Making string wax

[Fraser]

I'm about to have a go at string making, I have some cakes of pure bees wax. I have read that mixing the wax with lanolin makes a wax that is more easily usable at room temp. Recipie calls for 2 parts bees wax to 1 part lanolin. I know I can use pure beeswax, but has any one had any experience with these home recipes?

Fraser.

[Nephew]

I'm about to have a go at string making, I have some cakes of pure bees wax. I have read that mixing the wax with lanolin makes a wax that is more easily usable at room temp. Recipie calls for 2 parts bees wax to 1 part lanolin. I know I can use pure beeswax, but has any one had any experience with these home recipes?

Fraser.

I was told the same ratios, but using Parrafin instead of Lanolin. Probably very similar.

[rodlonq]

I have used a recipe of 2 parts beeswax and 1 part gum turpentine to make paste wax (use it on bow forms so glue dags don't stick). I just use the beeswax straight for string making though. A tip; to use a small piece of thin leather to burnish the wax into your finished string. It gets very hot when you clamp you fingers tight over it so the room temp bit doesn't really bother it.

Cheers..... Rod

[Fraser]

Thanks rod and nephew, I've got two cakes of wax, so I'll give the lanolin mix a go. If it's no good then bees wax it is.

Fraser

[Stickbow Hunter]

If you are going try the mix make sure you don't burn the wax. Probably best to place the container with the wax into another with boiling water as your heat source. I just use straight bees wax myself.

Jeff

[ron300wm]

A worm bees wax will do. And worked hard in to the string be for it drying.

[Fraser]

Thanks Jeff, instructions with recipe says to melt it with a bowl in saucepan of water. I was interested in a lanolin mix because lanolin has preservative properties of its own.

Ron pure bees wax is plan B.

Fraser.

[ron300wm]

The only problem with lanolin is in the cold it can be hardier than ice

[Fraser]

The only problem with lanolin is in the cold it can be hardier than ice

Cold's not much of a problem here, wet on the other hand is.

Fraser.

[ron300wm]

I'm in gympie

[Fraser]

I'm in gympie

I rember playing night games there more than a few years ago, it can get bitterly cold. I grew up in Caloundra.

Fraser.

[hazard]

I was told 50 / 50 with plumbers wax. Never tried it though. Linseed oil doesn't really soften it. I tried that. Neatsfoot isn't any better. Vegy oil and probably about another 2-3 but cant remember now.

I have a small jar of Lanolin and it was really dear from what I can remember, I had to borrow against the house for it

Maybe it is cheaper, but not from a Chemist. Glycerine sounds interesting.

I am sure there are heaps of additives you could use but I still went back to the pure bees wax because everything I tried didn't make it a better consistency. the store baught wax is way too soft.

Hazard

[Fraser]

Hi Graydon, I'm just going to try bees wax today on my first string. The plumbers lube that your talking about is mostly petroleum jelly. I'm going to check out the chemist this arvo, apparently it's used as nipple cream, if they want more than a couple of bucks it's staying on the shelf.

Fraser.

[hazard]

I'm going to check out the chemist this arvo, apparently it's used as nipple cream, if they want more than a couple of bucks it's staying on the shelf.

Nipple problem mate? Be prepared for upwards of $10.00 But it may be the best material out, you dont know until you try it

[Fraser]

Made my first string, it"s a little rough, 21 strand 3 bundle. Got to wait for my bow nocks to dry before I can try it.

Fraser.

[WOLF]

I just use plain old Bees Wax for all my bowstrings
When Im making strings up I will give each bundle a good waxing before twisting together
Cheers

[GrahameA]

Afternoon All.

I'm going to check out the chemist this arvo, apparently it's used as nipple cream, if they want more than a couple of bucks it's staying on the shelf.

Nipple problem mate? Be prepared for upwards of $10.00 But it may be the best material out, you dont know until you try it

Lanolin is interesting stuff. Does wonders to your hands if you are dealing with sheep fleeces.

http://www.lanotec.com.au/

[Fraser]

I ended up making 3 strings, the first one landed in no mans land too short for one bow, to long for the other. I needed two new strings any way one at 21 strand and the other at 19 strands.

Wolf, I waxed up each bundle, went through a heap of wax.

Grahame, I looked at a heap of recipes for string wax, in most you where just adding some thing to make the bees wax softer at room temp. The lanolin recipe was the only one I found where the second compound had the potential add some other desirable traights apart from making the compound soft or tacky.

Fraser.

[WOLF]

You do use a little bit but I find by waxing each bundle it helps when you start twisting as the fibers stick to each other and you have better grip when twisting when making the string up
Just a helpful tip that was given to me when I started making my own strings up.

Cheers

[greybeard]

Hi Fraser,

If you are going to use lanolin get the anhydrous wool b.p. [brown colour] and not the white creamy perfumed stuff women buy.

Dubbin [sheep fat] may be suitable.

Daryl.

[Fraser]

You do use a little bit but I find by waxing each bundle it helps when you start twisting as the fibers stick to each other and you have better grip when twisting when making the string up
Just a helpful tip that was given to me when I started making my own strings up.

Cheers

I picked that up on string number two, I ran each through the block of wax (once the groves where in it it was a lot easier) I then put on a riggers glove and kept rubbing the bundle until the heat built up and pushed the wax in. Once I finished the sting and it strung and brace hight close I waxed it again the same way as before.

Fraser

[Fraser]

Hi Fraser,

If you are going to use lanolin get the anhydrous wool b.p. [brown colour] and not the white creamy perfumed stuff women buy.

Dubbin [sheep fat] may be suitable.

Daryl.

Thanks Daryl, I would have got the white creamy stuff.

Fraser.

[greybeard]

Hi Fraser,

In my reply I forgot to put in the word 'fat' in the description; anhydrous wool fat b.p.

I purchased mine from the local pharmacy.

From Wiki,

“Lanolin is also frequently, but incorrectly, referred to as wool fat (adeps lanae) by many of the world’s pharmacopoeias even though it has been known for more than 150 years that lanolin is devoid of glycerides and is in fact a wax, not a fat.”

Daryl.

[Fraser]

Daryl, I just checked the net, Amcal pharmacies are selling anhydrous lanolin for $5.45 for 50g.

Discriped as:
Gold Cross Anhydrous Lanolin Wool Fat BP 50g $5.45

I've got another 100g cake of bees wax, if it works it'll be 150g of string wax for $7.95.

Fraser.

[rodlonq]

Some recipes for beeswax polish that may help you soften your beeswax.

making-beeswax-furniture-polish.pdf

(27.95 KiB) Downloaded 146 times

Cheers...... Rod

[Fraser]

Thanks Rod, interesting.

Fraser.

[greybeard]

Hi Fraser,

Although I have not tried blending bees wax with lanolin a mixture of 50% lanolin may make it too soft.

Lanolin has a consistency similar to that of vaseline and melts at about 38˚c /100 f.

Bees wax melts at about 63˚c /145 f. so you could probably add the lanolin straight into the melted wax.

Daryl.

[Fraser]

Thanks Daryl, the recipe said 2 parts bees wax, 1 part lanolin. That's what I'll try. Got to try different chemist tomorrow, first one didn't have the right lanolin.

Fraser

[Fraser]

I've made the wax, at 30c it is still solid but soft enough to work easily, it very water resistant, much more then bees wax alone, you can't get it of your hands with soap and water. Not even with water as hot as you can bare. It will be interesting to see how it performs.

The mix I used was 100g of bees wax and 50g of lanolin (brand and type mentioned above). I melted the wax in bowl in a saucepan of water, and once melted, I mixed in the lanolin.

Fraser.

[greybeard]

It is good news that your recipe worked.

By altering the mix ratio you may be able to produce a wax suitable for hot or cold climatic conditions.

Daryl.