Tin Cloth.

[Eric_Methven]

I've always called it waxed cotton. You know, the stuff Barbour jackets are made from. However, it was traditionally known as 'tin cloth'. I want to know how to make my own but can't find any instructions on the web. There's plenty of websites selling stuff made from it, but that doesn't help with making it from scratch. Anyone any ideas?

Eric

 

[Schwert]

Filson tin cloth is cotton canvas impregnated with their wax compound. If I was going to try and duplicate it I would just use a fairly tightly woven cotton canvas, then treat it with a melted mixture of beeswax, paraffin (the solid wax not the gasoline or kerosene or benzene), and probably an oil (flaxseed maybe). I would work on the ratios of wax to oils to make a flexible wax. Low paraffin, more beeswax, not too much oil. As Filson wax ages it hardens which makes me think it either has volitile solvents in it (hexane like) or a slow drying oil like flaxseed.

Or I would buy cans of Barbour, Drizabone or Filson treatment and coat the canvas with that. No guessing then.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Cheers Schwert. I might buy a can of Barbour treatment. It might even say on the tin what's in it.

Eric

 

[Schwert]

I would pick a grade of canvas or heavy cotton that seems to be suitable for the item you want to make then coat it. I think the various tin cloth items sold vary a bit around the base fabric.

Here is what Filson states about theirs:

Filson Tin Cloth
The toughness of legends -- 100% Cotton Tin Cloth in Oil or Dry Finish.

When customers try to describe just how tough our Cotton Tin Cloth is, claims of "it actually saved my life" or "I've worn it for 50 years" aren't uncommon. It earned the name Tin Cloth decades ago when tin was the standard for toughness. Incredibly heavy and rugged, it's still the fabric of choice for maximum protection against rain, wind, brush and abrasion. 12.5 oz. oil Finish Tin Cloth is the most durable, abrasion and wind resistant cloth we make

To create the Oil Finish, our heavy, densely-woven cotton Tin Cloth is completely soaked in a paraffin-based wax. The highly water repellent finished fabric (12.5 oz. per yard), although very stiff at first, softens with use, gaining character over the years. Not designed for machine washing or dry cleaning. Clean by wiping or brushing only -- gains character with use.


They also offer a lighter weight material soaked in the same oil finish...Shelter cloth:

Filson's Shelter Cloth
A lighter weight alternative to our Tin Cloth -- 100% Cotton in Oil or Dry Finish

Shelter Cloth is both softer and more pliable than our Tin Cloth. Yet it's surprisingly strong. Named after military shelter tents, this dense fabric is made of high-quality, two-ply cotton yarns tightly woven in both directions for added strength. Although we call this cloth 'mid weight', many would call it 'heavy-weight'. 8.5 oz. Oil Finish Shelter Cloth: when maximum protection against rain and wind is your top priority

The perfect combination of fabric and finish for the outdoorsman who operates in very wet conditions. Comfortable Shelter Cloth is treated with our famous paraffin-based wax. The result is a garment that is extremely water repellent and wind resistant, requires no break-in period and is comfortable the first time you wear it. Not designed for machine washing or dry cleaning. Like our Oil Finish Tin Cloth, it can be cleaned only by wiping or brushing it off, and gains character with use.


This is much tighter weave, and thinner making it more flexible and in my view more windproof. Most of the Barbour jackets I have seen are like Shelter cloth not tin cloth.

 

[Toddy]

Maybe contact StuartF, I think he said something about re-waxing Barbours as part of a job when he was younger. Otherwise I'd do as Schwert suggests, though I've a feeling it's heavy on the paraffin wax with a solvent for the first coating. Kemtex.co.uk might be able to advise too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Schwert]

Toddy, you may be right about the wax in solvent. Filson changed their wax proofing a few years back making it much "looser" so easier to spread with a lower melting point. I have never used Barbor proofing but the Drizabone stuff is even a bit more fluid than Filson. I do think there is beeswax in it as solid paraffin is too hard to not crack, especially in the cold.

I do know it is not soluble in chloroform or dichloromethane. I have dissolved it in hexane and sprayed it on my coats to reproof. Less messy but quite a solvent high if done indoors.

 

[Schwert]

BTW....what do you all in the UK call the hard wax we know of as paraffin?

 

[Greg]

Cheers Schwert. I might buy a can of Barbour treatment. It might even say on the tin what's in it.

Eric

I have a small tin (about the same size as a small tin of boot polish) that hasn't been used if you want it Eric!

 

[Eric_Methven]

I have a small tin (about the same size as a small tin of boot polish) that hasn't been used if you want it Eric!

Ooh! Yes please.

 

[Eric_Methven]

BTW....what do you all in the UK call the hard wax we know of as paraffin?

We call it wax, or specifically paraffin wax. If you just say paraffin over here, people assume you mean kerosene. It's most often just called wax, whereas beeswax is referred to specifically as beeswax.

Eric

 

[jojo]

I just had a look at the tin of Barbour Thornproof Dressing I bought on your advice Eric, to weatherproof my leather hat (worked a treat ) but it does not say what ingredients are in it !

 

[jojo]

While we are on this subject, I am planning to make a canvas knapsack fairly soon. I have found some waxed "barbour" type fabric on the net, but: would it be easier/better to make the sack out of plain cotton fabric first and then wax it or to go for the pre waxed cloth?

 

[JohnC]

Would candle wax be suitable for this? I've been planning, along with some other projects, to make a canvas bag and this sounds perfect for the waterproofing. I have beeswax already and have abag of old candle bits.

 

[gregorach]

Candle wax on its own will probably crack pretty badly. You need to get the oil / wax blend right to give it flexibility.

 

[Toddy]

I knew I had come across a diy wax somewhere. Bob Smalser on WoodenBoat did it a while ago, but it looks like he reposted late last year too.

Here you go Eric, Bob's recipe......

http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=72940


cheers,
Toddy

 

[Karl5]

Or you could try the waxes Fjällräven or Barbour are using to rewax their clothes.
Would probably be more expensive than making your own wax though.

/ Karl

 

[big_swede]

Would cotton duck do as a base for the cloth to be waxed? Found cheap 12.5 oz cotton duck.

 

[Toddy]

For a heavy coat/ jacket/ whatever, I don't see why not. So long as it's clean and untreated it ought to be fine.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Eric_Methven]

Would cotton duck do as a base for the cloth to be waxed? Found cheap 12.5 oz cotton duck.

That's what I'm planning on using.

 

[Eric_Methven]

I knew I had come across a diy wax somewhere. Bob Smalser on WoodenBoat did it a while ago, but it looks like he reposted late last year too.

Here you go Eric, Bob's recipe......

http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=72940


cheers,
Toddy

Thanks Mary, that's brilliant.

Eric