Shoemaker’s Wax (Coad)

I just posted a new tutorial on Shoemaker’s Wax (Coad). Matt and I had gotten together to make some shoemaker’s wax, and I thought it might be interesting and informative to document the process.

Shoemaker’s wax is used to coat the stitching cords used in the construction process, and acts kind of like a glue. As the coated cords are pulled past each other, friction warms and melts the wax slightly. Then, when the stitch is pulled tight, the wax cools and hardens somewhat, locking the stitch in place.

2 thoughts on “Shoemaker’s Wax (Coad)”

  1. Very nice. I’m still stuck at the stage of trying to manufacture a workable pitch to make black wax.

    Something I can say from my experimentation thus far is that if you pour it into the water and it floats, whatever you do, do NOT stick your hands in it! If it floats it’s way way way too soft and will never harden so you end up with horrible black tarry goo coating your hands.

    1. Thanks for the tip! If and when you find out a more tried and true method of turning the tar into pitch, do post about it on your blog/the HCC – when I run out of the bona fide pitch, I will probably have to head in that direction unless we can bum-rush DW for his store of Rausch pitch =)

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