Wednesday, 2 July 2025

Beeswax, part 2

 This morning we took an early walk down the lane with the dogs, before 30% disappeared for the day with the Cinema Club. 

The remainder of the morning was spent watering the tomatoes, and I even managed to trim Hobson's rear paws ... He seems to have very sensitive feet, and doesn't like warm clipper blades near his toes.

After lunch I decided to finish processing the beeswax that I produced yesterday.

The block of wax was cut in to chunks and melted in an old saucepan over a Bain Marie. Once melted it was poured in to moulds.* These had squares of old t-short material, held tight with rubber bands, over the top of them. The fabric acts as a filter to separate the crud from the liquid wax.**

The wax cools and solidifies quite quickly, and, by the end of the afternoon, I had 20 ounces of pure beeswax.

There is something quite other worldly about beeswax. It is difficult to explain. It has an amazing, but subtle aroma, and a feel that is almost silky under one's fingertips. It is a very tactile experience holding a block of beeswax.

Needless to say, I have a accumulated several pounds of the stuff over the years, and I really should think about doing more with it ... candles, perhaps?

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* In this case, old, washed margarine tubs

** The wax soaked filter material makes really good firelighters for later in the year.


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