Car Wax question

[Elizabeth]

I have read on this forum as well as many other sources - that car wax used both before and after patina is the answer.   Also that it must be 'water based wax(?).
 
As I live in South Africa,  none of the brand names mentioned (Something called Mother's Wax seems to come up a lot)  seem to exist on our shelves (in fact very few actual car waxes still do!)   Those that I can find all seem to contain polymers, silicon and other strange sounding stuff!  - or no ingredients listed at all!  - just super fast/super easy/ no rubbing needed....blah, blah, blah..  Basically I can find 'Turtle Wax" or Rally Wax.   I remember Carnuba - but no-one in the stores seem to!

Can anyone tell me what ingredients I am or am NOT looking for.   The one that I'm using at present came in a free kit with my car, lists no ingredients, is nearly finished and does'nt seem to be on the shelves!

As I usually work on mini to small items I generally just use Mr.Min spray - or Woodoc ,  but like the wax for the few bigger projects.  Maybe the Woodoc (which is what I was taught to use when I took my classes a long time ago )_- has the right ingredients??

Thanks in advance!

[PiscesGlass]

Hi Elizabeth,

Yes, I use Mothers Wax, and have also used Pledge, which is a furniture polish..but I happen to like the Mothers Wax quite alot.  And if I'm using a copper patina I've found that applying the wax prior to patinating, washing the piece and applying the wax as a final step the copper patina tends to be nicer looking, no dark blotching.  I'll check the bottle and tell you what ingredients it contains..I do know Carnuba Wax is one of them..I'll check later and return w/the info and hopefully in the meanwhile someone else may answer this...but I have to run off to work just now.

De

[Kev]

Look for floor paste wax..it's usually carnuba based.

[Wayne]

This is the wax so many talk about.  http://www.mothers.com/02_products/05550-05750.html
If you use an car wax, you do NOT want a one step wax with a cleaner as most are.  The cleaner removes the oxidized layer of paint on the surface so wax will stay longer and makes the paint look new.  On a patinated surface, the cleaner will remove layers of the patina over time.  How much time depends upon the  amount of rubbing and the pressure, etc.

In my opinion, any good wax without a cleaner will do just fine.  I never use a wax on fractured glass, glue chip, craquel, etc where clean up takes longer than making the object.  I use Pledge (or any of equivalent) to do the job.  Pledge does not last as long as a good wax job but so what.  Pledge goes on and polishes really fast.

I have some 25 year old Johnson's Floor Wax Paste and it does not say what the type of wax used.  I looked at their web page and they don't say it there either.  I use the floor wax to release the skin patterns I put on fiberglass forms.  I tried using my Mother's paste and there is no comparison.  Mother's works better on my car though.   I did not know until I read the can, for the first time I think, that the floor paste can be used on leather and metals besides wood and such.

[Theresa]

I looked at Pledge in the store the other day and they all state contains no wax. Is there one out there that does contain wax? or is the wax-free what everyone uses?

[nansea121]

I sometimes use a finishing compound by Clarity, but 90% of the time, I have great results with regular ol' Pledge spray wax. I make sure I shake the can very well to mix the contents. I like to leave it on the glass for at least an hour before buffing it up with 2 different buffing towels to get shiny patina solder lines. I discovered that by accident when I left the wax on the glass overnight. When I buffed it up the next morning, I was amazed by how well the patina glowed!

[Wayne]

I looked at Pledge in the store the other day and they all state contains no wax. Is there one out there that does contain wax? or is the wax-free what everyone uses?

That is a good point!  Pledge is was-free so there is no wax build up.  And it is great proof that one is after the shine and protection from these products.

[nansea121]

I looked at Pledge in the store the other day and they all state contains no wax. Is there one out there that does contain wax? or is the wax-free what everyone uses?

I noticed that as well Theresa. The can says -No wax formula, no residue build up. it works great and it also has an anti-dust formula.

[Theresa]

I looked at Pledge in the store the other day and they all state contains no wax. Is there one out there that does contain wax? or is the wax-free what everyone uses?

I noticed that as well Theresa. The can says -No wax formula, no residue build up. it works great and it also has an anti-dust formula.

Ok I will give it a try. I did not want to use something that was going to leave an oily look. Thanks~!

[PiscesGlass]

Good, glad that Wayne thought to look for the link for Mother's Wax..I've had no problems with it removing the patina on anything...on the other hand, one thing it does do is leave the solder completely clean, which is why I think the Copper patina takes so well afterward and is so clean looking.

I've never had a problem with Pledge leaving a sticky or greasy residue on the glass, but I'm going to definitely try Nancy's method of leaving it on for awhile and see what that does.

I have also used Johnson's paste wax..I had a circa 1920's or 30's era lamp come in that had a framework of some sort of cast metal..bronze looking..but not bronze, if you know what I mean, it wasn't very attractive and I didn't want to scrub it for fear of making it look worse.  So I used the paste wax...it looked BEAUTIFUL afterward...I'm sure it probably needed a re-application down the road, but it surely did make that metal take a sheen.  Thanks for the reminder Wayne!

De

[Kev]

Minwax makes a carnuba paste wax.

[nansea121]

I've never had a problem with Pledge leaving a sticky or greasy residue on the glass, but I'm going to definitely try Nancy's method of leaving it on for awhile and see what that does.
De

Buff with a rrrrapid brisk action. I'm trying to be descriptive, lol:)
I used to buff it off right away but now I find that the longer you leave it on, the better it seems to polish up after the wax has had a chance to dry some. You really have to shake that can well because if the contents aren't well mixed, you can sometimes get that white crud. If that happens, I just reapply the wax and it takes all away.

[Elizabeth]

Thank you everyone for the iteresting input - and to Wayne for the Mother's Wax web page (I still tend to forget that you can find just about anything on the net....)
I'm thinking South Africans must be a lazy lot - cos everything here is geared to 'instant shine' , 'wipe on - wipe off'  - even out old Cobra or Sunbeam floor waxes!
I have also noticed with the wax (made by Holts (?) that I have been using,   gives a nice shine IF I leave the patina to sit for at least a day before applying/polishing.  If I do it sooner,  it tends to remove the patina (As Wayne said!)  Also had the white crud sticking in  glue chip etc!   It does however give a brilliant shine to silver (i.e un-patina'd solder)
Soooo ... I think I'll keep a casual eye out for any product claiming pure/canuba wax - but concentrate on using my Mr. Min/Pledge/Woodoc  whatever, - but let it sit longer before polishing and maybe use a little extra elbow grease!!
Thank you all again - I just thought that as we live/I sell near the coast/humid climate that the wax might give a longer lasting finish  -  but to quote Wayne yet again - who cares really!  No one has complained so far  (about 10 years!) and probably if they do - it would just be easier to just re-polish for some of my 'constant customers'!!