Sealing Wax

[Judybug]

I have periodic sealing wax fits. I will resolve to make a decent wax seal on the back of an envelope if it kills me. After several failed attempts, I'll decide that sealing with wax is a gift that I don't have and I give it up. Months will pass and I am leading a blissful life in spite of my sealing-wax-klutz self. Then I'll get a letter from a pen pal with a fine looking wax seal or I'll see a wax seal photo that someone has posted on FPN. I say to myself, "If other people can do it, gosh-darn-it! I can, too!" and the cycle starts all over.

 

Needless to say, in my quest for sealing wax proficiency, I have accumulated a collection of various kinds/brands of sealing wax. My latest is J. Herbin's supple sealing wax. I read in some FPN thread that a butane lighter is best for melting wax because it doesn't produce any black smoke. I just now tried this new wax with a butane lighter, having full confidence that this wax and this method would be the ticket to wax-seal success. I was so confident that I didn't even try it on scrap paper. Oh no! I worked on the back of an envelope I had just addressed. I guess it went well - considering my klutziness. But there most certainly was smoke! And the end of my expensive Herbin supple wax is now black. The seal on the back of the envelope doesn't look too bad - it's a swirly mixture of the rose-colored wax and black from the smoke.

 

Does anybody know why I'm getting smoke with the butane lighter? Is it a malfunctioning lighter or am I doing something wrong?

 

Judybug

[jhsiao]

Are you keeping it on one spot on the wax? Or are you rotating the stick?

 

Soot is the result of incomplete combustion (or burning at too low of a temperature). But you just want to melt the wax, not burn it. So maybe keep the butane flame a bit farther away from the wax seal stick.

 

I found

helpful...

[watch_art]

found this. this is COOL. now i've gotta try it.

 

 

 

 

 

[watch_art]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYBoeggGsm8&NR=1

[Gallant]

I don't have any experience with the J. Herbin's supple sealing wax, but the Pelikan Siegellack I sometimes use is flammable and the soot comes from the burning wax and not the lighter. If you swirl it harder while it is still liquid you can achieve an even color.

 

Sebastian

[Triplet Mom]

I didn't know how to do it either until I met Ward and Linnea from Atelier Gargoyle at the NE Pen Show last year. They recommend a butane torch, not a butane lighter, for melting the wax. I found one in the plumbing section of Lowes hardware store for less than $10. Linnea held the torch flame a few inches from the wax stick while rotating the wax stick back and forth at the same time. Once it starts to drip, make a small puddle where you want to make a wax stamp. Shut off the torch and with the end of the wax stick stir your little puddle of wax into a circle or oval shape the size you want for your stamp. Let it start harden for a few seconds, then firmly press your wax seal into the wax. She said that some people lick the bottom of the wax stamp before pressing into the wax to make it easier to remove once you wax hardens completely. Hope this helps!

 

Warm regards,

Lynne

[Shangas]

When I make wax seals, I use a simple cigarette lighter. Works fine for me.

[Parker Quink Turquoise]

When I make wax seals, I use a simple cigarette lighter. Works fine for me.

 

 

Thats what I have used for years works great.I really like the new Herbin supple sealing wax.It works great in the mail.

 

When I use sealing wax I just let it drip in a puddle about the size of my seal.As soon as it reaches the size I want I put the lighter and wax aside and as fast as I can put the seal to the wax.I do not let the wax set up as I find the metal in the seal cools the wax and gives a nice seal.If I am doing a lot of seals at once I like to let the seal cool a little so that it does not get too warm to get the best seals.

[rogerb]

There is a plethora of "How To" videos on YouTube ....the silliest has no video, and no soundtrack!

 

I use a small butane torch ....you have tobe careful not to set the wax on fire, AND not to get hot wax on your skin...it BURNS(and sticks)!!!

 

Kudzu sent me some seals in a snail mail .....they looked, and smelled, gorgeous

 

I agree about not leaving the wax for more than a few secs .... if I have a few seals to do I have some ice-water to hand, in which I dip the seal before making the impression, (and my finger, if it accidentally gets 'waxed' :roflmho: )

Edited May 15, 2010 by rogerb

[rogerb]

BTW , EU sealers should know that Jean Elie at Penandco can supply Herbin sealing waxes of varying sizes and colours, with and without wicks. I have just ordered some

[txinsk]

Butane lighter here and I never immerse the wax in the flame. I do not have an issue with soot.

 

Rick

[Vulcan1066]

I use a butane lighter, carefully holding the blue part of the flame 1/4 of an inch above the wax. If it looks like its getting to hot then adjust the distance. I get a puddle I like then drop the lighter, lick the seal, and set it in place. I only have trouble with soot on white wax. I usually mix a color or two together to get a nice swirl.

[seanpooh]

Here's a video made by our fellow member Brian of The Goulet Pen Company. I don't know how to embed the video :-(

 

Making a Wax Seal.

Edited May 16, 2010 by seanpooh

[GouletPens]

If you're getting soot, you're holding the wax too close to the flame. Try holding it farther away, and rotate the wax stick as you go. Be patient, it's tempting to just cram this stick right into the blue part of the flame, but don't do that. It'll take about 20 seconds or so of holding the wax over the flame to get it melted enough to seal (subsequent seals will be 10-15 seconds, since the wax stick is already warm).

 

Thanks to those who linked to my video! Some other tips that might help:

 

1) Use a brass seal. Acrylic or wood might work, but not as well.

2) Put the seal on an ice pack. The cooler the seal, the faster it hardens the wax and keeps it from sticking to the seal.

3) Use a butane lighter of some sort

 

Other than that, just practice!

[markc]

For me, this is what works..

 

1. (I use a creme brulee torch) I melt a small puddle onto the envelope or paper. The diameter should be a bit smaller than the seal you're using.

2. Use the wax stick to swirl the puddle a little, keeping it just about the size of the seal you're using. You will feel it stiffen up a little. When just a little stiff, put the stick aside and grab the seal.

3. Place the seal directly into the puddle and tap it. (It idea is to force any wax up into the grooves of the seal.

4. Wait about 5 seconds and remove the seal.

 

I do this every time and get a great seal every time. If you see soot in the wax, pull the flame a bit away from the stick, you are likely overheating the wax. This isn't always a bad thing, sometimes you get a nice marbling in the seal. (Especially if you use a white/cream/ivory color wax.

 

This is an example seal :

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4431502948_3298297b1c.jpg

 

 

And here is the seal I use :

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4431503106_afc1f4f845_b.jpg

[Rena]

I don't worry about getting soot in the wax — in fact I think it adds a beautiful dimension. But as Brian and others have said, try to keep the flame a little further from your wax if you want to avoid soot. I truly believe that any way it turns out, a wax seal on an envelope is cool. Here's how I do it. (Markc, I like the same seal that you use. )

 

[GouletPens]

I just figured out how to embed a video. Here's a couple of mine, one on doing the wax seal, another with doing a bunch (17) of seals in a row.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1J1yAW6nt4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mAA4pMR61o

[Judybug]

Many thanks for all the suggestions and videos. I've watched them all. I'm happy to say that I just made a fantastic wax seal on an envelope that's going to a pen pal today! :clap1: This was accomplished with a creme brulee torch and J. Herbin supple wax. Now don't rush out and buy a creme brulee torch unless you know that you're a sealing wax klutz like me. Those who have the sealing wax "gift" can do this with matches, a candle, a disposable butane lighter -- the gifted people can probably do it if they get their fire by rubbing two sticks together.

 

But for me - the creme brulee torch is the thing! The flame has -- well, it has substance - it's not blown all around by every little draft from the A/C. It's pretty dang hot because it has the wax soft enough to spread in about 5 or 10 seconds.

 

I want to emphasize that CAUTION IS IN ORDER. As some of you may know I write with my left hand. But I'm not naturally left handed and can't do anything BUT write (and play the piano) with my left hand. When I made this wax seal, I started off with the torch in my right hand and the wax in my left hand. When the wax was soft and ready to be put on the envelope, I was fumbling around to get the torch out of my right hand and the wax into my right hand. I was trying to hurry so the wax wouldn't cool off. I momentarily forgot how to turn the flame off. I ended up just having to set the torch down with the flame still going (with flame pointed away from anything flammable, of course) while I got the wax on the envelope. Then I figured out how to turn the flame off. All this was accomplished without setting the house on fire. But I suggest that you think through the motions ahead of time. And be sure you know how to turn the torch off before you get started.

[Paddler]

When I was exploring the novelty of wax seals, I used a candle and a small spoon. Melt wax in spoon. Pour. Stamp. This was back in the day when sealing wax was used for canning food. It came in large sticks, like butter. Every hardware store stocked it that way.

 

Paddler

[Judybug]

Success!