burnishing wood with beeswax

[Anonymous]

Is there any body who has tried out burnishing wood with bees wax. I saw it somwhere they tie up a bundle of reeds and dip them in a mixture of beeswax and fine brick dust. Then they simply rub the bundle end on the surface (generally oak) all over to get a polished sheen. Does anyone know anything about it that might be helpful?
many thanks Jonathan

PS its quite old late maedieaval I believe

 

[Scrit]

I do something similar with a lambswool bonnet on a body polisher - works for me :roll:

Scrit

 

[Anonymous]

Hi scrit
I understand that if only to reduce elbow grease :lol:
But this method imparts a certain look and texture that you get on oak furniture from that time. I supose the brick dust acts similar to pumice powder? I think some types of wood finish use pumice?

 

[Scrit]

I think some types of wood finish use pumice?

Pumice and/or rottenstone were traditionally used as part of the French polishing process and to burnish certain timbers. As yours is an ancient process, probably predating glass paper (after all glass was expensive in the middle ages) and possibly done in the absence of shark skin (used as an abrasive in the 16th to 18th (?) centuries) then perhaps brick dust and and abrasive plant leaf were the only alternatives

Scrit

 

[CHJ]

Japanese Turners practicing traditional crafts use a bunch of Reeds (Tokusa) as the finishing abrasive, they contain silica granules which polish the surface. I have read of reeds being used by early American explores for cleaning cooking pots.

Video (wmp)example of them in use making Kokeshi Dolls: Broadband: or smaller version 56K:

 

[dennyk]

I use a bamboo brush to clean my WOK