Bearing edge wax - Doc Marten Wonder Balsam

S

Scientist362

Junior Member
Hello,
I am interested in waxing the bearing edge of my (vintage?...) Ludwig blue Pearl Jazz snare drum (and maybe my other new drums).

Was curious if anyone thinks that Dr. Martens Wonder Balsam would be good for this?

It is for Doc Marten shoes but as described on the tin, it is a unique blend of coconut oil, lanolin, and beeswax.

Looks like all of these ingredients are good for wood and I have a tin of it so I was thinking of giving it a try.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Best,

Chris
 
If you’re gonna use something for the bearing edge, I recommend DrumDial Bearing Edge Conditioner.

I’ve used it, but didn’t notice a difference in tuning, speed of tuning or the sound of my drums. I loaned it to a friend of mine who plays an ancient Slingerlad/Rogers mix and he loved it.

If you want to protect the inside of the shell, I recommend tung oil.
 
The point of waxing bearing edges is to get a very hard, smooth surface that won't produce friction against the head. So just go with a hard wax like carnauba or beeswax.

If you want to also seal raw wood edges, an oil-based finish that contains a varnish (so it will dry) can be helpful. Then apply the wax after the sealer has cured.

You don't need to treat the wood with lotions, creams, or other applications that will soften the fibers -- in fact, that's the very opposite of what you want from a bearing edge.
 
motleyh said:
The point of waxing bearing edges is to get a very hard, smooth surface that won't produce friction against the head. So just go with a hard wax like carnauba or beeswax.
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What about good old Johnson's paste wax? I've used it on bearing edges before, but I don't know if it's actually good for them or not.

On an un-related side note, I wax the whole surface of my table saw with it - mainly because I have a whole can of it, and if I wax the table and fence, everything goes easier. A friend of mine uses a can of Butcher's Bowling Alley Wax - don't know if that's better than Johnson's or not, but I know they both contain carnauba.
 
trickg said:
What about good old Johnson's paste wax? I've used it on bearing edges before, but I don't know if it's actually good for them or not.

On an un-related side note, I wax the whole surface of my table saw with it - mainly because I have a whole can of it, and if I wax the table and fence, everything goes easier. A friend of mine uses a can of Butcher's Bowling Alley Wax - don't know if that's better than Johnson's or not, but I know they both contain carnauba.
Click to expand...

Not unrelated -- I use paste wax on my saws and a number of wooden jigs also, partly to smooth the surfaces and partly as a moisture barrier to prevent rust on cast-iron.
 
Ditto to the table saw, band saw, router table and all fences. Would do well on bearing edges.
 
GruntersDad said:
Ditto to the table saw, band saw, router table and all fences. Would do well on bearing edges.
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I didn't do it at first on my table saw, but I was working on a project where I was making cuts with an angle jig, and I texted my buddy who does a lot of woodwork and asked if he thought it would be a good idea to wax the fence. His was response was basically "Yeah (Du-h!) - I wax all surfaces on mine.) I cracked open the can of Johnson's paste wax and went to town. EVERYTHING after that was easier.

Bringing this back to the topic, I wax my bearing edges for the sole reason that the Mylar heads slip better, so tuning seems to be easier because nothing is sticking or hanging due to friction. I just wasn't sure if using Johnson's was ok, or if using something else like a block of paraffin might not be a better way to go about it.
 
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