NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Tallow, was: Voyaging the traditional way
From: Trevor Kenchington
Date: 2004 Nov 8, 18:01 -0400
From: Trevor Kenchington
Date: 2004 Nov 8, 18:01 -0400
I tried to send this reply to a back-channel message from Richard Pisko direct to him. Unfortunately, my system shows him as using a non-existent e-mail address ("nosend@invalid.com"). I am therefore sending it through the list, with the hope that it may be of some interest to others -- though this thread has gone rather far from tallow in its navigational role for the arming of leads: Thanks for that, Richard. You wrote: > An alternative that doesn't smell rancid might be bees wax (not > paraffin wax). Tubes of "Sno-Seal", which is just softened bees wax, > IIRC, are available for waterproofing boots. It also works well for > form fitted leather holsters, and does not seem to promote rusting in > the firearms. It does not soften the leather as would Neats foot or > Mink oils, but warming the leather before rubbing in the wax helps > penetration. "Sno-Seal" is more creamy than the bees wax blocks used > for waxing thread, and not as sticky or hard to clean off as lanolin. That's a good idea. We use a beeswax-based product on the leather tack for my wife's horse, as a cleaner and preserver. It certainly leaves a slippery surface. Maybe I'll give that a try on the gunter-spar jaws. Trevor -- Trevor J. Kenchington PhD Gadus@iStar.ca Gadus Associates, Office(902) 889-9250 R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour, Fax (902) 889-9251 Nova Scotia B0J 2L0, CANADA Home (902) 889-3555 Science Serving the Fisheries http://home.istar.ca/~gadus