Beeswax finish?

[yebon]

I am almost finished with my spear and needed to put a finish on it.  Is beeswax finish good for something like this or is there another finish someone would suggest.  The beeswax finish i saw was a 1-4 mixture beeswax and oil (olive).  Any suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks

[bowtarist]

Rather than olive oil, I've used mineral oil.  Don't know the ratio, I just made it and used it.  Poured oil slowly into cooling wax...outside. Good luck and lets see that spear!! dp

[JW_Halverson]

1:4 makes a past about as soft as Chapstick.  In fact, that is the ratio I use in the winter for home made lip balm.  For a nickel I can make all the lip balm a guy can use in a year!

I also used it as patch lube on my muzzleloaders, treated my browned metal parts with it to stop rust, and polished wood with the same mix.

In the summer I go to a 3:1 ratio so that it is less runny. 

Alternatively, you can just heat the wood slightly and rub in straight beeswax.  With olive oil, sometimes when the wood gets hot it will sweat oil and get gummy. 

[Thesquirrelslinger]

heat bow until warm to touch, rub in some soft wax(1/2 wax, 1/2 oil... thats what I tried... takes some elbow grease )

[crooketarrow]

  Ofcorse thats what I seal all my personal bows with bee's wax. I use a hair dryer to melt the wax.
  Wax alows the wood to breath while still water proffing. A plus for working limbs.
  Heated wax fills the pours all other finishs just cover the wood up.
  Really good for the ones that try to use only natural materals.

  Is'nt it unreal just how good the old natural materals out do the modern ones.

[koan]

Crooketarrow.. +1.... I put beeswax in a ziplock baggy and put it and my bows inda truck on a hot day to get em both warm( wax will melt) then rub in several times over a day... It seams to really soak inda wood well like this. I just use my hands & yes they will blister, lol.... Brian

[JW_Halverson]

A final buffing with a piece of heavy cotton cloth leaves a nice low gloss luster.

[Jeanette]

JW try buffing the wax with one of your wife's old panty hoes, then buff with an old t shirt or wool buffer. puts a deep shine on .

I like to mix wax and lemon oil or almond oil (it smels soooo good ).

[JW_Halverson]

Gosh Jeannette, it's gonna have to be a pair of my own pantyhose if any at all.  You see, my ex wife long gone and not looking back.  Bless her heart, I hope she's happy again.

[crooketarrow]

  I USE TO LOVE HER BUT I HAD TO KILL HER.
 
  GOD I CAN STILL HER COMPLAIN.

[Jodocus]

If you want to mix the wax with oil, linseed and sunflower oil wil harden over time. If you don't mind, you can also mix the wax with gasoline to get it liquid,it will dry out again (although at that point you leave the primitive and might want to prefer paraffine or stearine over beeswax, it does get harder and will not have as much dust sticking to it).
Or just take a hair dryer or hot air gun and wipe the wax on the hot wood.

[4dog]

stumbled into this the other day... so i was sitting around waiting for this turd floater of a rainstorm to stop so i could head out to my blind and swat skeeters all day..i was thinking dangit it my bow is going to suffer.. i start looking for anything to get on it to help..i look over and there it is a beautiful "scentsy" burner with used up wax in the cup almost no scent left to my nose..so i think, im no deer but could work..i start scraping this wax out of the burner.and its kinda soft ,softer than beeswax..i rub it on my bow and buff it in with a paper towel ..go outside ,hold my breath,, and stick it under a stream of water from my porch roof..yank out the bow..water beading right off it..yaaaaay team ..and my wife aint just throwing it away anymore..and what little smell there is disappears as far as i can tell in a short time.  win..win

[Stoker]

4Dog - My wife also has one of those scentsy things by the throne in my reading room. She told me that wax was made out of soya bean oil.. Stil would be a good water proofer..
Thanks Leroy

[Pappy]

Is that 4 to 1 ratio 4 parts bees wax to 1 part oil ,or the other way around.       I have found pure bees wax get really hard over time so I mix with parafin or deer tallow when make pitch glue to soften it a bit. 
   Pappy