How to Wax a Jacket

I like being outdoors, i don't like getting wet. i require a jacket that is warm, hard wearing and waterproof. O' yeah, and cheap. I found a three quarter length jacket in an army surplus store for next to nothing ($10). It is cotton and acts more like a sponge than a waterproof. But three out of four is a good start.

Then I heard about waxing clothing. A bit of effort and it's four out of four. Sweeet.

So began my eventful day of waxing a jacket.

1) Item of clothing to be waxed.

I've used a cotton jacket bought from an army surplus store.

2) Wax

I found these tea lights, they're bigger than the usual type.

3) A firm surface.

I used an ironing board, with a folded towel between the ironing board and jacket.

4) A heat source

Options are:

a) An iron (not advisable)

b) A hairdryer

5) Plenty of time.

In all it took me most of the day, though it was only about four hours of actual work.

This step is easy,

Remove the candle from its aluminium container, then remove the wick. Leaving a block of wax.

Find a flat, firm surface and lay out your item of clothing.

I used an ironing board.

Rub the wax block over the clothing

At this point, I noticed that the metal pattern from the ironing board was coming through to form a pattern on the sleeve of the jacket. A simple fix, I just added a folded towel between the ironing board and jacket, problem solved.

When applying the wax, compartmentalise the clothing. I began with the sleeves, front half and rear half.

Cover the area fully with wax, the more the better.

The wax now needs to be melted into the fabric of the clothing.

I knew a hairdryer worked well, but also heard that an iron would also work.

I opted for trying the iron first.

It is a hellish method. It requires the iron to be held on full heat just above the waxed fabric (about 5mm) for ages before the wax begins to melt. Because the jacket was wrinkled, the iron heated the ridges of the jacket but not the troughs. After 10 minutes of muscle aching, precision holding and constantly watching the wax, I managed a whole load of not very much.

Becoming bored and slightly frustrated by the lack of progress, I decided to try simply ironing the wax into the fabric.

That turned out to be an incredibly stupid idea.

After applying the iron directly to the wax, the iron began to smoke profusely. So I went to get a cloth to wipe off the residual wax from the iron. Whilst gone the smoke set off the smoke alarm. Setting off a chain of events that caused the first delay in the waxing of the jacket.

I return with the cloth, the iron was still smoking. The smoke alarm still shrieking to the world, which set off the dog. Who began running around, jumping up and barking.

Easy to sort, disconnect iron, wipe residual wax off and stop iron from smoking. Take a chair, stand on chair and disconnect smoke alarm, end shrieking. Take dog and go outside to calm her down.

As l get outside, my elderly neighbour is walking towards me, "it's ok, it's ok" she hollers. I'm about to reply that yes, everything's fine just a miss hap, when she finishes "I've called the fire department, they'll be here soon".

In the distance I hear the faint wail of sirens. I begin to explain that there was really no need, and told her what had happened. "You can never be too careful, what if there had been a real fire?"

Sound reasoning, she's really old and I'm not the sort to become emotional at such things.

I don't have to explain things to my neighbour for to long as my attention is moved towards not one, but two fire trucks pulling up outside my house. Fully clothed firemen jump out, begin unrolling hoses and finding fire hydrants to attach them to. As one begins to walk over towards me. I'm stood there in my yard, looking at all the commotion, with everyone in the street coming out to see what's going on, the dog is running around barking in a fit of excitement at all the people and flashing lights, and I wonder 'how the hell did all this just happen?'

When I explain what I was doing to cause the smoke alarm to go off, I get a 'O' you're one of those' looks from the fireman. Who goes on to reassure my neighbour that she did the correct thing, and that they'd happily come out to a false alarm than arrive late to a house fire.

They pack up their equipment, people go back into their homes and I return to the jacket.

So if your tempted to wax a jacket using an iron, don't. Just don't.

What took 10 minutes using the iron, took seconds to achieve using the hairdryer, the upper half of the sleeve took 30 seconds to complete.

Repeat process to achieve a double coating of wax.

Do the same on the other half of the sleeve, applying two coats of wax and paying particular attention to the areas of overlap.

Repeat the same set of steps on the other sleeve.

Once I completed both sleeves, I had used most of one block of wax. (I've placed a whole block next to the used block for comparison)

I applied the first coat of wax to the rest of the jacket, the pictures show the difference in colour once the wax has been applied.

By this stage I've applied two coats of wax to the sleeves, one coat of wax to the main body of the jacket and have used two blocks of wax. (I've placed a whole block next to the used blocks for comparison)

I was about to heat the first application of wax which covered the main body of the jacket, when the owner of the hairdryer required it's air heating capabilities. The owner was much dismayed by its lack of presence in its usual place of storage. Especially as it was an integral aspect in the process and preparation for an event later that evening. Needles to say my requirements fell a distant second to the priorities of the owner. There began the second delay in the waxing of the jacket.

Blah blah, something or other and idle hands, I went for a snack and continuing the theme of using wax, I made a candle. Instructable to follow.

Once I was graciously allowed to resume my usage of the hairdryer, I was able to melt the wax into the jacket quite quickly.

That left the application of the second coat of wax and heating it so that it melted into the fabric.

In comparison to the events of the day, it was simple and relatively unhindered.

That only left the hood, which took just over 15 minutes to complete both coats of wax.

By the time I had completed all the waxing and heating, I had used three blocks of wax. (I've placed a whole block next to the used blocks for comparison)

When applying the wax, pay particular attention to seams, seam junctions and buttons.

The jacket, including hood is completed.

So did it work? Was all the effort, delays, and time worth it? I'll let the pictures do the talking.

It's been a long day, I'm now going to find an instructable for opening a beer bottle without a bottle opener. Apparently leaving the best ever toy for an excited dog laying around will result in it being broken. Which is less distracting than the note that was left for me. Which read, I've gone out, I might not be meeting with a fireman I met earlier today (how did that happen??) but then again I might. I'll be back after midnight, I would have asked for permission, but apparently it's no longer required.

But on the up side, I've got a waxed jacket and it's four out of four for my requirements of a jacket, now about that instructable for my beer.....