Daft waterproofing question

[Hammock Hamster]

Hi guys, not really sure where to post this one so please move if in the wrong place.

With the current drippy weather i have broken out my old waxed cotton duster/stockman jacket but would like to reproof it and am not quite sure how to go about it.

I have a leather bushy hat which i usually just treat with beeswax now and then which works fine but im not sure if i can do the same with the jacket or if i should be looking at something like Nikwax.
I dont mind spending the time doing it as i find theres something quite theraputic about working in the wax but will this provide the same waterproof barrier i get with leather goods?

Also on the same subject i have a lowe alpine airzone which i use daily, its made of some kind of synthetic that is reasonably waterproof but again would like to treat it to increase its chances of keeping everything dry.
Any recomendations as to what i should be using for this, i was again thinking Nikwax (fabric and leather proof???) but dont have much experience with it.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[garethw]

Hi there
In my youth I had a couple of Barbour waxed jackets. I used to get their tins of wax, soften it up on a stove and apply with a rag over the whole coat. Once left to penetrate and dry off the waterproofing was excellent. I'm sure your jacket would be the same. A hair dryer helps with getting the wax evenly spread.

Not been impressed with Nikwax, I tried the wash-in stuff on a mebrane type military jacket and was less than impressed, expensive and no marked change in the waterproofing. I ended up spraying with a tin of Scotchgard, which works better.

Cheers
Gareth

 

[Biker]

I remember Mountainm posting a rather interesting thing (think it was him anyway, aplogies if it was someone else)

He/they/it said that white spirit is the solvent to silicon bath sealant so if you take a tube of the clear stuff and squirt it into a container, mix in white spirit until the stuff has turned liquidy you can paint that on synthetics to seal them. it dries clear and forms a barrier. I'm guessing that could work well on your rucksack. I wouldn't try putting that solution over waxed cotton though, it'll just peel off after a while. Bare cotton may give it a better key in the fibres but not something already wax treated.

Anyone tried this silcon and white spirit solution method?

Haven't tried that wash in Nikwax and glad to have been cautioned not to. Thanks. I do have two large cans of the aerosol Fabsil I've had them now for about 10 years and not even used them on anything yet. Judging by the weather we're having maybe I should. It's lashing down over here in Normandy, windy too.

 

[garethw]

I remember Mountainm posting a rather interesting thing (think it was him anyway, aplogies if it was someone else)

He/they/it said that white spirit is the solvent to silicon bath sealant so if you take a tube of the clear stuff and squirt it into a container, mix in white spirit until the stuff has turned liquidy you can paint that on synthetics to seal them. it dries clear and forms a barrier. I'm guessing that could work well on your rucksack. I wouldn't try putting that solution over waxed cotton though, it'll just peel off after a while. Bare cotton may give it a better key in the fibres but not something already wax treated.

Anyone tried this silcon and white spirit solution method?

Haven't tried that wash in Nikwax and glad to have been cautioned not to. Thanks. I do have two large cans of the aerosol Fabsil I've had them now for about 10 years and not even used them on anything yet. Judging by the weather we're having maybe I should. It's lashing down over here in Normandy, windy too.

I read a post on the US forum about a guy proofing an Alice with silicon solution... not sure which solvent he used. Suppose this is the basic idea of silnylon.

Nikwax might work for others on newer jackets, but my old leaky ECWS still leaked after treatment. (I'm only a few hundred clicks east of you and we are getting very wet every day...). The Scotchgard seems to be working better and was on 4€ per can.

cheers
Gareth

 

[Kepis]

. Judging by the weather we're having maybe I should. It's lashing down over here in Normandy, windy too.

Not much better here, the back field is more akin to a small lake at the moment and the foot path out front has been like a small stream at times this morning.

 

[Andy BB]

Get the proper waxed cotton wax, warm the tub in warm water then paint/spread it on. As was said before, a hair-dryer helps enormously to thin and spread it (either that or wait for a 40+degree (C) day!). Back in the dark ages it kept my horribly mistreated Barbour motorcycle suit suit totally waterproof for more than a decade.

PS - make sure its all been absorbed (can take several days) before sitting on a friend's (soon to be ex-friend's) cream suite.........

 

[Cap'n Badger]

Or use 'Wax oil' (The stuff fer waterproofin' yer motor). Tis what me an' the lads use fer our gear.....but then we be strange in many ways...irate:

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Cheers guys,

Out of curiosity will regular beeswax leather proofer be ok on a waxed cotton jacket or should I really be looking at proper waxed cotton proofer?

I quite like the smell of the stuff I use at the mo, sad I know, but I'm familiar with it but at the same time dont want to do anything to ruin the jacket.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[Shewie]

Anyone tried this silcon and white spirit solution method?

I've done it on tarps and shelter seams, dead easy it is. If you want a really tidy finish you can mask the seams off with some tape. Mix small batches at a time as it goes off really quickly.

I wouldn't try and seal a full pack though, use a plastic bag liner and keep the important bits in separate dry bags

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Out of curiosity will regular beeswax leather proofer be ok on a waxed cotton jacket or should I really be looking at proper waxed cotton proofer?

This is the stuff you need,http://www.outdoorandcountry.co.uk/Barbour-Thornproof-Dressing.html.... it's what I use on my oilskin drover's coat. You just stand the tin in a pan of hot water until it melts (it becomes liquid & tranparent) then apply/wipe the stuff on with a piece of cloth then go over the coat with a hair dryer to melt the wax in & to give an even finish, wiping any excess off.as you go......job done.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

Cheers blacktimberwolf, at that price i will give it a go especially as the beeswax i use comes in oversized boot polish tins and i would probably need about 20 of them to do the coat!
Hamster

 

[wedgie]

my local shop sells a aerosol can with the wax proofing for wax cotton jackets
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunter-Outd...WW38/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1335428986&sr=8-7