doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gunstock waxing?

Let me ensure I am reading this correctly.

Many use wax on their barrel and other metal parts in lieu of oil without issue?

I have waxed my gun stocks for years with RENAISSANCE wax polish, but have used Eesox on the barrels and other metal parts.

Brad Bachelder restored a set of Parker twist barrels for me, and strongly recommended a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax as a protectant.

I use oil for 99% of my metal protection, but use wax when I expect the gun to be subjected to adverse amounts of water for a day, hunting in the rain, etc.

SRH

Am I correct to assume when using wax it can be put on over a coat of Eesox oil?

I have never used Eezox, although after hearing of it's many virtues I plan to order some. Before applying wax, prior to a rainy day hunt, I wipe down the metal thoroughly with a dry soft rag, to remove oil. then I apply the wax.

Where I think the wax beats oil for water protection is where the wood meets the metal, at the inletting and joining. When you put a good, heavy coat of wax all over these areas, and then buff it off lightly, you have these areas somewhat sealed from moisture migration, for awhile. I know that really good inletting leaves no visible crack between the wood and metal, but we know that it is a potential place for water to creep in, through capillary action. When waxed properly I don't feel the need to remove the wood from the metal every time. Now, if it got submerged, that's another issue entirely.

SRH

Old Colonel - I use Renaissance Wax on the wood and EEZOX IN the barrels and ON the barrels.

I do this to protect ALL my firearms, including my vintage percussion shotguns and rifles that use blackpowder.

Now, you know BP and petroleum products don't go well together, so before I use these muzzleloading shotguns and rifles I get rid of the EEZOX oil with denatured alcohol.

Works like a charm.

Trewax also works very well on the wood.

General FYI on Ren Wax -- Prior to to being mixed with a petroleum solvent to melt it, the wax is very hard small pellets. When the liquified wax paste is applied to an object, the solvent evaporates and leaves a tough film, that can be removed safely, again with a petroleum containing solvent.

The wax is actually not vegetable or animal based, but is a high-molecular weight 'poly'; very dense,hard plastic. Well rubbed in to crannies and crevices, as well as the surface, it serves as a water barrier. It is not invulnerable forever, but once applied it is easily renewed.

At season's end, or after a muddy grit-t-ty day,you may remove it with most mild gun-cleaning solvent, let dry, and re-apply. Not cheap, but well worth it's effect.

I do rather like to use the products that where around at the time Black Powder was the main propellant. So for protecting gun barrels and other metal parts while in long time storage use a mixture of Goose Fat and Almond oil mixed to a fine soft paste. Though you must remove every trace from a shotgun bore before the gun is used other wise it may cause a ring bulge. Yes I know it does not sound correct for us modern types but it really works well.
As for wood polish a mixture of Bees Wax and Carnauba Wax to give some hardness to the finish dissolved in real turpentine with a small piece of Castile Soap added. This produces a soft sheen rather than a bright polish on an oiled gun stock and smells acceptable. Well in reality there are more formulas for wax polish than there are days in the year but this is the one I use.

I still miss our old resident Beesley waxer........The Laird of Glenthorne manor. As much as he used to talk about waxing that Beesley he most surely would have had some valid advice on this subject.