Ski wax (glider!) for chain?



J

[email protected]

Guest
Hi All,

My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
thinking about lubing them with hot wax.

The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?

How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?

Joseph
 
[email protected] wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
>
> The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
>
> How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
>
Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.
 
bill wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> > old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> > are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> > and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> > old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> > thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
> >
> > The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> > suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> > during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
> >
> > How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
> >
> Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.

Not around here. Nobody has it.

Joseph
 
[email protected] wrote:
> > >
> > Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.
>
> Not around here. Nobody has it.
>
> Joseph

Not even canning supplies? Where do you live? Easter Island?

Jeff
 
[email protected] wrote:
> bill wrote:
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > Hi All,
> > >
> > > My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> > > old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> > > are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> > > and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> > > old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> > > thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
> > >
> > > The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> > > suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> > > during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
> > >
> > > How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
> > >
> > Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.
>
> Not around here. Nobody has it.
>
>

Also sold as "canning wax", have you tried that?
 
[email protected] wrote:
>
>
> The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> suitable would these be for chains?

Back when I XC skied, I used department store canning paraffin for
glide wax. AFAICT, it's the same stuff - but, like Phil Wood Tenacious
Oil, it's sold in cuter containers for a higher price.

> Would some other additive added during the melt process help matters?

Yes. Until I started adding about 5% motor oil (or sometimes, gear
oil) to my wax, it got sqeaky immediately after getting rained on. The
oil fixed that.

> What about candle wax?

I haven't tried it, but what I've read hasn't been encouraging. Why go
with something that's more costly and not as well-reputed?

> How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?

Properly done wax/oil mix will take care of the clean part. I don't do
squeaky.

- Frank Krygowski
 
On 1 Dec 2006 09:39:44 -0800, [email protected] wrote:

>The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
>suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
>during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?

I've been using parrafin wax with a shot of motor oil for years w/o
problem. This wax is frequently sold as 'canning wax'. Candle wax
constains stearic acid that helps the candles stay firm during hot
weather and also release cleanly from a mold. Candle wax will not
lube the chain properly and will flake off.

Wax is a miserable lubricant, if a lubricant at all, but it does keep
the chain from squeeking and wearing out...as long as it doesn't get
wet.
 
Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > bill wrote:
> > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > Hi All,
> > > >
> > > > My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> > > > old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> > > > are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> > > > and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> > > > old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> > > > thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
> > > >
> > > > The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> > > > suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> > > > during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
> > > >
> > > > How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
> > > >
> > > Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.
> >
> > Not around here. Nobody has it.
> >
> >
>
> Also sold as "canning wax", have you tried that?

I haven't done an exhaustive search yet. The hardware store didn't have
any, and to complicate matters here in Norway "parafin" means kerosene.

I'll give canning wax a shot, but in general the selection of various
things at supermarkets here is quite a bit more limited than in the US.
I will be pleasantly surprised if the supermarket has any. Where else
would someone get paraffin?

Joseph
 
[email protected] wrote:
> Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > bill wrote:
> > > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > > Hi All,
> > > > >
> > > > > My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> > > > > old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> > > > > are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> > > > > and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> > > > > old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> > > > > thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
> > > > >
> > > > > The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> > > > > suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> > > > > during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
> > > > >
> > > > > How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
> > > > >
> > > > Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.
> > >
> > > Not around here. Nobody has it.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Also sold as "canning wax", have you tried that?
>
> I haven't done an exhaustive search yet. The hardware store didn't have
> any, and to complicate matters here in Norway "parafin" means kerosene.
>
> I'll give canning wax a shot, but in general the selection of various
> things at supermarkets here is quite a bit more limited than in the US.

Any place that sells home canning supplies ("Mason" jars, etc.) will
likely have canning wax (under whatever name may be used in your
locale).


> I will be pleasantly surprised if the supermarket has any. Where else
> would someone get paraffin?
>
 
On 1 Dec 2006 11:16:11 -0800, [email protected] wrote:

>Back when I XC skied, I used department store canning paraffin for
>glide wax. AFAICT, it's the same stuff - but, like Phil Wood Tenacious
>Oil, it's sold in cuter containers for a higher price.
Maybe it was the same stuff back then, and *maybe* the simplest,
cheapest bulk ski pre wax is the same nowadays -- which you can get
for about $20/lb. But most ski wax that you'll ski on is not the same
as canning stuff. It's typically flourinated and available in
different hardnesses.


--
JT
****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************
 
[email protected] wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
>
> The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
>
> How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?


White Lightning is simpler than a DIY mix and works OK.

I find that when I use oil and wipe the chain religiously (not in a
confessional, silly) afterwards, the drivetrain stays clean as well.

With new chains, I just wipe the outside dry with mineral spirits, and
they're good for near a thousand miles, as the factory goop stays put
on the inside better than any concoction I can whip up.
 
Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Ozark Bicycle wrote:
> > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > bill wrote:
> > > > > [email protected] wrote:
> > > > > > Hi All,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> > > > > > old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> > > > > > are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> > > > > > and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> > > > > > old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> > > > > > thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> > > > > > suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> > > > > > during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
> > > > > >
> > > > > Parafin is easy to obtain from the grocery store, hardware store etc.
> > > >
> > > > Not around here. Nobody has it.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Also sold as "canning wax", have you tried that?
> >
> > I haven't done an exhaustive search yet. The hardware store didn't have
> > any, and to complicate matters here in Norway "parafin" means kerosene.
> >
> > I'll give canning wax a shot, but in general the selection of various
> > things at supermarkets here is quite a bit more limited than in the US.
>
> Any place that sells home canning supplies ("Mason" jars, etc.) will
> likely have canning wax (under whatever name may be used in your
> locale).
>

The supermarket didn't have any, and the woman there said that nobody
uses wax for that anymore. But they did have a good selection of
candles and some of the more expensive ones are pure paraffin wax, so
I'm in business!

Joseph
 
landotter wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My eBay fever has broken, and I have now a whole bunch of nice NOS and
> > old used stuff to give my vintage rides the love they deserve. These
> > are now exclusively good weather bikes, and I want to keep them nice
> > and shiny. In particular I want the chains and freewheels (nice
> > old-school gold finishes!) to stay super clean. To that end I have been
> > thinking about lubing them with hot wax.
> >
> > The only wax I have easy access to is ski glider of various grades. How
> > suitable would these be for chains? Would some other additive added
> > during the melt process help matters? What about candle wax?
> >
> > How best to keep my drivetrain squeaky clean (booo...)?
>
>
> White Lightning is simpler than a DIY mix and works OK.

No place to get it. I'd like to use that on my regular bike.

> I find that when I use oil and wipe the chain religiously (not in a
> confessional, silly) afterwards, the drivetrain stays clean as well.
>
> With new chains, I just wipe the outside dry with mineral spirits, and
> they're good for near a thousand miles, as the factory goop stays put
> on the inside better than any concoction I can whip up.

I've tried that on my regular bike, but it gets grimey right away. Not
bad enugh to care on my regular bike, but for these "show" bikes I want
things super clean.

I think it is a combination of studded tires on asphalt, and pulverized
gravel that makes things so grimey around here.

Joseph
 
How bout toilet bowl rings- the wax donut that they put under the toilet
when seating it... Hardware store item... Pat
 
patrick mitchel wrote:
> How bout toilet bowl rings- the wax donut that they put under the toilet
> when seating it... Hardware store item... Pat

I don't know ... that's very sticky stuff, sort of like XC skiing
klister. I imagine it would get very filthy very quickly!

- Frank Krygowski
 
[email protected] wrote:
> patrick mitchel wrote:
> > How bout toilet bowl rings- the wax donut that they put under the toilet
> > when seating it... Hardware store item... Pat
>
> I don't know ... that's very sticky stuff, sort of like XC skiing
> klister. I imagine it would get very filthy very quickly!
>
> - Frank Krygowski

The hardware store is closed now, so I couldn't run down there to get
one. They won't have one anyway, so I just pulled my toilet to have a
look. Too sticky is right!

Joseph
 
[email protected] wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > patrick mitchel wrote:
> > > How bout toilet bowl rings- the wax donut that they put under the toilet
> > > when seating it... Hardware store item... Pat
> >
> > I don't know ... that's very sticky stuff, sort of like XC skiing
> > klister. I imagine it would get very filthy very quickly!
> >
> > - Frank Krygowski
>
> The hardware store is closed now, so I couldn't run down there to get
> one. They won't have one anyway, so I just pulled my toilet to have a
> look. Too sticky is right!

Wow. I admire your dedication!

- Frank Krygowski
 
[email protected] wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > patrick mitchel wrote:
> > > > How bout toilet bowl rings- the wax donut that they put under the toilet
> > > > when seating it... Hardware store item... Pat
> > >
> > > I don't know ... that's very sticky stuff, sort of like XC skiing
> > > klister. I imagine it would get very filthy very quickly!
> > >
> > > - Frank Krygowski
> >
> > The hardware store is closed now, so I couldn't run down there to get
> > one. They won't have one anyway, so I just pulled my toilet to have a
> > look. Too sticky is right!
>
> Wow. I admire your dedication!
>

I'm laying groundwork as insurance for a future insanity plea!

I was of course just kidding, but I recall from back in the days when I
did monkey with toilet donuts that they were rather sticky and had a
brownish color. Not the white I expected of paraffin.

Joseph
 
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