Staining 'oak' filler

[Fergie 307]

Texture of wax fill is key to creating unobtrusive patches in my experience. If you melt the wax so that you have a large shiny flat surface, this attracts the eye more than hand-applied wax with an uneven surface. Try to match the texture of natural wood or knots if possible which can sometimes be done simply by softening the wax with hand heat and shoving it in the holes without melting or excessive smoothing.

I tend to fill a little proud then scrape back to shape using a scraper or Stanley knife blade. This leaves a Matt or silk type finish. No end of techniques you can use. Brush the dried wax with a wire brush etc.

 

[Fergie 307]

To make wax soft, I work it in my hands until I can use it to fill holes etc

That is interesting. The wax sticks I use seem way too hard for that, but never actually tried it. I melt it using a soldering iron and drip it on. You can make a mould from masking tape to fill something like a damaged corner.
Even the shavings don't seem to soften or smear on your hands, or not that I have noticed.

 

[Fergie 307]

A small amount of earth pigment like brown umber or vandyke mixed into your filler will work.
Could even try the kids powder paints.

Works well, although it increases opacity so will hide any grain. Can be a good or bad thing depending on what you are doing. Liquid tints are good where you want to change the colour but without altering the transparency as it were.

 

[Windows]

That is interesting. The wax sticks I use seem way too hard for that, but never actually tried it. I melt it using a soldering iron and drip it on. You can make a mould from masking tape to fill something like a damaged corner.
Even the shavings don't seem to soften or smear on your hands, or not that I have noticed.

What brand of wax do you use? I’ve only experience of Liberon wax sticks and they soften just enough with hand heat in a heated room / summer conditions. Haven’t yet used in unheated winter conditions though.

 

[Fergie 307]

Pretty sure the ones I have at the moment are Konig hard ones, have to check as I have had them a while.
They are very hard and brittle and I either apply directly using a soldering iron, or grate them with an old spice grater if I want to mix the colours. The shavings go into a ceramic artists mixing tray, then melted and stirred with the iron.
They also make a soft version which I have never used but apparently softens under body temperature levels of heat.