Homemade Beeswax Paste

My husband recently cut more wild cherry burl pieces for the pendants we are making. They have a gorgeous grain already, but a finish of some sort would really bring out the beauty of the grain!

I wanted to use something natural on them, and after getting his opinion and reading what other woodworkers used, I decided to make my own beeswax paste concoction.

It's really simple... beeswax and mineral oil! I had a block of beeswax purchased from a beekeeper, and I bought mineral oil from the local pharmacy.

Using the double boiler method, I put about 2 oz. beeswax and 1 cup mineral oil in a glass pyrex measuring cup. I set the pyrex cup in a small cooker about 1/2 full of water. Turned the burner a little more than 1/2 way between low and medium, and stirred occasionally until the beeswax had melted. You want to keep an eye on it at all times and do not boil the water, just get it started simmering... just barely.
 

Once the beeswax has melted, remove from the pot of water and pour into a glass jelly jar.

Some websites suggested using olive oil, but many people warned that it would go rancid and mineral oil was the better choice and used by many woodworkers.

I was happy with how easy it was to make... and it looks pretty, too!

I went in Roger's woodworking shop and sanded the disks, first with a medium grit sandpaper, then with a fine grit. Roger was already in the auto side of his shop working on a 1951 Ford tractor, so we kept each other company through the open door while we worked. :)

I brought the wooden disks back inside and applied the beeswax paste with a soft cloth, let it absorb for a few hours, buffed with a 0000 steel wool pad, applied another coat of beeswax paste, waited, and then buffed with a soft cloth. Can you see the difference between the unfinished and finished pieces below?

The wood now has a satiny feel... not dry, but not glossy or slick.

And the grain is gorgeous!

This week I'll finally be purchasing the chains, jump rings, etc. to make them into pendants.

And maybe, just maybe, I'll get them listed soon... :)

Thanks for stopping by!
Take care & God bless,
Lana