waxes for finishing wood?

[bestjob]

In the knitting needle instructions that were posted a few weeks ago, the author suggested using carnuba wax to finish them. It costs a small fortune, and I'd like to use beeswax. Does anyone have experience with waxes for finishing wood? Would the beeswax be okay, or too soft?

TIA

[Jessviola]

if you scroll down the instructions in this link there's a recipe for finish using beeswax and mineral oil.

http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/playstands.htm

[OceanMomma]

I make furniture polish out of a combo of beeswax & raw linseed oil. I've restored a few antique peices we've picked up around the place & they come up very nicely with this. I usually just melt the beeswax in a double boiler & stir in the linseed oil. I guess the quantities ( possibly 1 part beesawx to at least 3 linsee ) The idea is to keep it liquid when its cooled down. I bung in some essential oils if I am feeling like it. It always works out well. I avoid mineral oil like the plague.

[bestjob]

What is the role of the oil? Does it make the finish harder, or just easier to spread? I'm asking because on a small piece of wood like a knitting needle it is easy to polish the beeswax to a smooth, thin finish.

[OceanMomma]

To be honest I don't know. I know that linseed oil is used to oil cricket bats. It says so on the bottle Altho' if you are finishing off knitting needles, should you not take care what you put on them as it can end up on the wool?

[LuvMy2Kidz]

I think the bees wax would be fine Heck, the first sets of knitting needles I made I just rubbed really hard with wax paper :LOL :LOL