Whiskey bottle wax???

[OFFSHORE]

Is there any use for the red wax on bottles of Makers Mark? I am a connoisseur of Makers, and have about 2 gallon sized freezer bags of the wax dipped bottle tops. . .just made me think of boolit lube??? Let me know if there are any good recipes out there. Thank you.

[HWooldridge]

It's probably some form of paraffin - maybe with a bit of carnauba added for shine. Would likely work with smokeless recipes for lube.

[M-Tecs]

https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/maker-s-mark/ask-the-expert-why-do-makers-mark-bottles-have-red/

The first bottle was dipped using wax heated up in a deep fryer on the Samuels’ stove. The formula for Maker’s Mark’s wax used today was developed by Tom Hammond in his garage. It took six months, and a lot of trial and error, for him to create the iconic wax. One important feature of it: it will only melt at 350 degrees, so there’s no risk of it melting after it initially dries on the bottle (that could make for some messy bottles if they got warm in transport or at your home).

One more


https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/behind-seal-story-makers-mark-bottle/

The appearance of the wax is distinctive enough that the Samuels family trademarked it in 1985. In 2003, Maker’s successfully sued Diageo over a line of Jose Cuervo tequilas that were also being sold in bottles topped with dripping red wax.

[Winger Ed.]

It shouldn't be much different than using plain paraffin, candles, or even crayons for a base in any home made lube.

[imashooter2]

From M-Tecs' post it doesn’t seem like it has any utility at all. More plastic than wax.

[slim1836]

From M-Tecs' post it doesn’t seem like it has any utility at all. More plastic than wax.

Yup, I dipped 6 bottle necks in that stuff a few years ago and that stuff acted more like plastic than wax.

Slim

[OFFSHORE]

Well Hell! That doesn't sound to promising. I was hoping for some good use from all this - LOL. Besides the good whiskey drinks!!!

[hoodat]

Ya for danged sure won't be able to sell it for enough to pay for a liver transplant. :-P jd

[Sasquatch-1]

You could try it as a flux when casting. I have used the Baby Belle cheese wrappers like this, and they work well.

[Green Frog]

I can’t swear to this, but I’ve been told that the main component of the MM bottle seal is Carnauba Wax, noted for two things, one of which is high melting point. IIRC, early records were made mostly of Carnauba for its high MP and toughness. It also imparts a shine to metal surfaces, so I use a couple of % in my home brew mixes and just bought several lb of Lars’ Carnauba Red to use (in a heated sizer) for pistol bullets. Take my free observations for what they’re worth!

Froggie

[imashooter2]

The wax on cheese is Carnauba, and it is WAY softer than the stuff on Makers Mark bottles.

[BLAHUT]

Try on a few rounds and see what happens see how it acts in the gun see how it cleand up after firing if all looks good try a few more and see ??? Thake your time and watch the results keep good notes for a reference ?? It took me about 4 years of trials to get my lube to do just what i wanted on target and in the gun<< good luck

[1886nut]

Sounds like a lot of work. My local furniture store sells nice Amish and Mennonite stuff with traditional door slides that should be waxed, so he sells blocks of parafin in 3/4 and 1" thickness for doing just that. I just warm them on a hot plate and press the boolits through them when they come out of the mold hot. Similar blocks all over ebay...buy in bulk, shelf life is longer than you or I will have on this Earth.

[scattershot]

I, too, njoy Maker’s Mark. I always thought the seal on the bottle was some kind of plastic.

[Green Frog]

Pure Carnauba is hard!! Years ago a fellow caster gave me some pieces of pure CW and it was like chunks of tan colored hard plastic. Randy Rat sold me some in the form of shavings… much easier to melt into my mix.

The stuff on cheese may contain some Carnauba, but it’s by no means pure. Based on a very rudimentary comparison, the harder stuff sealing Maker’s Mark bottles is likely to be much higher in Carnauba than the wrapping around Baby Belles.

I’ve got a lifetime supply of CW for mixing my own DIY lubes, but if anyone needs help emptying their MM bottles to fill their own stash, let me know and I’ll come help. I’m that kind of nice guy. [smilie=l:

Froggie

[Scrounge]

Is there any use for the red wax on bottles of Makers Mark? I am a connoisseur of Makers, and have about 2 gallon sized freezer bags of the wax dipped bottle tops. . .just made me think of boolit lube??? Let me know if there are any good recipes out there. Thank you.

Wax that doesn't melt easily is used by machinists and jewelers for practice material and to make parts for lost-wax castings. Somewhere on this machine I have a recipe for making it from paraffin and the plastic shopping bags that are so common these days. "machinable wax" would be one search term. Jewelers use several kinds of wax, of varying hardness's including soft and sticky waxes. They generally burn out the wax before pouring the metal in. I've seen folks do lost wax and lost plastic castings without burning out the wax or plastic, and it gets smoky and smelly. ;)

Not sure it would work well as a bullet or boolit lube by itself. Good luck getting the info you asked for.

Bill

[Daver7]

Pure Carnauba is hard!!

I’ve got a lifetime supply of CW for mixing my own DIY lubes, but if anyone needs help emptying their MM bottles to fill their own stash, let me know and I’ll come help. I’m that kind of nice guy. [smilie=l:

Froggie

Y'all need so help Im willing to step up and do my part

[Green Frog]

Y'all need so help Im willing to step up and do my part

You’re obviously a fine fellow, Daver7. Perhaps we can form a traveling team of like minded selfless types willing to go where we are needed for the noble task of helping empty Maker’s Mark bottles to help increase the available supply of this fine sealing wax for use by our fellow casters. There may even be a Nobel Prize in it for us in recognition of our acts of selflessness. [smilie=l:

[greenjoytj]

Makers Mark fancy bottle topping is a thermal plastic.

Cheese wheel wax only contains a very small portion of a firming wax that may not be Carnauba wax, as it’s expensive.

Why anyone would invest in scrap ingredients to make lube to their coat bullet$, potentially wasting powder and primers on a handload using suspect junk leaves my head shaking.
Buy pure, clean ingredients for your homemade lubes. Measure your lube ingredients carefully, by weight and make notes of your formula so it can be accurately duplicated.

[OFFSHORE]

Makers Mark fancy bottle topping is a thermal plastic.

Cheese wheel wax only contains a very small portion of a firming wax that may not be Carnauba wax, as it’s expensive.

Why anyone would invest in scrap ingredients to make lube to their coat bullet$, potentially wasting powder and primers on a handload using suspect junk leaves my head shaking.
Buy pure, clean ingredients for your homemade lubes. Measure your lube ingredients carefully, by weight and make notes of your formula so it can be accurately duplicated.

I was told and read in several places that the Makers bottles were wax dipped. Never knew any different, and had not tried it as of now. I wanted to ask the folks here if they have ever gave it a try and what the results were. . .I see it is best that I just leave it alone. Thank you for the input everyone, and have a happy holiday weekend.

[rintinglen]

You’re obviously a fine fellow, Daver7. Perhaps we can form a traveling team of like minded selfless types willing to go where we are needed for the noble task of helping empty Maker’s Mark bottles to help increase the available supply of this fine sealing wax for use by our fellow casters. There may even be a Nobel Prize in it for us in recognition of our acts of selflessness. [smilie=l:

Greater love hath no man....

[Soundguy]

You could try it as a flux when casting. I have used the Baby Belle cheese wrappers like this, and they work well.

Cheese wax actually works good for bullet lube. I use to follow a russian guy in siberia? that loaded 45-70 and pretty much exclusively used animal fat and red cheese wax as his bullet lube.

[Geezer in NH]

There are many rehab center out there look one up you need too.

[GregLaROCHE]

I would worry about there being plastic in wax seals today. Try making a candle and see how it burns.