My favorite cheap paste wax has bit the dust, and I’m near the end of my original can. First can that entered my shop was Minwax. I never cared for it – it’s wax, it’s in distillate solvents, like other waxes. But it’s dull.
Johnson’s is also soft and dull, but it’s a little better, locally available and it doesn’t have the sharp brain killing smell of Briwax’s toluene. As my English friend here said to me when I was younger “it may ruin your baby batter, but that only matters if you’re planning to use it”. He said that based on the warnings on the can. In fact, I was between kids at the time.
What’s better about Johnson’s than Minwax? It has a little bit of Carnauba in it instead of just essentially paraffin. Paraffin is soft and it doesn’t build to a gloss. Carnauba is hard with a high melting point and will rub to a gloss. A little added makes a considerable difference. I can’t recall what’s in the Briwax, but they may be one of the groups whose SDS says the wax mix is a trade secret. That is really annoying. About as annoying as V11 hiding the alloy when the boast of what’s in the alloy should be used as a selling point.
Anyway, Johnson has confirmed that they’re no longer going to make the wax.
It’s not that difficult to see that most finish products other than those of the “modern water based miracle products” (insert Bronx cheer noise) are solids or polymers in solvents. I’d have bought another can of Johnson’s wax just for ease – maybe it’s a good thing. From now on, I’ll make my own. You can, too. You can google various waxes like shellac wax, paraffin, beeswax, carnauba, etc, and heat solvents on a hot plate outside and dissolve the wax in the solvents, stir and let the whole thing cool and put it in a jar or can.
Making varnish lately has provided more insight into solvents and solids, but years ago, a violin maker pointed me to Wood Finishing Enterprises, leaving me with bags of carnauba and shellac wax, and something else not at the top of mind. WFE is an interesting site, but over the head of a beginning woodworker. It’s a varnish maker’s paradise. Thinking ahead here, having VM&P naphtha on hand is probably a good starting point for an inexpensive solvent to go with it. It’s not too aromatic, but it won’t take days to evaporate, either.
Too bad it wasn’t the minwax wax that got canceled!
Not so secretly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same wax as Johnson’s show up as another brand at Lowes and other retailers just so the price can be doubled.
Of Making by Hand with Wood and Steel 