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Melting sealing wax - recommendations


Eoghan2009

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I an currently using wax candles which are proving slow and unreliable.  I am thinking of using a USB device - what are your experiences - good or bad?

 

Do ANY of the electric warmers work?  Seeing a lot of reviews saying not!

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I've only ever used a lighter - the long kind, for lighting a barbecue because cigarette lighters get too hot if you keep them burning that long (the cheapo plastic ones, anyway).  I'm also curious if the electric ones with a spoon work well.  Like this thing on Amazon.

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1 hour ago, Eoghan2009 said:

butane torch?

 

Hi Eoghan2009,

I searched for threads on this subject (using the Google custom search engine that is pinned at the top of the 'Fountain Pens & Dip Pens - First Stop' board*).
The threads that I found were all at least a decade old.

But several different users recommended the small gas torches that are used by chefs to make crème brûlée - because they burn hotter than candles do, and also without soot.

 

This thread inspired me to look for wax seal kits online, and I found that Amazon UK sells inexpensive kits that consist of a metal frame that sits over a tea-light candle, and which holds a wax-melting spoon in place over the candle's flame.
Those may be perfect for the job - but of course it will depend upon the type of wax that you are using.

 

I am trying to decide whether to buy a kit made by Herbin that contains two of their 'traditional' sealing wax candles, or whether to buy some of their sticks of 'supple wax', or whether to instead buy one of the cheap Chinese-made burner kits that I mentioned above, and some cheap Chinese wax to use with it.


If you are able to offer me any advice about your experience with waxes - whether of only one kind, or of several, I would be very grateful!

Slàinte,
M.

 

* its url is: https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=016372583718073050395:1rsitsemrpo

large.Mercia45x27IMG_2024-09-18-104147.PNG.4f96e7299640f06f63e43a2096e76b6e.PNG  Foul in clear conditions, but handsome in the fog.  spacer.png

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This the one thing I do with utter patience.
I use a tea-candle and a small ladle to melt my sealing wax. (I purchased the small ladle on Amazon years ago)
I put 2-3 pieces of sealing wax into the small ladle and ready my seal/stamp.
Then I hold the ladle over the tea-candle for about 5 minutes until the wax melts.
Then I ensure my seal is arranged facing up, pour the wax onto the letter, and stamp with my seal...letting it sit for a good minute before removing and checking the wax seal.

 

-DM-

Eat The Rich_SIG.jpg

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3 hours ago, Mercian said:

'supple wax'

If you're going to send it via postal mail, this is what you want.  Also, in the US, at least, one would pay extra for using the wax (as it makes it so the item can't go through automated machines - folks have to move it by hand).

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I use wax sticks. Melt drops off with a lighter and put the stamp on. 

1 hour ago, Mercian said:

small gas torches that are used by chefs to make crème brûlée

I like this ideas even better. Thanks Mercian!

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2 hours ago, LizEF said:

If you're going to send it via postal mail, this is what you want.  Also, in the US, at least, one would may extra for using the wax (as it makes it so the item can't go through automated machines - folks have to move it by hand).

 

:thumbup:

Of course, apart from having a desire to create posting-suitable seals, I also like the idea of creating wax seals that will break when the letter is opened by its recipient.
So, as so often is the case in the stationery world, it would seem that the answer to the question 'Which of these options should I buy?' is...

...all of them :doh:

:D

large.Mercia45x27IMG_2024-09-18-104147.PNG.4f96e7299640f06f63e43a2096e76b6e.PNG  Foul in clear conditions, but handsome in the fog.  spacer.png

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Yeesh.  Pay extra... :rolleyes:

 

19 minutes ago, Mercian said:

:thumbup:

Of course, apart from having a desire to create posting-suitable seals, I also like the idea of creating wax seals that will break when the letter is opened by its recipient.
So, as so often is the case in the stationery world, it would seem that the answer to the question 'Which of these options should I buy?' is...

...all of them :doh:

:D

:lticaptd:  Indeed, you're in a catch-22 there.  Do you risk the seal breaking as it travels through the postal service, or do you use one that will survive the postal service only to have it refuse to break when the recipient opens the letter?  Choices, choices!

 

Of course, there's a fair chance the recipient will use this style letter opener to slit the top of the flap, and leave your seal as it was, regardless:

5-Pcs-Portable-Letter-Opener-Metal-Opene

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I've considered having an embossing plate made, but there's really no way to emboss over the flap of an envelope, unless you want to emboss right through the whole envelope and its contents.  Also, I can't make a nifty "logo" to save my life, so it seems sort of pointless....  (I can see it in my head, but can't get it out of my head into a nice-looking line graphic.)

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7 hours ago, Eoghan2009 said:

Found one for £4.99  it melts two was pellets and the residual wax in 30 seconds and it is proper liquid not a thick syrup as some USB warmers were reported.

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5 hours ago, LizEF said:

If you're going to send it via postal mail, this is what you want.  Also, in the US, at least, one would pay extra for using the wax (as it makes it so the item can't go through automated machines - folks have to move it by hand).

 

I was wondering how such a letter would fare when traveling through modern postal processing machines.  Thanks for the info, Liz.

~PJS~

What did you play today?

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My current seals have double sided tape as they came with the stamps that I bought (complimentary) each stamp is tested prior to dispatch. @Ambien there is one on my latest letter I sent you I did not realise US post charges extra, as hand sorted.

Mark from the Latin Marcus follower of mars, the god of war.

 

Yorkshire Born, Yorkshire Bred. 
 

my current favourite author is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

largebronze-letter-exc.pngflying-letter-exc.png

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41 minutes ago, PJS_prog said:

I was wondering how such a letter would fare when traveling through modern postal processing machines.  Thanks for the info, Liz.

:) You're most welcome!  If you can manage to keep the total thickness of the letter + wax to no more than .25", and the wax is the bendable sort, you might be able to get your letter through without extra postage.  And I suspect you're better off trying it than asking the folks at your PO, unless your PO folk know you and are friendly - I've heard stories of postal workers seeming to take it personally when you want to mail something "unusual".

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@LizEF so it’s not just UK postmasters that are grumpy and take offence when people send something a little different then? To be fair our main pos offices ain’t too bad it’s the little sub post offices and local ones.

Mark from the Latin Marcus follower of mars, the god of war.

 

Yorkshire Born, Yorkshire Bred. 
 

my current favourite author is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

largebronze-letter-exc.pngflying-letter-exc.png

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Just now, Mark from Yorkshire said:

@LizEF so it’s not just UK postmasters that are grumpy and take offence when people send something a little different then? To be fair our main pos offices ain’t too bad it’s the little sub post offices and local ones.

Nope, not unique to you.  It seems to vary by individual, though I expect a poor leader can spread their grumpiness to all the staff.

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Just now, LizEF said:

Nope, not unique to you.  It seems to vary by individual, though I expect a poor leader can spread their grumpiness to all the staff.

😄

Mark from the Latin Marcus follower of mars, the god of war.

 

Yorkshire Born, Yorkshire Bred. 
 

my current favourite author is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

largebronze-letter-exc.pngflying-letter-exc.png

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36 minutes ago, LizEF said:

:) You're most welcome!  If you can manage to keep the total thickness of the letter + wax to no more than .25", and the wax is the bendable sort, you might be able to get your letter through without extra postage.  And I suspect you're better off trying it than asking the folks at your PO, unless your PO folk know you and are friendly - I've heard stories of postal workers seeming to take it personally when you want to mail something "unusual".

 

I was told years ago by an employee at one small town post office near me that it's best if you have something unusual to stick it in one of those Priority envelopes or boxes ... basically, if it fits, it ships.  Of course, they charge a premium for that as well.

~PJS~

What did you play today?

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7 hours ago, LizEF said:

:) You're most welcome!  If you can manage to keep the total thickness of the letter + wax to no more than .25", and the wax is the bendable sort, you might be able to get your letter through without extra postage.  And I suspect you're better off trying it than asking the folks at your PO, unless your PO folk know you and are friendly - I've heard stories of postal workers seeming to take it personally when you want to mail something "unusual".

Interesting.  I use wax seals on a lot of my personal correspondence and have never been charged extra.  I do keep them thin.

Dave Campbell
Retired Science Teacher and Active Pen Addict
Every day is a chance to reduce my level of ignorance.

fpn_1425200643__fpn_1425160066__super_pi

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