Like everyone else, I've long been using Johnson's Paste Floor Wax to coat the stuff I make.  I never really had any reason to question it, and buying a little tub of JPFW was sure easier than trying to brew up my own concoction.

You can imagine my displeasure, then, when I went down to the store to get a new tub and was quickly informed that they no longer carried it.  To say that I was a bit miffed would be an understatement.

The fellow at the counter pointed me to this new-fangled stuff called Minwax Paste Floor Wax and told me that it was pretty much the same thing.  Looking at the tin of the stuff, I marveled at the similarities between it and the Johnson's I'd come to appreciate.  Even the color scheme on the label was the same.  The only real difference between the Johnson's and Minwax was that the latter came in a taller tin.

Resigning myself to my fate, I purchased a tin of the Minwax figuring to give it an honest assessment.... or at least to tide me over until I found some more JPFW.

Low and behold.... dare I say that the Minwax seems to do better than the competition?  I'm honestly impressed with this stuff.  It seems to dry a bit harder than the JPFW and I like how it behaves when at heat. 

I did find some more of the Johnson's wax and will soon do a side-by-side comparison, but I think the Minwax is going to win.

I've been using the Minwax "Special Dark" on both my furniture and my ironwork for a couple of decades. Sometime I even use it on my shoes.

I realize this is going to be a head injury short bus riding level question, and I fear that the answer is as obvious as I think it is, but this is actually the first mention of using wax on blades has been mentioned.  I would assume this is a preservative to prevent oxidation, or is there more to it than that?

 

Wax, beeswax, etc has been used for years to protect metal. 

The native state of iron on the planet earth is RUST.  Plain carbon steels will rust and should be oiled/waxed/kept in a hard vacuum,etc to prevent that.

On 6/3/2018 at 9:33 AM, WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith said:

The Alex Bealer Blacksmith Association meets the third Saturday of each month is shops around the greater Atlanta area.

Check out their web-site http://www.alexbealer.org for information for the next meeting and directions.  It is in the Conyers area.  July meeting is in Mineral Bluff, GA.

 

14 hours ago, Glenn said:

Wax, beeswax, etc has been used for years to protect metal. 

Thank you. I shall now return to licking windows on the short bus.l

We have to learn each trick as if it were new, cause it is brand new to us.

If you use wax, use it on metal just hot enough to create a little smoke when applied. Softens or liquefies the wax so it runs into all the little places. Different waxes dry to different hardness. If you have a good production run of small items, just liquefy the wax in a container and dip the part. Much easier than rubbing with a cloth. Wipe when done.

If you are applying to a tool to be used around food, then use food grade wax, such as bees wax.

Wax is one of those finishes that can be beat on, chipped, etc and then reapplied easily for a new finish.

Renaissance Wax is my choice for knives & firearms.