Japan Wax?

[.22-10-45]

Hello, everyone. Once in a while, I like to re-read Phill Sharpe's Complete Guide To Handloading Book. I was going thru the chapter on Bullet lubricants, and came across Japan wax. Phill states "The so-called Japan wax is a vegetable compound made from the Carnauba Palm tree of South America. Japan imports the wax-like oil exuded by this tree and turns it into a hard wax." He goes on to say: "although excellent in it's pure state, it is still a bit too hard for use in other than a pressure machine like the Ideal, Bond, or Starr. During the period when the government loaded the lead-bullet gallery loads for the Springfield-shortly after the World War-pure Japan wax was used." He also states: "Winchester used this wax for years."
Is this Japan wax the same as pure Carnauba wax Randy Rat sells? Having purchased a pound of Carnauba from Randy, I cannot believe this stuff could be used in a lubsizer in it's pure state..it is so hard and brittle. If differen't..has anyone used this stuff?

[zxcvbob]

Japan wax is not anything like carnauba. I thought it was more like bayberry wax, but wikipedia says it come from Japanese sumac.

[Frank46]

I might be wrong but I believe that Japan wax is used with varnishes as a drying agent to speed up the drying or curing of varnish. Frank

[geargnasher]

Japan Wax comes from the skin of Sumac berries, not palm leaves. I have no experience with it as a lube ingredient.

Gear

[mikenbarb]

Japan wax is the white waxy fat that comes from the fruit of several Asiatic sumacs. I have a cple small containers of it still and it makes great bullet lube additive if you can still find it. The ones I have are from the 1960's and their still good. Its the only lube additive I use for my high velocity loads and leaves a residue thats easy to clean with no barrel leading up to around 2800fps velocity. I add 1.5oz of Japan wax to 10oz of Bullshops Speed Green lube and its incredible stuff.

[randyrat]

Characteristics, Specifications, Regulatory Information

Natural Japan wax Characteristics

The major difference between this vegetable wax and other waxes is its content of 4 - 5 % fatty acid called japanic acid that results in more viscosity in the wax. Japan wax comes from the fruit of the tree, Rhus Succedanea.

Natural Japan wax Specifications
Color Pale Cream
Melting Point 50 ~ 56ºC
Penetration at 77ºC 6 ~ 20
Flash Point 300ºC min.
Acid Value 6 ~ 30
Ester Number 194 ~ 200
Saponification Value 205 ~225
Iodine Value 4 ~ 18
Unsaponifiable Matter 1 ~ 4

Fatty Acid Composition
C 14:0 myristic acid 0.3 %
C 16:0 palmitic acid 80.2 %
C 18:0 stearic acid 7.4%
C 18:1 oleic acid 4.1 %
C 20:0 japanic acid 1.8 %
C 20:1 japanic acid 2.2 %

[randyrat]

I wonder if there are more than one supply or origin for Japan wax... If you want to buy it I think we would have to do a group buy for a Ton or so

ARAKI WAX CO. USA Sales Office
1778 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 4013
Honolulu, HI 96815 USA
Email: info@japanwax.com
bb@japanwax.com
Fax: 808-955-8650
Phone: 808-927-3517
www.japanwax.com

[dbosman]

It's a bit expensive, or available in large quantity. Pick one.

Item # W8988-500, Japan Wax $28.09
CAS Number 8001-39-6
Quantity 500 gm
http://chemicals.citychemical.com/item/all-categories/master-chemicals-category/w8988-500?plpver=10&categid=100&prodid=1053&origin=keyword

Item #65-0035 Japan Wax Flakes 44.09 lbs. Carton Melting Point 45 - 55 ºC
http://waxes.frankbross.com/viewitems/all-categories/specialty-wax-compounds-and-specialty-waxes?forward=1

[roysha]

I might be wrong but I believe that Japan wax is used with varnishes as a drying agent to speed up the drying or curing of varnish. Frank

I believe you may be confusing this with Japan Drier, which was used many, many years ago to help dry various finishes, especially linseed oil based finishes.

[bangerjim]

I believe you may be confusing this with Japan Drier, which was used many, many years ago to help dry various finishes, especially linseed oil based finishes.

Many many years???????? I still use Japan drier for spar and other varnishes.

Also use "Colors in Japan" for tinting lacquers and other finishes. That is very finely ground natural and made pigments suspended in a fast drying hydrocarbon "Japan" base. A little goes a long way! I have 22 different Japan colors in my shop.

banger

[madsenshooter]

In East Asia, in particular in Japan, traditional candle fuel (also called Japan wax) was produced, among other sumac plants, from Rhus succedanea crushed fruits rather than beeswax or animal fats. Japan wax is a byproduct of lacquer manufacture. It is not a true wax but a fat that contains 10-15% palmitin, stearin, and olein with about 1% japanic acid (1,21-heneicosanedioic acid). Japan wax is sold in flat squares or disks and has a rancid odor. It is extracted by expression and heat, or by the action of solvents. The fatty-acid methyl ester of the kernel oil meets all of the major biodiesel requirements in the USA (ASTM D 6751-02, ASTM PS 121-99), Germany (DIN V 51606) and European Union (EN 14214).[2]

It is used as a medicinal plant in India.

The fruits are edible though their consumption is not recommended because of the general toxicity of the plant.

A byproduct of the manufacture of Japan wax is the antioxidant fisetin which has some anticancer and antiviral activity.

[randyrat]

Asiatic TAC1 super high performance boolit lube with Japan wax slick as a Ninja and leaves your bore cleaner than the snow from the top of Mount Fuji.
I'm willing to try some who else is in? After Christmas?

[Eutectic]

I'm willing to try some who else is in? After Christmas?

I wouldn't mind trying some "Japan Wax" Randy.

It's been over 50 years since I saw any used. One ol' boy way back then had 'his' own homemade lube and it was a good one too! A lot like FWFL only it had Japan Wax in it. So I wouldn't mind some experimentation with Japan Wax.

Eutectic

[375RUGER]

randyrat,
You have to throw in a blurb about how quickly it kills zombies. I might be able to get a cameo appearance for it in a low budget zombie movie for it, just happens to be one shooting in the building next door.

[Doc_Stihl]

I'd be in for some if a group buy started up.

[dbosman]

I called Ross Waxes for pricing. They have to get back to me Friday.
Minimum order is one 44.9 lbs / 20 kilos.

[dbosman]

Oh, yeah, for 357RUGER, it kills zombies. Slowly - from an allergic reaction to the Sumac.

[randyrat]

It il be ZOMBE green

[Beagle333]

It il be ZOMBE green

Sign me up! :mrgreen:
I got the boolits ready for some of it!
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt214/shutupandjump/PowderCoating/HF027_zps3fae10e5.jpg

[bangerjim]

Asiatic TAC1 super high performance boolit lube with Japan wax slick as a Ninja and leaves your bore cleaner than the snow from the top of Mount Fuji.
I'm willing to try some who else is in? After Christmas?

Let us know the cost/pound. I would be in fora couple pounds if not too high. I use waxes for various other wood/metal finishing and lubricating things other than boolits. I PC all my slugs now, but I have a big collection of lubes and waxes I use.

Let us know.

banger

[dbosman]

I'll post the details shortly after I get them.
The one fact I have is that the minimum shipment is one carton at 20 kilos.

[Hip's Ax]

If there is a group buy for Japan Wax I am in.

[dbosman]

I still don't have pricing. The sales rep for for Frank B. Ross Co. hasn't written me. I left voice mail.

I have a sample coming from a Strahl & Pitsch. That sales rep told me it's one of the most expensive waxes. He's including two samples of substitutes as well. No pricing yet. He was interested in knowing what our intended use was.

It turns out Japan Wax is today, used largely in artist's pencils and lip sticks.

[dbosman]

I called this company and got a message saying the phone had been disconnected.


I wonder if there are more than one supply or origin for Japan wax... If you want to buy it I think we would have to do a group buy for a Ton or so

ARAKI WAX CO. USA Sales Office
1778 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 4013
Honolulu, HI 96815 USA
Email: info@japanwax.com
bb@japanwax.com
Fax: 808-955-8650
Phone: 808-927-3517
www.japanwax.com

[Wayne Smith]

If a group buy gets going I would appreciate a PM. I probably won't find this thread easily! I will be interested for both lube and woodwork.

[dbosman]

I have three samples. One of Japan Wax and two substitutes. No pricing though.
The samples are about 1/2 pound each.
It's currently too cold in Michigan to evaluate anything waxy. We've got our usual end of January weather in December.

So, who's in a warm enough area, with the ability (and other ingredients on hand) to mix some lube variations, shoot the bullets, and report back on how Japan Wax works as an ingredient? or pure lube?

I've got a hot wire cutter so I can cut these in to smaller samples for multiple testers.

Don

[PS Paul]

To the OP: THIS link below may interest you. It's a treatise on some of the many ingredients used in boolit lubes from www.lasc.us One of the finest resources for cast boolit shooters/casters anywhere. Happens to be owned by one of the mebers on this forum, who I've got a tremendous amount of respect for. Enjoy and if you go to the home page, Glenn Fryxell's "Ingot to Target" is a MUST-READ as well.

http://www.lasc.us/LubeIngredients.htm

PSP

[cbrick]

This thread seems to have died on the vine and after Don got samples too. It would be interesting to see some results testing lube with Japan Wax, it was used quite a bit back in the day.

Rick

[btroj]

Is Japan wax at all like Brazil wax?

[cbrick]

Is Japan wax at all like Brazil wax?

No, ya use the Japan Wax to smooth the skin after the Brazil wax. :groner:

Rick

[btroj]

Speaking from personal experience?

We now have an over sharing violation.

Seriously, there were many waxes and oils used in the past for lube. Were they any better or worse than what we use now or was it more a case of what was available? I think they used what they had and made the best of it.

[leftiye]

But, it would be nice to know how good and what their characteristics are. I can see a hard wax ending the search (it could happen, as they used to say).