Sealing Wax

[wvbeetlebug]

Purchased some seals and wax at Michael's yesterday. This is the kind of wax that has the wick in it. I finally had the chance to use them tonight and I don't think I like them. How do I keep the pool from getting all sooty? I have gone through the other threads and could find no real defined way of preventing this.

 

My next step is to get some wax sticks without the wicks. I've also seen wax beads that can be melted in a spoon. Has anyone tried these beads? How do you keep the wax from sticking to the spoon?

 

Thanks in advance!

[kudzu]

I've used both the wicked sealing wax and the sticks without the wick. And I get "soot" with both. I just learned to live with it. Never tried the beads.

[1cockycop]

One thing you can try to do, that works for me in eliminating soot, is to hold the flame as far away from the wax as you can, and still get it to melt.

 

That should be more effective for you.

[JDlugosz]

I've seen sticks that go though a hot-melt glue gun. Nice regulated temperature, no flames.

[Cedar]

I've never used them but one of snail mail friends has and says that the glue gun is the way to go. Much easier, quicker, and less messy than those other methods. Only reporting what I was told. Can't vouch for it myself but believe that's what I'm going to try.

 

Cedar

 

Edited to add that I believe glue gun wax is needed but any regular hot glue gun. I have this: letterseals.com website. Again, can't vouch for any of it, personally.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Cedar

[rogerb]

When I was a child, all registered parcels had to be tied up with string and every knot sealing-waxed...we just used to heat it to melting point with a match an then smear it on the knot. No problems, as I recall, with sootiness.

[chud]

I use a lighter instead of a match, and wax without wicks. Torch-style cigar lighters work the best, and a creme-brule torch (larger version of the same thing, essentially) is also pretty good.

 

I once tried the heat gun I use when repairing pens. If I'd thought about it for a minute first I'd have realized that this was Not a Good Idea. (Moves too much air; small droplets of wax blown across the back of the envelope...)

 

However, personally I don't mind a little soot in the wax anyway.

[p-zero]

I have used the melting spoon thing for sealing wax. I just twist up a chunk of paper towel to push into the spoon to clean out the wax that sticks, after the wax is poured & the seal set. Just be careful not to burn yourself. It usually takes couple of paper towel twists to "scrub" out the hot spoon.

[fierdog]

No suggestions, but I kind of like the sootiness. It adds character. I would guess that the spoon way is not sooty (but i've never tried it). I would guess that either the wax doesn't stick very firmly to the spoon when cooled and you might be able to put veggi oil on the spoon before use. I have never tried this. Only guessing from oiling the seals themselves.

[Wolfgang8810]

The "soot" is actualy carbon. If you use a heat source different than say a butane lighter or wick. I have read that an alcohol lamp is recomended for melting wax because when the alcohol burns there is less or no carbon output.

 

 

[fierdog]

The "soot" is actualy carbon. If you use a heat source different than say a butane lighter or wick. I have read that an alcohol lamp is recomended for melting wax because when the alcohol burns there is less or no carbon output.

 

Hmmm. An alcohol lamp also burns at a lower temperature, potentially limiting the decomposition of the organics in the wax. Good call.

[wvbeetlebug]

Thank you all for the suggestions. On some of the websites I've seen that sell sealing waxes they also sell or recommend an alcohol lamps.

[goldkiwi]

Purchased some seals and wax at Michael's yesterday. This is the kind of wax that has the wick in it. I finally had the chance to use them tonight and I don't think I like them. How do I keep the pool from getting all sooty? I have gone through the other threads and could find no real defined way of preventing this.

 

My next step is to get some wax sticks without the wicks. I've also seen wax beads that can be melted in a spoon. Has anyone tried these beads? How do you keep the wax from sticking to the spoon?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

I've bought the same wax from Michael's before, and I just had difficulty getting the wax to pool nicely. So I ended up cutting off pieces of it and melting it in a regular spoon over a flame, and pouring it. The wax, when cool, peels off if you have a thick enough layer (but then again, if you're planning on making more seals in the future, you can just keep the glob of wax in the spoon for next time).

[wvbeetlebug]

Thanks. I think this is what I am going to do. I'll just designate a spoon for melting wax.

[wvbeetlebug]

Oops. Double post.

Edited June 9, 2008 by wvbeetlebug

[David R Munson]

Not directly related, but I swear I remember seeing something recently about sealing wax that was specifically made to have a better chance of making it through the postal system more or less intact, but now I can't find it.

 

Anyone?

[kudzu]

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=58228

 

Posts 3 and 4 mentioned flexible/supple sealing wax that's designed to go through modern postal equipment.

[Branwell Bronte]

This is bringing back terrible memories about the first time that I worked as a presiding officer at the elections.

 

It was about 20 years ago, when things were still done the old fashioned way and you had to seal the ballot box up using pink ribbon and sealing wax. Well I got distracted when I was applying the sealing wax and dropped the lit taper through the slot where you put the ballot papers in. Cue scenes of panic as I rushed to the kitchen for some water which was then poured into the box after the taper. Thankfully that put out the flames but I got a lot of strange looks when they opened up the ballot box at the count that night.

 

Since then I have avoided sealing wax as far as possible. In fact, even typing those words has me coming out in a cold sweat

[Cedar]

I've never used them but one of snail mail friends has and says that the glue gun is the way to go. Much easier, quicker, and less messy than those other methods. Only reporting what I was told. Can't vouch for it myself but believe that's what I'm going to try.

 

Cedar

 

Edited to add that I believe glue gun wax is needed but any regular hot glue gun. I have this: letterseals.com website. Again, can't vouch for any of it, personally.

 

Well, I can speak from experience on letterseals.com now. What a headache! I had nothing but grief trying to get the website to work with PayPal. Finally contacted them via e-mail so they could get paid using PayPal. Heard nothing. Contacted them, again. We didn't get your order. Asked if I should attach it to the e-mail. No response. Thought maybe they could just take it off their website as it still showed there. Nothing. Finally just attached the order to an e-mail and asked them to attend to getting it shipped out. Said they'd send it out Monday, the 23rd. Here it is July 1 and I still don't have my order.

Argh! I've finally just asked them to refund my money. Why do I have no faith?

Well, at least there seem to be better alternatives IF I get my money back.

I can not recommend that website.

 

Cedar

 

[Sapphire]

This is bringing back terrible memories about the first time that I worked as a presiding officer at the elections.

 

It was about 20 years ago, when things were still done the old fashioned way and you had to seal the ballot box up using pink ribbon and sealing wax. Well I got distracted when I was applying the sealing wax and dropped the lit taper through the slot where you put the ballot papers in. Cue scenes of panic as I rushed to the kitchen for some water which was then poured into the box after the taper. Thankfully that put out the flames but I got a lot of strange looks when they opened up the ballot box at the count that night.

 

Since then I have avoided sealing wax as far as possible. In fact, even typing those words has me coming out in a cold sweat

 

On what fragile threads the fate of nations hangs. :roflmho: