Best Way to Remove Ren Wax

Jaxx said:
G-10 can most likely handle rubbing alcohol, but I'd test it on a user with G-10 first to be sure that nothing happens that you don't want to happen. I only use Ren wax on natural material (NOT jugged buffalo horn handles!! I learned the hard way! :o) so I've not actually tried putting it on or removing it from G-10.
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i think rubbing alcohol will do for the handles. prob wont cause any damage. thanks
 
G-10, I've used everything from Carb cleaner, Acetone, MEK (yes I did say that), and many others. Remember we use G-10, G-11 and Micarta in the Turbines and when we start cleaning we don't have time to loaf around. Turbines run at higher consistent temps and pressures than anything you will ever do and in some cases are exposed to things most people will never buy. Trust me you can't kill G-10, unless you purposely distroy it.
 
RussMo said:
G-10, I've used everything from Carb cleaner, Acetone, MEK (yes I did say that), and many others. Remember we use G-10, G-11 and Micarta in the Turbines and when we start cleaning we don't have time to loaf around. Turbines run at higher consistent temps and pressures than anything you will ever do and in some cases are exposed to things most people will never buy. Trust me you can't kill G-10, unless you purposely distroy it.
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OK the Acetone was a bad idea...it left a very thin white "film" on the g-10 and really didnt get rid of the ren-wax on the blade. Did you have to soak the knife in acetone or did you just apply it with a sponge??

Now about the G-10....i think the acetone stole some of its vibrance. It looks normal when its wet but as soon as it dries, it dries with a film on the handles. I think it might be damage from the acetone.
 
oeser said:
I have used acetone and mineral spirits before and it worked fine. If your handles are canvas or paper micarta you might want to throw a little oil on them so they don't dry out.
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it seems the handles are dried out and a dry looking film has appeared on the G-10...any experience with this.

Would I have better luck with mineral spirits...the acetone didnt seem to work very well.
 
Cappy2cap said:
it seems the handles are dried out and a dry looking film has appeared on the G-10...any experience with this.

Would I have better luck with mineral spirits...the acetone didnt seem to work very well.
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If I remember correctly, mineral spirits is basically turpentine. I would think acetone would be the least harsh. If it is only g-10, and no other material, I would grab some dawn dish soap and a scrubby from the sink and scrub it down. G-10 is pretty indestructible. I am assuming it took it off the blade without any problems? I don't think the g-10 is affected, it could be that some of the wax residue is still on the handles.

Any pics?
 
Another thing about acetone is that it evaporates very quickly. That could be another reason it doesn't want to take all the film off. Try soaking it and using a tooth brush or small scrub brush to work the wax loose from the handles.
 
oeser said:
If I remember correctly, mineral spirits is basically turpentine. I would think acetone would be the least harsh. If it is only g-10, and no other material, I would grab some dawn dish soap and a scrubby from the sink and scrub it down. G-10 is pretty indestructible. I am assuming it took it off the blade without any problems? I don't think the g-10 is affected, it could be that some of the wax residue is still on the handles.

Any pics?
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Its def possible that its just the ren wax residue of the g10 although i scrubbed it pretty good...i will try to get a pic up to show you.

I appreciate the feedback!
 
Renaissance Wax has several different waxes in it, as well as mineral spirits...

Found using Google:

Renaissance Wax
From: Robert J. Milevski <milevski>
Date: Monday, May 1, 1995

The following appeared in Museum-L and is reproduced here without
the knowledge or consent of the author. There was some other traffic
on this subject but this was the most interesting one to pass along.
It makes me think what we are doing to the books we use this on. We
use it here. I know others use it as well. It a good post for the
DistList. Robert

Date: 28 Apr 95
From: David Harvey <toptendave [at] aol__com>
Subject: Re: Renaissance Wax, British Museum. Legit?
To: Multiple recipients of list MUSEUM-L <MUSEUM-L [at] UNMVMA__BitNet>

Vance,

Renaissance wax is a formulated blend of several microcrystalline
waxes in white spirits to form a soft paste. It has been used by
the conservation & curatorial communities for some time now and it
is carried in the Conservation Materials catalogue.

I have used this wax for some years now in metals & arms
conservation and I have been pleased with it's performance - I have
never had any trouble either applying or removing it.

I have talked with one colleague, however, who has told me that she
had experienced some trouble with this wax in terms of reversibility.
Sometimes the use of a white spirit solvent will dissolve one
component of the wax but leave another intact (the polyethylene wax,
I believe) - leaving whitish streaks on the surface of the object.
This can be removed but it takes experimentation with other
solvents (ie., hexane) and it is a time-consuming process. The
conservator who related this experience to me says that her
institution no longer uses Renaissance wax for this reason. I have
not read anything in the conservation literature which either
confirms or denies this anecdotal evidence - but it has made me
very cautious in using the wax - I only use it as a protective top
coat to lacquered metal surfaces. The easily reversible lacquer
isolates the wax from the surface of the object and the wax will
come off with the lacquer upon removal.

As is always the case, it is important to realize that the
application of any material to an historic or artistic object's
surface is not as straightforward as it may seem. Every time you
interact with the surface of an object you are creating a new layer,
or have the potential of destroying a layer, of that object's
material history. This is why the conservation profession is
becoming more conservative and less intrusive in treatment
protocols.

I would be very interested in hearing any comments, pro or con, from
other conservators and especially conservation scientists on the use
of Renaissance wax.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator of Metals & Arms
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776
804-220-7039

Robert J. Milevski


http://cool.conservation-us.org/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/1995/0453.html

I also found that you might have success with hot water and a toothbrush. Google "removing Renaissance Wax" for more info.
 
Cappy2cap said:
Its def possible that its just the ren wax residue of the g10 although i scrubbed it pretty good...i will try to get a pic up to show you.

I appreciate the feedback!
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Have you tried a little mineral oil on it? Although not nearly as porous or with retaining qualities as canvas micarta, it will still hold a little oil. On G-10 handled knives that I've had for awhile, sometimes I notice a little 'dried out' appearance, and a little bit of oil in those areas will bounce it back to the way it was.

And...this is beyond me, but someone else may know for certain...Can G-10 be buffed back to original looking? :confused:
 
Thanks Jaxx!!!

above and beyond, and very interesting. I have the majority of my blades coated in Ren Wax. I think the next time i might try something else. someone suggested using some wd-40. i may try this.
 
Out of curiosity..... Are you worried about the blade rusting while in storage?
 
Strictly speaking, turpentine is distilled from pine trees, while mineral spirits is distilled from petroleum. They do have similar solvency.

White spirits is the term our UK cousins use for mineral spirits.
 
Jaxx said:
Have you tried a little mineral oil on it? Although not nearly as porous or with retaining qualities as canvas micarta, it will still hold a little oil. On G-10 handled knives that I've had for awhile, sometimes I notice a little 'dried out' appearance, and a little bit of oil in those areas will bounce it back to the way it was.

And...this is beyond me, but someone else may know for certain...Can G-10 be buffed back to original looking? :confused:
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Cappy, sorry to be late getting back on here, had to fly to work yesterday morn at 0430. Jaxx is right on here, with a little oil on the G-10. All your doing is removing (dring out) to top of the G-10 and once you put some oil on it it will bounce back.
 
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