• Bote de Renaissance Wax de 65 ml, cera microcristalina de protección de Picreator
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Renaissance Wax 65 ml — Microcrystalline protective wax

Renaissance Wax 65 ml — Microcrystalline protective wax

€28,99 EUR
€28,99 EUR
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Renaissance Wax 65 ml — microcrystalline wax in paste form, ready to use

Renaissance Wax is a microcrystalline wax in white spirit, supplied as a solid white paste. It was formulated at the British Museum research laboratories in the early 1950s and has been made by Picreator Enterprises, in London, since 1968. It differs from microcrystalline wax sold in blocks or pellets in that it comes ready to use: there is no need to melt it in a water bath or to prepare a white spirit solution beforehand.

What is it used for?

  • Protecting interior brass, copper, steel or pewter after cleaning, on hardware, mechanisms and historic house objects
  • A sacrificial layer over an existing finish, on the parts handled daily: handles, pulls, catches and moving components
  • Protecting wood finishes without a prior sealer, on furniture, carving and French polish
  • Marble and polished stone, against staining from coloured liquids
  • The varnish of stringed instruments, against hand perspiration and rosin residue from the bow

Why choose Renaissance Wax?

  • It came out of a test, not a recipe. Accelerated ageing tests at the British Museum rejected every commercial wax based on beeswax and carnauba because they contain acids capable of spoiling original finishes over time. That is why this formulation is microcrystalline, refined from crude oil
  • The proportion is set by the manufacturer. A wax solution prepared in the workshop depends on who prepares it — published treatment reports record proportions ranging from 2 % to 1:1 — whereas here the ratio of wax to solvent is the same in every tin
  • Clear film. Applied thinly and rubbed out to full lustre it stays clear, and the manufacturer states that repeated use causes no loss of clarity and no darkening of the surface beneath
  • Reversible. The manufacturer states that it can be completely removed by rubbing with white spirit
  • The manufacturer declares it free from acids

Presentation and storage

  • Presentation: 65 ml tin
  • Store in a cool place with the container tightly closed and upright, away from heat, direct sunlight and any source of ignition
  • Shelf life: the manufacturer states several years with the tin firmly capped, thanks to the wax's solvent-retention capacity
  • Contains white spirit: apply in a well ventilated area. The manufacturer recommends nitrile, polythene or PVC gloves

The limits, stated

  • It is not a permanent coating: it is a sacrificial layer that is consumed, and unevenly — sooner on upper areas, on those washed by rain and on those exposed to sun. Outdoors it requires periodic maintenance
  • The surface underneath decides the outcome. Published tests on microcrystalline waxes give markedly different results depending on what lies beneath: good over preserved natural patina, considerably worse over polished metal or artificial patina
  • Above 50 °C and in direct sun, no. On an exposed dark surface it may soften
  • On archaeological iron it does not replace humidity control, which is the real lever in that case
  • Apply to a clean, degreased and dry surface. Moisture trapped underneath creates a microclimate where corrosion continues
  • On aged layers removal may not be complete, even though the manufacturer states reversibility with white spirit. The sooner it is renewed, the more cleanly it comes off
  • Always spread it thinly. Built up in crevices and mouldings it leaves whitish deposits that are hard to remove

Frequently asked questions

Is it suitable for an outdoor bronze sculpture?
It is used outdoors, but it is worth knowing what you are buying. Conservation literature documents that outdoors microcrystalline waxes act as a sacrificial layer and not as a permanent barrier: on a monument monitored for a year, with three coats applied, the wax had gone from shoulders and crown at twelve months. Outdoors this is a maintenance decision, not protection you apply and forget.
How does it differ from microcrystalline wax in blocks or pellets?
In that this one already comes dissolved, as a paste. Solid microcrystalline wax has to be melted, or made up into a white spirit solution, before it can be applied; that is what published treatment reports describe. If you are looking for wax to prepare your own solution, this is not the presentation you want.
Does the object need to be warmed before application?
Treatment reports published in Spain describe microcrystalline wax applied cold, with a pad or brush, and then polished with a soft brush. Pre-heating belongs to a different practice — molten wax on monumental bronze — and there what is heated is the support, not the tin.
How is it removed when it needs renewing?
The manufacturer states that it is completely removed by rubbing with white spirit. It is best not to let it age too long: on old layers removal is documented as sometimes incomplete, and the literature then speaks of conditional reversibility.
Can it be used on silver?
Its best documented use on silver is not as a barrier against tarnish, but as an anti-abrasion layer over a finish already in place, on the parts that are handled. For tarnish, museum literature works with other solutions.
And on wood?
Yes. The manufacturer indicates it on furniture and carving, both to protect an existing finish — French polish included — and applied directly to sanded hardwood, with no need for a sealer.
How far does a 65 ml tin go?
There is no coverage figure published by the manufacturer, so we will not give you one. What is stated is that applied correctly, in thin layers, consumption is very low.

Any questions? Write to us on WhatsApp, visit innovart.art or email info@innovart.art and we will advise you.

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