I rub beeswax on wooden handles of garden tools and kitchen knives, for a grip that's almost sticky. The friction is so high that, if it's a tool that has to slide in one of your hands, like an axe or splitting maul handle, beeswax can encourage blisters faster than other finishes.

Usually I also soak a little mineral oil into the wood to protect it from water, but that leaves a slippery grip, which the beeswax corrects.

Paraffin wax is cheaper, but leaves a hard, slick surface that doesn't improve the grip. But it does protect aganst splinters and blisters somewhat, if the handle has to slide as you use the tool.

To protect metal, a thin coat of paraffin may last longer than motor oil or mineral oil. One way to get a thin layer of wax is to rub on some Johnson Paste Wax, or make your own with paraffin dissolved in mineral spirits.

Thanks Rick I hadn't run across any information on using it for gardening tools. And if I had to buy it I think I would go the cheaper paraffin wax for tools and save the beeswax for furniture inside the house. But if you are a beekeeper it's pretty cheap

>> if I had to buy it I think I would go the cheaper paraffin wax for tools and save the beeswax

A friend got me a chunk of "raw", uncleaned beeswax. I thought that just meant "dark".

But it's really dirty and gritty. So I mostly use a little one-ounce chunk I bought from a guy who sells "designer honey".

If I'm rubbing a whole lot of wax into a long handle, I also use mostly paraffin (after letting some mineral oil soak in for a day or two. it might be clever to leave the handle out in hot sun, or 'melt the wax in' over a hot light bulb or hair dryer on "hot". I usually just wait a while, then rub it well with a waxy cloth to smear it into pores.

But then, if I want a really good grip, I'll rub just a little beeswax over the paraffin every few months. I got the habit from wooden knife handles, where it makes more sense.

I got the tip about waxing metal from a woodworking group where they leave expensive machimnes in drafty humid workshops. Buffing Johnson's Paste Wax onto metal surfaces prevents rust, and leaves a hard slippery surface for wood to slide over.

Apparently there is a "cabinet makers version" and a "floor wax version", where the floor wax version has grit in it, which is nasty for handles or woodworking machines.

Corey

Interesting about the Johnson's Wax. I didn't know they made two kinds but then I've not bought any in a long time.

That was based on information from a USENET woodworking newsgroup, and several people confirmed it.

When I went to buy some, I only saw one kind, and couldn't tell which it was. Fortunately, it had not griottiness at all, even rubbed on wooden furniture.

But I thoguht I would mention it in case someone used it on an axe handle and then abraded their palm and fingers!

Corey

Adding to Rick's list of beeswax uses, paddle wax which is used to provide a better grip on slippery kayak and canoe paddles are beeswax based. Traditionally Native Americans used beeswax for this purpose. It works very well in extremely cold and wet conditions. I've read that the traditional material used by the Inuit hunters of Labrador was less appealing, a mixture based on caribou dung.

Ewwww Evan on the caribou dung. I'm learning all kinds of interesting stuff from you two.

Thanks, Margaret....for the great article! Another example of the many "miracles" around us in the garden/natural world.

If you haven't already........
I recommend that y'all click on the "propolis" highlight in Margaret's article........also check out "Royal Jelly" in Wikipedia to find out about other remarkable products the honeybee produces,...as well as the amazing properties of them....what the bees do with them and what we do with with them!

Thanks Lee, I'm glad everyone is enjoying the articles.