Old beeswax

[Oldeyes]

How well does beeswax age and what might be the downside of using some REALLY old wax. I came across about 30 pounds of the stuff at a yard sale recently. Age unknown, but at least fifteen years of sitting in a hot garage, and quite possibly more. It still looks good, feels good, but I have no way to tell if it is more brittle or dried out (if such can happen) than newer wax.....
And BTW, it was free!

[fryboy]

lolz @ free .... eh if it's clean no worries if it's dirty refine/strain it , beeswax and honey has some of the longest shelf life's i know of

[Beekeeper]

Bees wax never gets too old or brittle.
It will sometimes get a white looking appearance but it will wipe off easily.
You made a great find.
At $4.50 a lb here you can shoot a lot for free.



beekeeper

[Blammer]

when you remelt the "old beeswax" it will suddenly become new again. :)

[Suo Gan]

How well does beeswax age and what might be the downside of using some REALLY old wax. I came across about 30 pounds of the stuff at a yard sale recently. Age unknown, but at least fifteen years of sitting in a hot garage, and quite possibly more. It still looks good, feels good, but I have no way to tell if it is more brittle or dried out (if such can happen) than newer wax.....
And BTW, it was free!

Got some in the hive that must be 60 years old at least. Bees still use it.

[runfiverun]

even if it is hard you can modify the final lubes hardness to do what you want.
i have some that is very brittle and yellow.
i just modify the final lube recipe a little with more this or that and it comes out fine.

[Oldeyes]

Thanks guys! Looks like I'll be set for life at the rate I shoot.

[Shiloh]

Does beeswax go bad or get rancid??

Shiloh

[Hardcast416taylor]

In Egypt when exploring the pyramids early in the last century. Beeswax was discovered that had been interred with the tomb occupant and was as resilient as when it was placed there several thousand years before.Robert

[357maximum]

BEESWAX does not go "bad". It will oxidize "bloom" on the surface over time. That can be wiped off or the wax can be re-melted. The "bloom" will still occur in some lube recipes. That is why prelubed maxiballs and such "dry out" in storage. It is not drying out it is oxidization.

[Josh Smith]

Long chain alcohols and fatty acids mainly... I've seen minimum shelf life of 20 years.

I just figure it all contains a little honey and is preserved by that in addition to its natural properties.

Josh

[gwpercle]

Beeswax must have a good shelf life . I was cleaning up garage and found a box of the stuff I had bought in 1972. It looked just like new except for a little dust.

Was casting and using pine wood shavings for flux and decided to add a little beeswax to the shavings, flux smelled nice and worked well. When I went inside my wife commented on how good I smelled , instead of " whew what have you been doing to smell like that ? " So the 40 year old beeswax still worked and smelled good to boot .

[imashooter2]

I sure wish I could find the yard sales where they give away $120 worth of pretty much any commodity...

Congrats!

[Sonnypie]

In Egypt when exploring the pyramids early in the last century. Beeswax was discovered that had been interred with the tomb occupant and was as resilient as when it was placed there several thousand years before.Robert

What?
There was some guy sitting in there that said so?
Who knew how resilient it was thousands of years ago?:kidding:

They did find honey in the tombs that was still good.
I think I would have a hard time dipping a finger in that to taste it.
What if it was poisoned to kill tomb robbers?