Waxing your own cloth.

[Piker20 0]

Hi folks. Has anyone experience of using Otter wax?

Does it provide an equal proofing to petroleum based mixes?

I'm looking to wax a game bag that someone's making me and probably a fishing waistcoat too.

At the moment I'm looking at making a beeswax, paraffin, pine oil mix but if I can avoid petroleum in the mix that's a bonus.

[mikechell 0]

Wow! I've never waxed any cloth. Never even thought of it until you just wrote about it, Piker.

I've always used some kind of silicone spray to water proof things.

http://www.amazon.com/Atsko-Sno-Seal-Silicone-Water-Guard-Repellent/dp/B00CQJDR6W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1447616975&sr=8-4&keywords=silicon+waterproof+spray

 

I does a great job without adding any noticeable extra weight.

 

Lately, I've been using one of the new super water repellent aerosols with pretty good results.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BN9P5SO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687522&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00ECHLRMW&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=112XC55XWEA9J4D3AC9X

[Piker20 0]

Yep I've used sprays for technical fabrics but want the waxed look for the game bag especially to give it that darker aged look.

Thought as I was making up a batch I'd do the waistcoat too, slightly warmer clothing always a bonus here!

[heavynets 0]

This is what I would use.

 

http://www.filson.com/hunt-fish/filson-oil-finish-wax.html

[Piker20 0]

Yes but that's paraffin based. The idea is I can make my own paraffin based mix a lot cheaper.

I was looking at the otter wax because it doesn't use paraffin.

[Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0]

Get som inspiration here:
http://www.fjallraven.co.uk/greenland-wax-travel-pack?gclid=CjwKEAiAmqayBRDLgsfGiMmkxT0SJADHFUhPTLVUPoJGURW5m6HJwlOhOYjCrLEf_F6NtwSXMIMCphoCv17w_wcB
http://www.fjallraven.com/guides/product-guides/fabric-care/how-to-wax-your-g-1000-garments

 

I've been using that stuff on an Oil-cloth jacket back in the days when I was using them...

 

/H

[Piker20 0]

Cheers Henrik, again its a paraffin based mix. Lots of recipes for Greenland wax and its a Greenland mix i will be making unless I find some direct feedback on the otterwax. Id like to use a non paraffin mix but I'm not convinced they are as good, hence my initial question.

[Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0]

Try heat bees wax with the tiniest amount of olive oil.

The wax will be water repellant and the olive oil will soften the wax just a bit.

 

Don't put tar or pitch or other resin/rosin in the mix, that will just make it sticky like cobblers wax.

 

H

[Piker20 0]

The paraffin is used to carry the wax into the fabric fibres. I'm not sure olive oil alone will do the same. I've seen someone try bees wax and linseed oil but needed to redo with paraffin to work.

[heavynets 0]

Why is avoiding petroleum a bonus? Doesn't petroleum come from plants and animals, just very old ones?

[Crackaig 0]

Many years ago I saw a jacket done with bees wax and a little veg oil. The mix was rubbed on then the jacket ironed between sheets of brown paper.

If you are getting the bag made, there will be cabbage from it (Spare bits of cloth) get some and do tests.

Cheers,

C.

[mikechell 0]

Why is avoiding petroleum a bonus? Doesn't petroleum come from plants and animals, just very old ones?

LOL Yep .... just like an iron skillet is made from the same element your body needs to survive. It's all a matter of concentration and density. In VERY low doses of density and concentration, iron keeps you alive. In higher densities and concentrations, your wife can knock your head clean off.

 

Petroleum is just dead biomass ... but the concentration and density levels make it much less ... palatable.

[flytire 0]

In higher densities and concentrations, you can be pick up off the floor by a magnet after your wife knocks your head clean off

[mikechell 0]

[josephcsylvia 0]

Hey Piker im a couple days late on this but I can help if you still need it, I am a leatherworker and make custom waxed canvas bags ect...

Otter wax is good but there are better options. Myself personally i take bees wax and melt it in a pan with neatsfood oil in a 75% bees wax to 25% oil ratio.

 

Get it to a liquid state and take a natural hair brush not a cheap synthetic one it will melt, and brush the wax mixture onto the surface coat as evenly as possible the wax will set up when it hits the fabric so go as quick as possible from the pan to material use newspaper this is messy.

 

now take a heat gun on low or a blow dryer and melt as much in as possible and re apply to spots you missed, you will see the difference, now for the finishing touch put it in a cotton pillowcase or tie it up in a towel and toss it in the dryer for 10 min or so pull it out and the wax will be evenly distrubuted and soaked in,

 

anytime you need to refresh the finish just toss in the dryer it will redistribute the wax and good as new again!