Wax Seals Destroyed Inside An Outer Envelope

[MG66]

I've recently sent two cards through the mail with wax seals inside another envelope. Both were destroyed before they got to the recipient. I've heard of seals being broken going through the mail, but never when they were inside another envelope, and covering a fairly stiff card stock as well.

 

I've already switched to Atelier Gargoyle wax to try and avoid this, but I'm wondering if that kind of failure is common with more traditional wax, or I maybe just got a bad or really old batch. Does anyone have similar experiences?

 

Thanks!

 

C

 

[sharonspens]

Was this flexible wax, or the traditional kind that is relatively brittle (I don't recall what that kind is called)? If the latter, I am not surprised that it broke, even within an envelope, as it would still risk being beaten about in the postal system. I learned the hard way that I cannot mail anything using traditional wax; I'm lucky if i get it TO the post office.

 

I have had pretty good (really, very good) luck with flexible wax, which I use on the outside of all personal mail. I've even used it on international cards to New Zealand and England, and the seals have arrived intact. I'll be sealing my holiday cards in the next couple of days.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[Noihvo]

[MG66]

The wax used was quite brittle. I've heard the term "banker's wax" but I don't know if that refers to all brittle wax or just a subset.

 

I've sent a few items now through the mail with the flexible wax that you describe, @sharonspens . I haven't yet heard of their safe arrival but I am hopeful.

 

Actually, @Noihvo that's a good idea to use on Christmas gifts. I'm thinking now that would be the only suitable use for this stuff.

 

Thanks for the insight!

 

 

C

[Tasmith]

Wax seal basics from Matt Armstrong of the Pen Habit: http://penhabit.com/2017/11/24/playing-with-wax-seals-fp-basics/

[Sasha Royale]

90%+ of letter mail is processed in the US Postal Service, by high-speed machinery. 30000 pieces per hour. Each letter is fed into the machine by a pair of friction belts, on steel rollers. It is likely that your letter endured this process more than five times. Now, you know the risk. Letters are for small thicknesses of paper. More delicate materials should be sent as parcels. Guess where I spent the last 40 years, I don't mail wax seals. My experience. Your choice.

[MG66]

I just finished sealing up an outside envelope with "flexible" wax. Fingers crossed...

[Chrissy]

I have never received an intact wax seal on an envelope, whether they have been sent within the UK by Domestic mail, or whether they have been sent to the UK via USPS mail.

 

The seals have either been broken or the envelopes have been torn.

[Venemo]

Maybe the NSA is now so used to reading digital communications that they lost the know-how on how to read your analogue letters without breaking the seal. (Maybe they have retired the last guy who knew how.)

 

Sorry for the bad joke.

[Barkingpig]

I just finished sealing up an outside envelope with "flexible" wax. Fingers crossed...

And I just received a Christmas card from a friend in Canada; his custom designed seal was merely on the outside of the envelope & was intact upon arrival. I suspect it was a "flexible" wax, but it travelled a bit (3,202 km or more than 2,000 miles) to reach me & would have gone thru a couple of sorting machines. I hope you have good luck with yours intact arrival!

[MG66]

Thanks! That gives me hope.

[ac12]

I have received letters where the flex seal was scraped down, probably from going through the sorting machines.

[Sabin]

I seal the folded letter, before putting it in the envelope..

[Chuck400b]

I use Wax Seals on all personal correspondence domestic and international.

Banker's Wax is designed to break easily actually, to show evidence of tampering. It is not designed to go through a high handling process like the USPS. If you have a lot of it you can use it for hand delivered correspondence and to embellish other items that will be "protected."

 

Assuming you are using the USPS:

1- Use a flexible wax

2- Do not over use the wax or use too much. As much as movies and such show large pools of wax, large pools of wax will only create area that can get rubbed off or break off.

[JakobS]

Atelier Gargoyle and J Herbin flexible wax should hold up pretty well on the outside of a letter. I have never had a problem with Atelier Gargoyle surviving a trip, and out of the twenty or so letters I sent with the J Herbin flexible wax, one or two were partially scraped off. I have found more traditional wax, in my case from Abraxas is quite brittle, and would not last in the post with a traditional envelope protecting it.

 

I agree that creating a thin seal is best with flexible wax, and this wax is great in that a small amount is as durable as a large amount.

[MG66]

Good advice. I'm sure I'm using too much wax and need to practice using a smaller amount that will still produce a full circle for my seal.

[dapprman]

I see reference tyo bankers wax - actually all wax used for seals it meant to be brittle as the wax seal was used to prove some one else had not opened the letter/scroll, not for decoration. The actual seal was an identifier as to who had sealed it (i.e. so that some one else had not removed the seal, read the contents, then resealed it.

[MKB]

Good advice. I'm sure I'm using too much wax and need to practice using a smaller amount that will still produce a full circle for my seal.

This is easily accomplished by counting out drips for consistency and stirring a smaller puddle out to the desired size with the wax stick quickly before stamping with the seal.

 

 

Although, I dont always take my own advice:

 

(Due to the large size and depth, this one requires quite a tall puddle, but it has survived the mail. Its made with the Atelier Gargoyle flexible wax.)

Edited December 22, 2017 by MKB

[Chuck400b]

I see reference tyo bankers wax - actually all wax used for seals it meant to be brittle as the wax seal was used to prove some one else had not opened the letter/scroll, not for decoration. The actual seal was an identifier as to who had sealed it (i.e. so that some one else had not removed the seal, read the contents, then resealed it.

 

 

Correct-ish...While that was the need/goal at the time...since we no longer have footmen and personal messengers for our correspondence and the USPS is the only effective way-brittle wax is obsolete for use in mail delivered by a Postal Service. Especially if you want the seal to come through the mail in a semi reasonable condition.

[Noihvo]