Renaissance Wax

Renaissance Wax 200ml tub

Renaissance Wax is a brand of microcrystalline wax polish that is encountered in antique restoration and museum conservation. It is not appropriate for all materials, and is most safely used on metal objects. However, it is also used for the polish and conservation of gemstones and of organic materials such as wood, ivory, and tortoiseshell. Renaissance Wax is sometimes used by reenactors of historic swordsmanship to protect armor and weapons. Waxes are more protective and longer-lasting than oil, especially for swords and helmets that are frequently touched by human hands.[1] It has recently been introduced in the world of guitar building, as a finish that protects and gives colour to the wood.

Wax coatings for conservation are most widely, and least controversially, applied to metals. This has several objectives: to produce a barrier that excludes moisture and oxygen from the metal surface, to preclude the introduction of contaminating elements by handling, and to provide a protective layer over anti-corrosion undercoatings.

Microcrystalline waxes used on ethnographic metal objects are discouraged, as they may require extensive treatment for removal.[2]

Use

The wax is evenly and lightly applied over the surface, then lightly buffed with a smooth lint-free cloth to give a sheen. Where the shape of the item requires, a brush may be used instead. It is also used in jewelry making to preserve the patina of the metal.

Application over other coatings

For retarding further red rot in leather bookbindings, it is common to first consolidate the leather by application of Klucel G or a similar material and then apply a protective coating of a microcrystalline wax. When Renaissance Wax is used for this protective coating, it can create a white residue if applied too heavily. This white residue cannot be removed. Use of a different wax, such as SC6000, is recommended for leather.

Renaissance Wax is also commonly used in the preservation of bronze and copper coins. The wax seals the coins and helps prevent deterioration from moisture and air exposure. It may also help prevent the onset of the chloride-related corrosion commonly called bronze disease, although it won't arrest this once started.

Conservation of metals may also involve the application of an undercoat such as Incralac followed by the application of Renaissance Wax.

Formulation

Renaissance Wax was developed in the British Museum Research Laboratory by Dr A E A Werner[3] in the late 1950s. It is now manufactured by Picreator Enterprises Ltd.[4]

Earlier wax polishes based on beeswax and carnauba wax either contained acids or became acidic over time. Renaissance Wax is based on more stable microcrystalline waxes refined from crude oil.[5]

Renaissance Wax contains polyethylene waxes. Some other microcrystalline waxes intended for conservation use do not contain these.

Controversy over its use

Wax coatings, in general, may accumulate dust and lint.

In one example where a Benin bust made from a copper-iron alloy had been coated with multiple materials including this wax, the polyethylene component required a higher-temperature solvent for removal than the rest of the wax.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Chinese Swords Guide: Restoration".
  2. 1 2 Moffett, Dana L. (1996). "Wax Coatings on Ethnographic Metal Objects: Justifications for Allowing a Tradition to Wane". JAIC. 35 (1): 1–7. doi:10.2307/3179934. JSTOR 3179934.
  3. ↑ Who's Who, 1998, p. 2099
  4. ↑ "Renaissance Wax". Picreator Enterprises Ltd. (Manufacturer). Retrieved 2007-04-27.
  5. ↑ Horie, C V (1996). Materials for Conservation. Elsevier Science and Technology. ISBN 0-7506-0881-1.
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