaths
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,57808.msg1145887.html#msg1145887

[ducttapetech]

I use a mix that has boiled linseed oil in. Like Sparky said, I wouldn't put it on my lips but it is great for leather, handles and canvas.

[Aloha]

I've seen the boild linseed and turpentine recipes.  Those look like really great options.  I was hoping my mixture could be carried and serve multiple purposes.  I've seen some with essential oils to be used for application on the skin.  Theres no shortage on recipes thats for sure. 

[Nix]

I use beeswax and compounds with beeswax all the time.

Shoes and boots? Check

Leather belts? Check

Knife sheaths? Check

Lip balm? Check.


Basically, if it's leather....like my lips...it gets some sort of bee's wax.   

[Aloha]

We have some beeswax candle around here somewhere.  I have some essential oils and JoJoba that I want to try a recipe with. 

[ThundahBeagle]

Nice recipe, Aloha.

Nix you sure do make good use of the beeswax as well.

While I admit to using some products with beeswax, including some of my shoe and boot weatherproofing - and even some of the paw wax I use for Scout - I try not to use it on anything that I will be wearing or walking with when planning to hike in bear country. So, if I'm hiking the mountains a hundred miles west or a hundred miles north of here, I try not to carry or wear anything with beeswax.

Coconut oil has been good, but honestly, I don't know that bears aren't attracted to that either, but I don't think so. I'm not in bear country very often, though. The good news is, when I am, even if I have a beeswax based paw wax or boot sealer, bears hate the sound of bells. So just affixing a small set of Christmas type bells to your pack bothers their ears enough that they will tend to go in the opposite direction

[Aloha]

I've read bears sense of smell is pretty amazing so pretty much anything including deodorant can and does attract them.  I'd imagine beeswax would no doubt make them curious. 

[Poncho65]

I have a few different products that I use sometimes that contain beeswax We have black bear in this area (read this as in the woods surrounding my house) and although not anywhere as big as brown bear, I never really think about not using anything like this

Interested to see what you come up with Aloha

[Sea Monster]

Huh.....

I was wondering what to do with all my spare beeswax (seriously, I was)

I happen to have both coconut oil and linseed oil handy as well.

Sounds like something to kill tomorrow afternoon.

[Sparky415]

Don't use the missus best pots 

 

[ducttapetech]

Don't use the missus best pots 

 

But if you do, post a vid.....

[Syncop8r]

Don't use the missus best pots 

The voice of experience? 

[papadan]

One part bee's wax to 2 parts mineral oil works perfect for leather and canvas. Do not use any kind of food based oils, like coconut, olive, or vegetable oils. They can and will go rancid over time. Bee's wax is the main ingredient you need, the mineral oil will just thin it down so it can be worked into the materials.  $.02

[Sparky415]

Don't use the missus best pots 

The voice of experience? 

I'm just saying be careful 

[Sea Monster]

Did the first filtering of the wax today, I'll decide tomorrow (or later tonight) if it it needs another run through.

I'm not selling it, so it doesn't need to be pristine.

It's not a whole load, I just had a couple of frames that I felt the little buggers weren't looking after well enough, so I pulled them and gave them new ones.

Should be about 1/2 kg. Enough to play with.

[Sparky415]

I got mine from Ebay, it looked like a whole lot of hassle milking the little buggers for wax 

 

[Sea Monster]

About half the wax came out "clean", the rest needs a finer filter (It's still usable, but I'd like it a bit less gritty, so I'll run it again....

[Aloha]

I've used the mix I made on a few sheaths.  The mix needs to be heated since it fairly hard.  I like it so far but we'll see how it performs with more time.  I've also used it as a balm and its ok.   I know the coconut oil can and will go bad but for sheaths I'm not too worried and as a balm I'll stick to more commercially made products. 

[Aloha]

I got mine from Ebay, it looked like a whole lot of hassle milking the little buggers for wax 

 

 

[Aloha]

About half the wax came out "clean", the rest needs a finer filter (It's still usable, but I'd like it a bit less gritty, so I'll run it again....

  cant wait to see how your mixture turns out.   

[Sea Monster]

I'm pretty happy with the second filter. Lost a bit in the process, but what's left is a nice gold colour, and smells great to boot.


So now I've got to decide

A. What to use for oil - I've got linseed and coconut oil available, I can probably get my hands on some mineral oil (I've got a some small bottles I use for blades and zips and things, but not really quantities for making a jar of goo)

B. What to use it on? An obvious choice is my leathers, but I'm worried I'll be too attractive to bees and have swarms trying to move into my pockets whenever I'm out...


Edit: According to the internet, all the crap I filtered out of the wax makes a neat-o fire starter, so I might find a way to make use of that too.

[Aloha]

The net is filled with wonderful things to use your beeswax for and recipes.  Got cast iron?  You can make a salve, rust inhibitor for hand tools, wood preserver and many many more things.  I suggest make a small amount and see how you like if for that application.  1lb goes a long way a few ounces at a time.      

[Sparky415]

Sea Monster,
You can find medicinal grade mineral oil used to treat animals on the net or at farming shops over here 
Its what I use on all my knives and bread chopping board

[Sea Monster]

Here's a pic of it from after the first filtering.

(It was actually a little cleaner than it looks - but I took the picture at night with the flash)

This was brood wax from a few frames I changed because they were being grots, so it had a darker start than usual, plus all the dead chunks and byproduct of bees doing bee stuff.

[Aloha]

I used my mix on this mod I did.  I probably did about 5 applications allowing it to dry in between.  I did a bit of a polish ( rubbed with cloth ) till handle was smooth and not tacky.  Time will tell how well this works. 
https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,84264.0.html

[Sparky415]

 

[Edi]

I use 1 part beeswax and 2 parts virgin olive oil for leather and 1 part beeswax and 2 parts linseed oil for wood. Works pretty good