Johnsons Paste wax

[yanmarman2007]

I was using Johnson's Paste Wax to lube my drawer slide on my new shop cabinets. I was just going to paint them, but I got some on the face. Well it looked pretty good so I done the entire cabinet.
I hope I haven't messed up. I usually only use that on my table saw. Any advice. Thanks

 

[Canuck]

Jody,

I use Johnsons paste wax on a lot of my jigs instead of a shellac or poly finish. Works great.:icon_thum

You may have reapply frequently, but won;t cause any harm. Not very protective though.

You could remove it with a bit of mineral spirits (I think), if you decided to do a wipe on varnish of some sort.

Wayne

 

[froglips]

Wax is a very time honored finish.

Johnston's is one of the more widely known waxes.

You've done no harm at all. Many of the finest pieces made were shellac and wax finished.

One minor tip, look for Johnston's with the red label. Its rumored to be an original recipie that is unique to them.

View image in gallery​

Wax on vertical pieces such a cabinets are relatively easier to care for than say, a dining room table. Wax finishes are great on surfaces or decorative items that won't see a lot of heavy (and moisture) abuses.

Now, how bout some pics of this new piece!!

Jim

 

[Ray Martin]

Wax is a very time honored finish.

Johnston's is one of the more widely known waxes.

You've done no harm at all. Many of the finest pieces made were shellac and wax finished.

One minor tip, look for Johnston's with the red label. Its rumored to be an original recipie that is unique to them.

View image in gallery​

Wax on vertical pieces such a cabinets are relatively easier to care for than say, a dining room table. Wax finishes are great on surfaces or decorative items that won't see a lot of heavy (and moisture) abuses.

Now, how bout some pics of this new piece!!

Jim

I think that Johnson's is terrific. I use it for all sorts of stuff.

Hey Jim,

Any idea what is unique about the red label recipe? ... just curious...

 

[froglips]

I read the red label thing somewhere long ago.

I looked up the formulas between red and blue.

Blue:
Solubilizer:
Mineral Spirits

Film Formers:
Paraffin
Polymer Wax AV-518
Proprietary Film Former
Terpene Phenolic Resin

Red:
Solubilizer:
Deodorized Naptha

Film Formers:
Carnauba Wax
Cera Microcristallina
Paraffin

The blue label is also billed as a "One Step No Buff" formula. Could be the combination doesn't work the same for furniture use?

Jim

 

[Travis Porter]

I agree with what everyone has said as I use wax as well. The only thing now is it will be difficult to put a finish like varnish or poly on as wax causes adhesion problems. For shop cabinets, it is great stuff. I always like to experiment with shop furniture before moving to the projects for the house.

 

[Glennbear]

Count me in as a strong advocate for Johnson's, besides being a terrific product it is truly a "family owned" company going back generations and is not beholden to stockholders or mega multinational corporations. :wsmile:

 

[Bas]

Ode to Paste Wax

Oh Paste Wax!
You make everything slick
You make everything shiny
You make everything smooth
Like a baby's hiney

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Ode to Paste Wax

Oh Paste Wax!
You make everything slick
You make everything shiny
You make everything smooth
Like a baby's hiney

Hey Bas, are you just feeling especially good today? :rotflm: Love the poetry! :eusa_clap See ya tomorrow.

Bill

 

[Ray Martin]

Ode to Paste Wax

Oh Paste Wax!
You make everything slick
You make everything shiny
You make everything smooth
Like a baby's hiney

I nominate Bas for Poet Laureate. :gar-La;

 

[yanmarman2007]

Thanks guys for all the input. I appreciate all the quick replys

 

[yanmarman2007]

Oh yea, forgive me for being ignorant. Reading through some of the threads, I don't understand about finishing. Do you apply wax over top of lacquer finish for a deeper look?
Thanks again, Jody

 

[Gofor]

No expert here, but will give my opinion:

Wax provides a temporary water resistance. Over time, both water and humidity will penetrate it. As for a "deeper" look, it rarely adds to a new fully sealed finish.

That said, it is a quick fix for minor surface abrasions, and is easily restored. A scratch in a varnish or lacquer finish often becomes "invisible" with just a coat of wax. It will not last forever, but another quick coat will hide it again when it re-appears. Hint: Brown shoe polish has long been used to disguise scratches in dark finished doors.

It also has a unique "feel". To the fingers, wax gives a surface feel that almost cannot be duplicated with oil or hard finishes. If you have ever run you fingers over a surface after it has been sanded to 400/600 grit or better, it has a "silky smooth" feel (my poor attempt to convey it) that does not exist after a cured coat of gloss or satin varnish, poly, or oil. A good wax (after the coating has fully cured, which means a week or better for varnish or poly) buffed out can almost duplicate that feel. It does not drag on the fingers, but they just slide smoothly over the surface.

Buffing with polishing compound can get you to the same point, and will last longer, but sometimes can actually dull the shine.

Just my poor attempt to explain something that is a "feel" thing (like the zen state of running a well-tuned plane down a hard wood edge and having the thin shavings just curl up like wisps of nature).

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