# Candles and Beeswax



## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

I'm double posting case I ain't sure where. Anyway I got this huge box of candle wax of all shapes. No labels or anything. Was wondering if there was a way to tell if any of it is beeswax of any content.?


----------



## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

I am not an expert but when I have purchased beeswax I can usually tell by the smell similar to honey.

What color is it? Do you have a photo? That would probably be helpful in identifying it.

Were you going to use beeswax for your woodworking?


----------



## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

I too would like to know how to use beeswax. I have a ball - I squeezed this wax out and used the honey. It came from a russian farm. This ball is light brown and hard as a rock. I thought beeswax was soft >>??S


----------



## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Tirzah said:


> I am not an expert but when I have purchased beeswax I can usually tell by the smell similar to honey.
> 
> What color is it? Do you have a photo? That would probably be helpful in identifying it.
> 
> Were you going to use beeswax for your woodworking?


I don't have a photo because its a box of all kinds of candles in all kind of shapes and colors. From Big square and round to little ones. dinner table candles whatever kind there is its in there 

I use the beeswax in a finish. !/3 Boiled linseed oil, 1/3 turpentine 1/3 beeswax. one of the best and easiest finishes there is. You put it on till the wood quits sucking it up. Let it dry a little and buff. done!  (Make sure you let the rags dry or burn them as they WILL spontaneously combust if in a ball

And for food grade you use 2/3 pure mineral oil and 1/3 beeswax. warm it up till wax melts and can be " stirred in " then do the same with it.


----------



## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

Bees wax is not just for candles. 
Hermit,
I also use that same mixture on forged steel. With steel I warm it up then wipe it onto the surface. As it cools I burnish it with an old nylon.
I have a handle on my shops front door that has been there for more than 20 years without being refinished. No rust at all.
I also make a mixture using Japan Drier instead of the turpintine. It lets the steel patina to where it has shades of red, blue and yellow on the surface of the steel. I'm sure it would work well on wood. It results in more of a glazed finish vs. soaking in.


----------



## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

If you have a known beesway candle, you could compare the flame and smoke to the others. Beesways was always preferred because it had less smoke, burned clearer. I think Whale Oil candles were the only thing better, and they are on the forbidden list. Smell could be an ID method, but many table candles have smells infused in the mix.

Know any beekeepers? Local Honey sellers at a Farmer's Market? They might be able to help with the smell ID or teach you how to ID them for yourself.


----------

