Identifying Beeswax

[bowfin]

I suppose this comes from experience, but how do I know if what I am looking at is Beeswax or something else?

[geargnasher]

If it smells like honey and is pretty tasteless or slightly caramel-ey when you chew a piece, it's beeswax. Otherwise it might be petroleum based or some other kind of natural wax.

Gear

[stubshaft]

Like Gear said it smells like something you want to sink your teeth into. If you break off a small piece and knead it in your fingers it will soften and feel like putty.

I usually buy mine from Randy Rat who is a member here on the forum. He sells some of the sweetest smelling wax around. He will also sell you different grades/colors from carmel colored to a pale straw. Some of the members here will add scents to their lube, but with Randy's dark wax (that I make Felix lube with) when I uncap one of my 50 AK's you smell honey.

Generally beeswax will be slightly tackier than parrafin and slightly softer.

[randyrat]

There are some that mix in other things to stretch/ or make a product, their beeswax and this has been going on for a long time. So, sometimes it is tough to tell if it is pure beeswax.

Some have added petroleum products, waxy substances derived from petro, an attempt to make a product for certain uses.

I only handle pure 100% beeswax. I do not wash out the propolis, therefore my beeswax still has some honey scent along with healing properties of propolis in it. If you want, I'm sure you could send a small piece to one of the lube experts here or me. We could identify it.

Another way to tell= Melting point is 147-149 degs F

Flash point = 400 Degs F Yep it burns good.

[geargnasher]

Makes outstanding candles, I made some this Winter out of Randy's hard, yellow wax that smells so good. It's really a shame to burn it, but I only used a couple of pounds, and like everything else in life that you can't take with you when you go, might as well enjoy it every way you can!

Oh, and I mix the same hard, yellow yummy stuff 25% with bear grease to make leather boot and tack protectant that will get the attention of every dog on the block, and make lip balm and hand salve by adding lots of lanolin, jojoba, almond oil, vitamin E oil, krill oil, and a touch of clove oil to it.

Gear

[randyrat]

Gear, you use beeswax like I do, for everything. I haven't mentioned yet, it works also for breaking rusty nuts & bolts loose. Heat and apply.

[Southern Son]

Like Gear said it smells like something you want to sink your teeth into.

If I could find a perfume that smelt like fresh beeswax I would never leave the missus alone.

Another good use I have found is to protect old steel and iron tools. I leave the tool in the sun to get nice and hot, then rub the beeswax all over it. It will protect from rust and stop your saw sticking in the cut.

[stubshaft]

It was the preferred finish for browned muzzle loader barrels and parts.

[Mossy Nugget]

If you want to be absolutely certain you have real beeswax, don't go to a store. Visit your local apiarist. My beekeepers' wax includes wings, stingers, and bees knees! :razz: Buy a quart of honey, too. Good stuff!

[callshot]

As a bee keeper, I use my own. I once mixed it with a number of non vol ital oils and heated to liquid form and put it on my work boots. They never would let water get into the leather. Wore them for years. It is messy to work with and I have never tried to make bullet lube, yet! Steve

[Baja_Traveler]

My BPCR pan lube is made from Randy's Beeswax - The best smelling lube you will ever find! 1 pound Beeswax, 1/2 pound Anhydrous Lanolin (Randy sells that too!) and 1/2 pound grocery store Canola oil makes the best black powder lube I've used.

http://www.pbase.com/baja_traveler/image/134637006.jpg

[Buddy]

My mil has a friend that has bee hives. He has promised me a few pounds of beeswax. This guy has a lot of bees and travels to bee seminars and speaks to crowds of bee keepers. He was in Ga. last week. I think I may have found a gold mine here.

[Southern Son]

the last batch I bought was from a bee keeper. Nice bloke, gave me a block that was about one foot square by nine inches deep. Tp break it up I put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, then put it into a sack. Then I wacked it with the ball on a ball payne hammer. It had a few wings and knees in it, but I have not found any stingers yet.

[xbeeman412]

You can buy from a local beekeeper or someone that You know is honest. I am back in bees after 18 years out of them. Persons like Myself would be Your best bet or Randyrat who has a AAA++++ reputation for what he sells. Bees wax will start to melt with just sunshime on hot days. I have made a solar wax melter to render the cappings and burr comb.

[Centaur 1]

Every time I melt some lube made with Randy's wax, I get swarmed by bees.