Waxed Canvas Bag - Part II

In which the crafter learns that science is only half the trouble...

After I performed some experiments with wax, I felt ready to start my waterproofing! I sewed the sturdy backpack pieces together, until there were only two sides to be sewn, I didn't want to wax each piece and then deal with sewing all the waxed seams.

So, using my little blocks of prepped wax, I began rubbing. And rubbing... and rubbing... and I finally completed one section. It wasn't sinking into the grain quite as much as I wanted, so I figured I would warm it up a little. I held it over a candle, which works swimmingly, but took a while. I realized I couldn't use this technique as some parts of the bag had multiple layers of fabric to warm thru.

 So I decided to go the alternative route, heating wax and brushing it on directly. I still used a small amount of turpentine to help the wax spread and soak in. This leaves clumps of wax sitting on the surface of the fabric, so it then must be Ironed in. Placing parchment paper over the wax and ironing seemed to let the wax soak in in a fairly uniform fashion.

If I make any more waxed items I think I will invest in a thrift store hair dryer, faster than the candle, more versatile than the iron.

 I then finished sewing the bag together. It's a big boxy affair, with large inner pockets and compartments. I sewed a leather bottom on to protect from bike splash up and setting down in soggy spots. TIL - sew the corner gussets before sewing on to the bag! It's hard to fold leather and shove it under the presser foot, particularly when it is attached to several pounds of stiff denim...

I riveted on leather straps for closures, and a belt that serves as shoulder strap. Not pictured - me hammering nails through the belt to get holes... it is very thick leather!

Ready to Travel! It's taken a while, and I think some spots may need another layer to be solidly waterproofed. My only material cost were a few ounces of wax, and a small piece of leather! One might be able to find some leather bags and strap materials at a thrift store. But looking like a super Hipster? Priceless...

Making a Waxed Canvas Bag - Part One

Or, waxed denim, as the case may be! I've been in need of a water-resistant bag lately, the weather is out of control here! But I'm also due for a new travel bag, we're heading overseas, and it rains in some of those places (i.e. Not Colorado.)

I looked online for advice on making waxed canvas, with lots of differing recipes! Many people used Otter Wax, which is a great choice. However, I already have a huge chunk of beeswax at home, no need to buy something. My plan was to make a rub-on wax, which has to have something added to it as beeswax is just slightly too hard to rub on when pure.

SCIENCE TIME BITCHES!

I tried three recipes, a few drops of linseed oil, olive oil, and turpentine (no idea if modern synthetic turps is suitable for this, I used what I have!) Melted each one with beeswax, and then cooled them into cakes. Which were stuck to the jar.   >.<  (I tried running hot water on the outside, I tried freezing, they were stuck!) So I added water, then melted and cooled again. The wax sits above the water and can be dislodged from the jar more easily.

 For my fabric, I of course chose denim! I have a huge pile of old pants to choose from. The tricky part was finding pants that were 100% cotton, most pants nowadays seem to have acquired a bit of spandex and the like. I cut out the pieces I will need for the bag, no reason to waste time and wax on scraps! I actually sewed the bag until nearly finished, just to avoid much sewing after the waxing is done.

 Here's the test rub for my three softeners. The two oils were similar in consistency and ease. The Turp on the other hand became a sticky mess! I held the denim over a candle to melt the turp into grain of the fabric. The next day, after curing, the Linseed was slightly darker, but otherwise there was little change. I gave all of them a spray test... WATER BEADS! That means it's working, but it certainly needs a thicker layer for a really good waterproofing.

Next time, I'll show the rest of the waxing, and putting together a good sturdy travel bag.