Re: [Harp-L] Subject: Re: Sealing wood combs (was difference between Soloist and Soloist Pro)

["Dave Payne Sr." <payneoutdoors@xxxxxxxxx>]

Here's how I do it. You don't want the beeswax too hot because first you don't want a fire and secondly, you don't want to warp the wood. 
   
  I keep a cast iron skillet dedicated to beeswax, cause it is almost impossible to get cookware clean enough after a waxing to use for anything else. I use cast iron because it distributes heat better. 
  The skillet has about a quarter inch of beeswax in it. I turn on low heat until it all melts but a small circle, about an inch or two in diameter of solid wax floating in the center. Then, I turn off the heat and wait for the rest to melt from the residual heat. Once that's done, I put the comb in there and leave it for a couple minutes to soak up some wax, then I flip the comb and let it sit some more. When I'm ready to take it out, I stand the comb on its bottom, teeth up, so excess wax will drain. I pull it out and sit it on a piece of paper to cool, again with the comb teeth up, so the wax will drain down. Once it cools, I start scraping off the excess wax very easily, then go over it with a piece of sandpaper. DOn't scrape with a knife or anything sharp that will damage the wood. I use a little tool made from an old reedplate. 
  Then you can use a toothpick or something to get all the little loose pieces of wax out of the chambers, so those aren't gumming up the reeds later. 
  I use tweezers to get the comb in and out of the wax. I can't stress enough not to get hot wax on your hands. It burns and keeps burning. It's like harmonica Napalm when it touches you. The wax doesn't need to be and shouldn't be that hot. Just hot enough to where it has a thin consistency that the wood will soak up. 



__________________________________________________________________
Dave Payne Sr. 
Journalist and writer
1114 Charles St. 
Parkersburg, WV 26101
       
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