lava beads

[jdiakiw]

I really need to know how black lava beads are treated.  I read  they are waxed   if so how what wax?  r some oiled?  any source for such treatments?

[Russ Nobbs]

Welcome to our forums.
Yes, we've noticed that some (but not all)  lava beads are treated with a wax that appears to be simple paraffin like the wax used for sealing jams and jellies or for making candles.

We never noticed any with oil. The wax is visible in the crevices of the lava. It makes the lava bead shinier, or appear blacker. Some people enhance lava beads with Art Clay Silver or Precious Metal Clay. We suggest heating the waxed lava beads with torch or in a kiln to burn off the wax before adding the ACS or PMC.

I noticed the wax treatment on black lava  beads but not on the brown lava. That doesn't mean that some brown lava isn't waxed, just that I've never noticed any.

You ask "any source for such treatments?" Are you asking if I know where the wax is applied or who applies it?  Or, If I know where  you can buy wax to apply to your own material?

The wax on the waxed black lava beads is applied in China by the folks who cut and polish the beads. You can buy paraffin at craft supply stores (Like Michaels) and some grocery stores.

Click here for Brown  Lava Beads and here for Black Lava Beads

Does this answer your questions?

[jdiakiw]

[ thanks for  reply . I tried some parfin wax and it looked like  a candle ... the parrafin in the holes ended up white there must be some simple process for them to look nice and oiled like they come when I order them, but now I have a huge pile of 22 mm stone that look  like pieces of flat coal  anyone have any ideas of how to apply the wax or sugget another wax
Jerry
]

Welcome to our forums.
Yes, we've noticed that some (but not all)  lava beads are treated with a wax that appears to be simple paraffin like the wax used for sealing jams and jellies or for making candles.

We never noticed any with oil. The wax is visible in the crevices of the lava. It makes the lava bead shinier, or appear blacker. Some people enhance lava beads with Art Clay Silver or Precious Metal Clay. We suggest heating the waxed lava beads with torch or in a kiln to burn off the wax before adding the ACS or PMC.

I noticed the wax treatment on black lava  beads but not on the brown lava. That doesn't mean that some brown lava isn't waxed, just that I've never noticed any.

You ask "any source for such treatments?" Are you asking if I know where the wax is applied or who applies it?  Or, If I know where  you can buy wax to apply to your own material?

The wax on the waxed black lava beads is applied in China by the folks who cut and polish the beads. You can buy paraffin at craft supply stores (Like Michaels) and some grocery stores.

Click here for Brown  Lava Beads and here for Black Lava Beads

Does this answer your questions?

[Russ Nobbs]

How did you apply the paraffin wax to your beads?

[Russ Nobbs]

We got your e-mail today. We are asking around to see if anyone has suggestions.
It will help eliminate wrong ideas if you let us know what didn't work for you when you tried paraffin.

Oil, I think, will be too greasy and will evaporate leaving the beads dull again. I've used lemon oil on olive wood beads. It soaks into the porous wood and is not greasy. But it does evaporate.

Bees wax and the product "Renaissance Wax" might work but paraffin might be more inert.

[lisagelvers]

lava beads are treated with a wax that appears to be simple paraffin like the wax used for sealing jams and jellies or for making candles The treatment would be in the sense that if one know where the wax is applied or who applies it?
The wax on the waxed black lava beads is applied in China by the folks who cut and polish the beads.Paraffin can be bought from craft supply stores and from grocery stores.
Thanks.
http://www.amandajocharms.com.au/about/sales/Charms

[Luann Udell]

Dipping beads would be like dipping candles, you're just going to add a layer of wax.  And that "coating" happens with cooler wax, too.  So maybe.....hot wax would work better on your initial dip?  Be very cautious, though, overheated wax can catch fire, so use a double boiler & other safety precautions.

I would think that heating the waxed beads would allow some of the excess wax to melt off.  Maybe putting them on a cookie sheet and letting them bake in a warm oven?  Occasionally stirring the lot so more wax could melt out of the crevices. If the temperature were low enough, you might even be able to put a layer of paper toweling down first, to absorb the excess wax...?

[Russ Nobbs]

Good idea, Luann.
Heating process might need to be done twice, first on one side, flip the beads and allow the other side to drain excess wax.

I don't think heating between layers of waxed paper would be enough to put the surface layer of wax on the beads that we see as they come to us from China. (It's a very thin layer. Only occasionally is there enough wax in a crevice to leave the white look you'd get if you dipped them in hot wax.