One of the first lessons in rigging a ship model is to draw the cordage through a cake of
beeswax to lay down the fuzz, or loose surface fibers. But theres more to it than that;
beeswax is a fine natural preservative which inhibits desiccation (drying) of the thread
fibers, thus prolonging the life of the cordage and preserving its pliant qualities. The
problem with drawing thread through a hard beeswax cake is that the wax forms only a
surface coating: the core of the thread remains untreated, and worst of all, the lay of the
thread is usually filled with wax so it is no longer easily seen and an important aspect of
realism is lost.
The way out of this problem is to dissolve the beeswax in solvent such as turpentine or
xylol, then draw the thread through a wad of cotton soaked with the wax solution. A
fresh cake of beeswax should be cut into small flakes, then placed in a small jar of
solvent; as much wax should be added as will dissolve in a day or two. The solution
should then be filtered by pouring it through cheese cloth. Id addition to treating new
thread as above, old rigging on models being cleaned or repaired can be waxed in situ by
applying the solution with a brush. Serving, seizings, and splices can be waxed and rewaxed
in similar fashion.
Well, just have to get going on those remaining several hundred metres!!
