Wax on, wax off (protecting bare steel with Flitz)

daizee

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 30, 2009
Messages
11,063
I selected 'review' as the prefix, but 12hrs, half spent sleeping barely counts.

This bottle of Flitz Rifle & Gun Wax found its way into my electronic shopping cart with my last kydex & clips order. Cost was ~$10 or so. I've used the classic Flitz metal polish and it's great. There are at least two bottles around the house.

The wax label says "enough for 10 rifles" or so. It is a blend of carnuba and beeswax, which is very cool and should be food safe. It claims to protect for 6 months in wet conditions, 3 months in saltwater conditions. Supposedly fingerprints, sap, blood, and the like all wipe off easily. Since I've been making carbon steel knives exclusively, this sounds awesome. I've used 100% beeswax, but it's not perfect because it has to be warmed, and then it cools to a sap-like consistency which is hard to buff without a power buffer.

First test, my little O1 EDC. It is a creamy liquid, french vanilla in color (it's a color, dammit). Application instructions are identical to liquid Turtle Wax for your car. For the NYC-ers who have never owned a car, nor seen a clean & waxed vehicle in their lives ;-) that means you wipe it on evenly, let it dry to a haze, then buff it off. Simple. For this test I'll use my waxing sock...

I applied it to the blade and exposed tang of the knife, and when buffed clean, it appears to be a bit shinier. The flats of the blade FEEL slicker. Fingerprints wipe off MUCH more easily. COOL! It will take awhile to know how it holds up, but at least the first application is encouraging. The handles of the knife are tru-oiled, so I didn't apply it directly to the wood, but obviously there was some buffed around the handles. There was no obvious effect.

So there you have it, a promising product from a reputable company at a reasonable price. Hopefully it will hold up in the long run.

Cheers,

-Daizee

IMG_20110920_002929-small.jpg
 
Hahahaha, don't get it on the edge, or expect to run a couple passes on your strop afterwards.
A waxed edge doesn't cut very well. Hilarious.

-Daizee
 
"Waxing sock", right....c'mon you knew somebody would say something about that. Anyway good stuff Daizee! I've been stripping a lot of knives lately and have only recoated one. I may have to give this stuff a try.
 
I had to leave you guys SOMETHING to talk about.
 
wax on

wax off

the waxer

-- waxing poetic
 
Went to the Flitz website, and found that they're getting with the program. They've already renamed it "Rifle, Gun & Knife Wax". Same stuff, white carnauba wax and beeswax. They even have "Gun/Knife Care Kit" with polish, cleaner, wax, and microfiber cloth. So now we have our choice of factory epoxy/powder coat, stripped with patina, or stripped with wax coat. Now if Kabar made the Becker Neckers in 440A stainless, we wouldn't have to worry about sweat rust at all. Yeah, I know the Remora is stainless, but a 440A Eskabar would be useful.
 
I've put it on two more knives, another small (pointier) one and my hunting knife. Still liking it so far.
I see it going on all the non-stainless knives, plus probably my .22, 20ga, and frontstuffer.
 
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