Home made waterproofing agent
This is an old recipe I have used for many years. This recipe will work for:
* finished and unfinished leather
* Natural fiber cloth - Cotton, canvas, Jute, etc
* Unfinished wood of any type
* Ferrous Metals - Carbon saw blades, Survival knives, axe/hatchet/tomahawk heads, hammer heads, pry bars, machetes, etc.
NOTE: the compound will protect it from the elements but obviously not be absorbed into the metals.
NOTE 2: I would caution against using this compound on any item that is going to process/contact food. I would use plain, unaltered beeswax instead
Materials needed:
* Metal can with sealing lid. A brand new/unused paint can from Lowe's or Home Depot is good.
* 1 lb pure and filtered beeswax. You can use yellow or white.
* 8 oz Turpentine
* 8 oz Boiled Linseed Oil [BLO]
* Clean paint stirrer
* Plastic soda bottle
* Sharpie marker
* Sharp scissors
* Measuring cup
Instructions for recipe:
1. Take your measuring cup and put in 8 oz of water. Pour this into the plastic soda bottle.
2. Using the Sharpie, mark the water line on the bottle.
3. Using the scissors, cut the bottle top off about an inch above the water line. Drain the water away and let the bottle dry.
4. Open the paint can and set the lid aside [for now]. Place the pound of beeswax into the can.
5. Using your stove top, gas grill or whatever on LOW, slowly melt the beeswax into liquid form.
6. Using the dry plastic bottle, pour turpentine and BLO to the line and SLOWLY add it to the melted beeswax. Remove from heat.
7. Using the paint stirrer, slowly stir the compound until it cools into a solid.
8. Using the Sharpie, write the instructions and ingredients on the can.
To fill a gallon paint can to near the top, you have to triple the recipe...3 lbs wax, 24 oz each of turpentine and BLO. All other instructions remain the same.
While the compound is in liquid form, you can pour some into smaller cans that are easily packed in BoB's and day packs. Suggestions might be large Kiwi Polish cans, old metal film reel canisters...something in the 2+ ounce range. You could try Skoal tins [I have NOT] but be wary of the wax temperature on the plastic tin bottom. They could melt [which is why I never tried it]. Use discretion and good judgement. Altoid tins would work, but you'll only get about an ounce in it because of the open nature of the hinges on the back.
The compound can be used in cool or melted form. Be wary that wax in liquid form is HOT and WILL burn your skin, melt heat-sensitive items, etc.
Instructions for use:
If used when cool/a paste:
* Open can and apply with hands or a rag - apply it to leather, cloth or unfinished wood as evenly as possible. You should be slightly liberal with the application [no "thin layers" here] but you don't need to slather it on thick either.
NOTE - Wood that has a finish will not absorb the compound easily. You should sand the finish off and get to bare wood.
* Use a heat gun on LOW or a hot hair dryer on HIGH and heat the compound until it is absorbed into the item. Cloth, leather and wood will 'suck it in' only to a certain point. At that point it will just 'bead' on the surface and won't take any more.
* Apply it thinly to metal hammerheads, axe bits, etc to keep from the elements.
If used while in liquid form:
* Wear leather work gloves and safety glasses because the drips are hot and will burn your hands/eyes/eyelids.
* Use a paint brush to coat the item evenly.
NOTE - On Canvas tents, tarps and large sheets of material - it's best to set the tent up properly or hang the tarp/sheet on a wash line to apply the mixture.
* On smaller items like Haversacks, leather pouches, etc - use a smaller brush and paint the mixture on.
* Use the heat gun or hot hair dryer as specified above.
While in the field:
Obtaining heat is the only issue facing the use of this in the field. You can let the sun bake the wax into the material but this takes time...time you may not have. It also has to be hot out. You can use a camp fire but getting the item close enough may end up damaging that item. You could heat up round river rocks in your fire [or boil them in water] and use them as sort of an "iron" but that is like an accident waiting to happen. Leaving the item in a hot car would work though...
On the odor:
The turpentine odor will be strong at first. This will eventually go away, leaving only the odor of beeswax. This too will eventually fade away. You can leave the treated item out in the open air for a few days and the turpentine smell should be about gone [or at least more tolerable].
On the color:
This WILL stain the items you treat. Leathers and dark woods get even darker and light colored woods and cotton/canvas will turn a golden or tan/light brown color [even when using white beeswax].
On stained wood and dyed leather:
You can use this on stained wood and dyed leather. If you stain a Maple axe handle with [let's say] walnut wood stain...or natural colored leather with [let's say] dark brown dye, let that stain/dye dry completely before waterproofing it. Do not use varnish, polyurethane or anything that seals the wood/leather or the waterproofing will not absorb well.
Use a cotton tee shirt or microcloth to polish the surface of wood and finished leather for a nice satin sheen.
Here is a leather sheath I made for a KA*BAR. The leather itself was white [not natural in color] and I dyed it Dark Brown. I finished it off with my waterproofing compound.
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