wax for dubbing brushes

[wsbailey]

Keene's actual wax recipe is four ounces of resin, one half ounce of lard and one quarter ounce of beeswax. Leisenring's, which he says is according to Keene's recipe, is one half pound resin, one ounce of beeswax and one half ounce of lard. Notice how Leisenring changed the proportions while, at the same time, doubled the amount of resin.

[letumgo]

Thanks Bill. Good stuff! I think your post should be pinned, for future reference. Would you mind adding this to the reference section?

[wsbailey]

No problem Ray. About the same time that Keene published his wax recipe; Ogden published the exact same one.

[joaniebo]

I have been using "many" of Bill Bailey's waxes for quite a few years and still have them from day 1 although I've labeled them #1, #2, #3 ,etc. as Bill has sent them to me over the years. Although I use the latest waxes Bill has sent me, I hesitate to toss out the old versions.

Bill's research and efforts in reproducing many of the old materials, dubbings, etc. have been nothing short of outstanding and one of these days, I'm going to break into his house when he's away and grab some of his dubbings. : > )

[letumgo]

Grab me some of his pig dubbing, while you're at it! That stuff is outstanding!

[wsbailey]

I wish I could get more pig's wool. My source in England sold their herd and I can't seem to get American farmers interested.

[letumgo]

Bill - There was a farm, in the US (possibly NY state) which was raising wooly pigs (Mangalitsa) for their meat. I remember reading an article one time, and thinking to myself "I wonder what they do with the wool?". Let me see if I can find a link to the farm.

WEB LINK: http://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/meet-ma ... beef-pork/
WEB LINK: https://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/c ... ista-pork/
WEB LINK: http://mangalitsawoolypigs.com/about/
WEB LINK: https://www.elteemangalitsas.com/the-mangalitsa-pig
WEB LINK (American Breeders): http://www.americanmangalitsa.com/approved-members.html

If you reached out to a few of these farms, you may find a US source of pig wool...

I think there is hard apple cider producer (http://www.southhillcider.com/) in FInger Lakes region of New York, which raises black wooly pigs. I remember seeing a picture of the hairy pigs on their website last year.

Or you could get some great pork and hard cider, to console yourself...

[wsbailey]

I have reached in a number of ways. I got some replies but no one has been willing to gather it so far. On each hog there is actually only a small amount of "wool". Most of what you see in pictures is bristle. Another problem is that no one scrapes hogs anymore.

[letumgo]

Perhaps you need to start raising pigs...

[wsbailey]

I wish I had the land. One thing I would raise if I could is white quail which I could then dye.