Beeswax and leather question.

[Jacko]

Hi all,
Ive got some beeswax and want to add this to a sheath Ive recently made (see edged tools) to harded it up. Also making a sheath for my lapplander saw, and although happy with the sheath making and forming, Im a bit lost on the applying of the beeswax!
Is it melted on, dipped in, etc? Also, best way to melt if so, and is it worth mixing anything with it?
Sorry for the 1001 questions, any help greatly recieved!!
Thanks and cheers,

 

[w00dsmoke]

I used the bbq outside and used an old tin can with water in it and then a smaller tin was palced inside this to create a ban marie, the wax was placed in the small can and slowly melted. If you do it quickly and without a ban marie set up you could end up with a flash fire.

You can dip your leather work in to the wax once it's away from the heat, but I prefer to use a paint brush and paint it on and I build up several coats so that the wax really soaks into the leather. Afterwards you can use a hairdryer to remelt excess wax and rub it into the leather or wipe it off. Once the wx is set and cold, you can buff it up and the leather should be quite hard afterwards.

 

[Seagull]

Mornin' Jacko.....so, youre another one for waxing stuff, eh.

Lots of inf on forum, about this as its a very popular topic...but here's the form, in a nutshell.

To semi harden, melt your wax and paint it all over the pre-warmed leather....it now looks terrible. So then you go over the surface with the wifes best hairdryer on very hot and you will find that all the surface crud will be absorbed into the leather.
So, that's known to me, as a "wax'n'melt" technique...and it also darkens your leather.

Now, the whole hog, is the hot dip and there are lots of ways to this.
Main thing, is to minimise any chance of shrinkage and I do this, by keeping the dipped article away from the bottom of the pan.........others may use a bain marie arrangement but I just nick a kitchen pan.

Use a deepish pool of wax and immerse your leather, fully...now heres the things to watch out for..
1. slight bubbles coming from the leather, are to tell you that , timewise, its "done".
2. Be very , very quick in tipping out the wax from the inside of a sheath, or you'll be stumped.

The, hot dip, drys rock hard and darkens a lot more than the wax'n'melt.

Oh, and if you want an ultra- ultra shiney finish on your hot dipped articles, you just burnish with a tea spoon when almost, but not quite set.

But, have look around the site, first, there are better ways.


Hope its helped.

Ceeg.

 

[Eric_Methven]

I'd go along with Ceeg on this. If you are going to hot dip it, wait until all the wax has fully melted, and don't let the water bath boil for too much longer.

I usually test the temperature of the wax by dipping my finger in (wearing Marigold rubber gloves). It should get hot enough so you have to pull your finger out after about five seconds. If you let the temperature of the wax get too high you could get shrinking/puckering of the leather. I usually find that by the time it all has melted, it's probably just right.

Generally the wax at the bottom of the container is hotter than the wax at the top, so don't let the item sink to the bottom.

I normally tie a bit of twine through the belt loop and just dip it, keeping the twine out of the wax. It'll float at first so poke it down with the end of a wooden spoon or a stick.

You'll see small bubbles coming up. This indicates that air is being expelled from the leather and is being replaced with wax. Get a bit of kitchen towel in your left hand, pull the sheath out by the twine, grab the sheath with the kitchen towel (cause it's slippery as heck) and tip the wax out from inside straight away.

Now take another bit of kitchen towel and dry it off by briskly rubbing all over. This removes the excess wax that would otherwise sit on the surface and go cloudy as it dries.

Once you've removed the excess wax, place it aside and allow it to cool. Once it is cool enough to handle comfortably, insert your clingfilm wrapped knife and make sure it fits OK. There should still be some flexibility in the warm sheath to make any fine adjustments, especially if you want a click fit.

Once it's cold it'll be rock hard and completely waterproof. Pull out the knife, remove the clingfilm and you're done. To get a mirror shine on the sheath, bull it with boot polish and a duster and spit and polish. You can burnish it with a piece of bone or the back of a spoon, but I find bulling it looks better and you'll be able to see your face in the reflection.

Eric

 

[Jacko]

Cheers guys!
Some great information there, just what I was after. Shall prob' try the melt, paint and heat option - but the more info the better!
Thanks again,