DIY wax for clothing?

[Smokin]

I made some wax for waterproofing yesterday, following the 90% paraffin/10% beeswax method and it worked out really well for an old bag I've got, but I have a waxed cotton jacket that I'd like to reproof and I'm worried about that wax being a bit too stiff for it. I checked out a few clothing companies such as Barbour, Belstaff, Filson and Drizabone, and their waxes seem be a mix of linseed oil, beeswax and turpentine which should be more suitable for a jacket, though I'm not sure about what percentages to go with. Does anyone have any tried and tested methods for creating a waterproof wax that'll be supple enough to use on jackets?

At the moment, I'm thinking of something like 45% beeswax, 45% linseed oil and 10% turps though I might be well off with that!

Thanks, guys!

 

[Toddy]

You have to be very careful with linseed oil on fabric. As it dries it's exothermic.....basically it can burst into flames if the heat is trapped, so best advice is to make sure you get the correct oil, and that you let it dry somewhere airy.

Greenland wax is the more usual diy for waterproofing jackets; the stuff you've already made; but there are loads of mixtures out there.

http://rareinfo.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/reproofing-wax-how-to-make-at-home/

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53277

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Will_]

Do you think the 90% paraffin/10% beeswax would work on nylon?
I've got an old British Army poncho that needs reproofing...

 

[Badger74]

No Will, it'll be too stiff. Fabsil would be a better option or some kind of some kind of silicon solution.

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[Kerne]

I used MrEd's tutorial to make some wax to proof a canvas foraging bag I made. (Thanks MrEd! :You_Rock_) Worked well but can be stiff and it took a bit of practice to get it to spread easily - not a fault of the recipe but the fact that I wasn't rewaxing by waxing loom state canvas. Cheap enough to make so worth having a go.

 

[Viktor]

Just finished a new batch of test for waterproofing fabric, and have to say it's the best so far.
I used 1 part Paraffin-wax, 1 part beeswax and 2 parts pure(unboiled) linseed oil. This will make it waterproof (I think haven't done field test yet.) and it's not as stiff as pure wax mix.
Hope this help a bit. Please let me know if something was bad explained and I try to go into more detail.

 

[Monikieman]

I just keep thinking that the linseed oil will harden over time. It takes ages to dry properly. That's why they add driers like terebine for gun stocks etc.

If there's linseed oil and turpentine it will dry and go hard even quicker.

A waxed jacket is stiff enough on a cold day without the dried linseed oil (unless that's the effect you want.)

Cheers

 

[mrcharly]

<pedant alert> the linseed oil doesn't dry, it reacts with oxygen ('rusts' if you like) to produce a hard waxy yellowish substance that can't be dissolved with ordinary thinners and is quite durable.

 

[Will_]

No Will, it'll be too stiff. Fabsil would be a better option or some kind of some kind of silicon solution.
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Is the stiffness the only problem?
The old 58 poncho is pretty stiff, bulky & uncomfortable already... If waxing it will reproof it I might still be up for trying it even with the increased stiffness...

 

[Badger74]

I know what you mean about the poncho; I have 2. Because they are a heavy 'nylon' (only guessing), it might just dry and crack and flake off, rather than 'soak' in and coat the fibres. I used concrete water seal type product on mine and a wax mixture on cotton.

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[Nomad]

I read somewhere that somebody used neatsfoot oil, not for any particular reason other than that's what he happened to have. I gather the stuff can rot cotton stitching, but the neatsfoot compound specifically claims that it doesn't.

Anyone tried this, or got any thoughts?

 

[ozzy1977]

I thought the neetfoot compound was the stuff that rotted threads

 

[Nomad]

This is the stuff I have...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Carr-Day-Martin-Neatsfoot-Compound/dp/B00B6CWBXA

Specifically says it won't (also says it on the tin I have). I'm guessing that the compound has some additive that prevents the rotting.

 

[Nomad]

Interesting comment at the end of this about neatsfoot oil and rot...

http://www.dutchessbridlesaddle.com/downloads/leather_care_guidelines.pdf

That suggests that pure neatsfoot oil itself is benign, but additives in some versions of neatsfoot compound can cause rot, which further suggests that the particular compund I have avoids rot-causing additives.

 

[Will_]

I know what you mean about the poncho; I have 2. Because they are a heavy 'nylon' (only guessing), it might just dry and crack and flake off, rather than 'soak' in and coat the fibres. I used concrete water seal type product on mine and a wax mixture on cotton.

Thanks for the advice. It cracking and flaking off is more what I was worried about...
What product did you use on yours? When I google concrete water seal it just shows me masonry products
I might start a thread to see how others have re-proofed the 58 poncho...

 

[Badger74]

It was a B&Q version of Thompson's water seal, that did say suitable for canvas. Not sure it says that anymore.

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[TurboGirl]

....Thompson's water seal, that did say suitable for canvas. Not sure it says that anymore....

We used Thompsons Water Seal (yup, for masonry!) all the time in the 80s and 90s for reproofing vehicle tarps and tilts... they said in the noughties that they changeed the forulation and it wasn't suitable any more but had brought out a fabric variant as it was so beloved by the exMoD vehicle owners Course there was a huuuuuge price hike in the 'new' product. I did my cotton cloak with a mix using BP petroleum jelly, beeswax and turps, its SUCH a nightmare to paint on but I'm sure theres a thread around which covered the process really well

 

[MarkinLondon]

I read somewhere that somebody used neatsfoot oil, not for any particular reason other than that's what he happened to have. I gather the stuff can rot cotton stitching, but the neatsfoot compound specifically claims that it doesn't.

Anyone tried this, or got any thoughts?

sorry for reviving an old thread, but I've used a 1:1:1 mix of pure neetsfoot oil, beeswax, and white spirit to make waterproof wax and it works great. I've used it on old surplus canvas bags, and on storage sacks made from old blue jeans. You simply spread it on and use a hair dryer to heat the treated fabric so that the entire mix soaks in. Simple. It's not stiff and the water beads right off.

 

[Blaidd]

Thanks !

 

[TurboGirl]

sorry for reviving an old thread....

Apologies never needed when they come complete with handy DIY/MYOG recipe