How Do You Melt Your Wax For Wax Seals?

[CharlieTurtle]

Is a lighter the only way, or will simply dipping the end of the wax into boiling water suffice?

[h.farmawi]

put the wax on a spoon and apply fire under it

[AndrewC]

Blowtorch. Does dipping in boiling water work? Never heard of that.

[Oggie]

I remembered a post with the title below on the Ink Nouveau blog (May 21, 2010). Brian Goulet says he tried a lot of different ways to melt wax for seals and ended up with a $6 lighter.

Ink Blot #10: New Wax Seal Lighter

[Fabienne]

Lighter.

[kiavonne]

I've used matches, cigarette lighters, fireplace lighters, melting pieces of wax in a spoon over flame, and a creme brulee torch. All work. Most will have soot drip in with the wax, a quick swirl from the end of the wax stick will "blend" it in before setting the seal.

 

I have not used boiling water. I assume the premise would be as a double boiler, letting the wax melt in another container over the water, then pouring the wax onto the document for setting the seal. There are actual melting pots made for this purpose, but I haven't used them. I don't think dipping a wax stick into boiling water will work, really, but you can always experiment and find out.

Edited April 8, 2014 by kiavonne

[Warnick]

I use this micro torch:

 

http://www.ateliergargoyle.com/pages/waxes/lighters.html

[stonezebra]

I use a birthday candle attached to a small plate and heat the wax over it. (I have a lot of these little candles.) Cheap and easy. I find the wax is ready to use when it begins to drip on the candle.

[ysgrifbin]

An egg poacher (such as this). Keep a good quantity of wax in one of the cups and, when needed, soften it over smmering water in the pan beneath. Use a spoon or tiny ladle to dispense melted wax onto the documents to be sealed.

Unused wax can stay in the cup for the next time.

We chill the (brass) seals in the refrigerator before sealing, to ensure a clean impresion.

Edited April 9, 2014 by ysgrifbin

[Chris]

My wax must be unusual - it has a wick that you set fire to

 

But you still need a lighter or match.

[sharonspens]

Thank you for this post. I received a seal and stick of wax a couple of months ago, and have been trying to figure out how to use it. I tried using a regular candle, and ended up with wax from both the candle and the wax stick on my documents. Hadn't thought to try a lighter, since I don't have one around. Duh.

 

And I like the idea of chilling the seal first.

[AndrewC]

My wax must be unusual - it has a wick that you set fire to

 

But you still need a lighter or match.

I remember when all sealing wax had a wick in the middle of it. Ah, the good old days. I can't seem to find those, and I like Atelier Gargoyle wax (which flexes so it goes through the post office machines) so I use my blow torch from when I did creme brulee on the dessert station. (Those little torches are okay, but take too long when you need to burn the sugar on 12 at a time.)

[Shangas]

I've always used a cigarette-lighter. Matches don't last long enough.

[RudyR]

I use an alcohol lamp. I place the lamp on its side on one of the facets with the wick above the area that will get the stamp. The alcohol I use is at least 90 proof to keep the soot down.

[BillZ]

I use wax from here. They have two versions. One is like a glue stick that requires a heat gun to melt. I have two of those. They also have the wax with the wick in the middle. I use the gun when I have written several letters/cards at one time. I use the wick stick if it's only one.

http://www.nostalgicimpressions.com/default.asp

[csmorris]

Disposable Bic lighter has always worked for me.

[Moose22]

I remember when all sealing wax had a wick in the middle of it. Ah, the good old days. I can't seem to find those,

 

Those are EVERYWHERE. Nostalgic impressions, letterseals, all over the ebay, on a zillion etsy stores. I even saw some in Michael's once.

 

That said, I hate the wicks. They just make it harder to easily melt the wax. I use a little blowtorch like the one the alert gargoyle people sell. Same one I use to shrink heat shrink and light cigars.

[Chris]

My wicked wax always gets blackish bits in it but I look upon those sooty swirls as the waxy equivalent of shading

[sargetalon]

I use a wand style candle lighter. Works really well.

[pendragondragon]

I use my creme brulee torch. It works great for me and is super fast. And it's a nice use for the torch that doesn't end in me consuming 1200 calories.