Johnson Paste Wax

[jteneyck]

Twice the price of before the pandemic, but the best paste wax I've ever used, by far.  Amazing how easily it buffs out.  Nothing like Johnson's.  Lasts a long time on my jointer and table saw tables.  Works great on furniture, too.  

John  

[JohnnyEgo]

I bought the Lundmark off of Amazon after so many people raved about it, but I have been disappointed. I wonder if I got a really old can, as all the Carnuba beads or whatever seem to have extracted themselves from the substrate, so that it is in effect gritty and mildly abrasive instead of homogeneous like the Johnsons was. I don't know if this is normal or not, but I don't like it. I will say that it dries much clearer than the Johnsons, on par with Renaissance wax.

[jteneyck]

I bought the Lundmark off of Amazon after so many people raved about it, but I have been disappointed. I wonder if I got a really old can, as all the Carnuba beads or whatever seem to have extracted themselves from the substrate, so that it is in effect gritty and mildly abrasive instead of homogeneous like the Johnsons was. I don't know if this is normal or not, but I don't like it. I will say that it dries much clearer than the Johnsons, on par with Renaissance wax.

That's strange, sorry to hear that.  Can you explain a little more what you used it on and how you applied it?  

John

[JohnnyEgo]

Don't mind at all. In fact, I am kind of grateful for the opportunity to see if this is normal since I can't pick this stuff up locally and am stuck buying it online. So I'd be very happy with any thoughts you have on it.


Starting with usage, I very rarely use paste wax as a final finish. I mostly use it as a preservative for my cast iron surfaces on the drill press, jointer, and saw, and as a lubricant on drawer runners or to slick up the sides of small piston-fit drawers. The materials I use it on most are doug fir, walnut, maple, and cherry, as well as Baltic Birch ply. Usually these surfaces are going to rub up against something else, so they get sanded to 180-220, then get a liberal coating applied with a shop towel or cotton rag. I give it about 15 minutes, then buff them with a clean towel or rag.


Pictures make it hard to see, but the Lundmark I have is actually gritty.


Feels like all the little wax beads have separated from the solvent.


I globbed some Lundmark on the left, and Johnson's on the right of this piece of scrap, which shows the grittiness of the Lundmark a little better.


Still buffs reasonably clear.

Walnut shows the difference between buffed Johnsons and buffed Lundmark a lot better. Lundmark on the left, Johnsons on the right.

The Lundmark buffs very clear and has a deeper, glossier finish. The Johnsons is hazier and much more matte in appearance. However, the Johnsons seems to slide a little smoother against other smooth surfaces.

So that's my story. I can see how the Lundmarks would make a much nicer final finish, and given that it says 'anti-slip' on the can, I am not surprised to find it is not as slick as the Johnsons. For use as a cast iron preservative, I doubt it will matter much one way or the other. But I am curious if my can is normal for the product, or if I might be better served by tossing it and buying another can.

[jteneyck]

Mine looks pretty similar.



Here is some spread on a piece of glass.



It feels a little gritty but goes on smoothly.  It is very different from Johnson's Paste Wax because it spreads so much easier and doesn't leave a thick layer that needs a lot of buffing.  I tried to build it up on this piece of mahogany, but you can see how thin it is.  



I can see how you might like Johnson's better for wood parts that have to slide since it leaves a heavier layer.  If you sanded to a higher grit, however, you might prefer Lundmark for those applications.  Just a guess.  For machine tables and wood finishing Lundmark is far superior, IMO, because it spreads more easily, buffs far more easily, leaves a nice slick surface that doesn't attract dust or leave fingerprints, and brings out the color and grain of wood better, as your picture shows.  It's dead clear, too, so it doesn't change the color of the wood.  On machine tables I just wipe it on, buff it off immediately, and go back to work.  No waiting required.  

I think the can you have is likely fine.  If you don't like it, you probably should use it for utility purposes and move on to another product.  

John

[AHill]

The only wax I use on wood is Renaissance. It's amazing and a very little goes a long way. I still have two cans of Johnson's, and I'm using those on tools and cast iron tops of my table saw, jointer, lathe ways, and other tools that need rust protection. I have a can of the Lundmark but I haven't tried it yet.