Johnson Paste Wax

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KenB259

KenB259

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What a bummer, just found out this isn't available anymore, discontinued a few years ago. I think this was pretty much a staple item in any wood shop. I did find a new can on eBay, for $95.00, at that price I'll find an alternative, but I still have a little left. Going to have to treat it like gold.
 
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KenB259 said:
What a bummer, just found out this isn't available anymore, discontinued a few years ago. I think this was pretty much a staple item in any wood shop. I did find a new can on eBay, for $95.00, at that price I'll find an alternative, but I still have a little left. Going to have to treat it like gold.
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Yes that bummed me out too. It was a great product and for my money out performed Minwax by a mile.
I was also sorry to see it become a line in history 😩
calabrese55
 
I have about 1/3 of a can I'm happy to let go for $20 🤣

Not sure what I'll use once this can is used up. I've had it for over 20 years, so I guess I won't need to decide too soon.
 
Google homemade paste wax for wood furniture.

I use a mix of sun cured flaxseed oil and beeswax. Search sun cured flaxseed oil. Totally natural food safe wax finish.
 
I found that out yesterday when I was looking for a new can of Johnson's. The can I've had for over 10 years is almost empty - I was surprised to learn that it's been discontinued.

I can't find any exact replacements. But it looks like there are several alternatives that might work for treating our metal tools, albeit probably not as well.

I picked up a can of Formula 1 Paste Wax today. It's in a similar can with a similar applicator. It's a carnauba wax and a bit more creamy than Johnson's.

I haven't had a chance to try it yet, so I can't comment on its use just yet.
 

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$95!? They know what they've got huh? I'm with you in knowing that they can keep it. I did hear it was gone a few years ago, but I will certainly be frugal with what I have left in the can.
 
Holy cow all you guys hording your single can of half used Johnson's wax are the very reason they stopped making it.
It was so darn good at being a wax and working as advertised that nobody wanted to use it up. Sales dropped, profits went away all the while the company thought nobody liked the product,. The irony while we all treated it like the goose that laid the golden eggs the company shot the goose.
Thanks to all you guys out there with your darn half cans I am going to start locking my half used can in a safe.
On a brighter note and from all the tears happening here maybe we all could send something to Johnson & Johnson to fire up this product again.
It could go something like this get a stamp and stop the rust !!!!!!
calabrese55

Dear Johnson & Johnson
You may not be aware that the discontinuance of the finest woodworking product ever made is causing rivers of tears in the woodworking communities. That product was the gold you placed in a yellow tub and labeled it SC Johnson Paste Wax. For years we , the woodworking community, cherished Johnson's Paste Wax as the very best rust protector of our cast iron tool surfaces. Additionally the side benefit while it protected against rust it allowed us to slide countless board feet of lumber across our tools like a sled on snow.
At this very moment woodworkers around America and maybe the world are locking away half used cans of your wonderful wax. On line selling venues are posting used cans of that canned gold at nearly $100.00 .

We the woodworking community ask you to reconsider your decision to eliminate this product from our shops, garages and basements.
A resurrection renamed SC Johnson's Woodworkers Wax could be the move of the century. Think about the fact that many woodworkers are hording half cans of this golden product in reserve as we search for a replacement with equal performance. We tell you now that product of equality simply does not exist.
A return to production with a new focus, produced in half sized cans, and at the same price point of the original full size can could be a a notable and successful stroke of commercial genius.
With the vast community of woodworkers in the USA and possibly around the world lamenting over the loss of this product the opportunity to have a win win may truly exist.
Thank you for your great wax and please consider a resurrection for this woodworkers gold in a can.
 
Woodworkers were never the focus of paste wax manufacturing and sales. It was the waxing of floors that drove that bus. Now that nobody does traditional waxing and polishing of floors, having been replaced with silicone laden stuff in a squirt bottle, there is no market for it. If it ever comes back at all it will be by one of the boutique finishing suppliers or one of the bigger woodworking tool suppliers like Lee Valley, Woodcraft or Rockler. Enjoy waxing poetic until the last hoarded cans of your SC Johnson are gone. I think I have a couple partial cans, one lemon scented, in the shop somewhere, meanwhile the Miniwax will have to do until LV brings out a replacement.
 
I've been looking for it for several years now and couldn't find it in any of the typical stores. I guess now I know why. Maybe I will have to try some of that Formula 1 Past Wax if I can find any. I learned a hard lesson during my working years that taught me to keep anything with Silicone in it out of my shop as nothing sticks to it and it can migrate and cause adhesion failures with paints and other woodworking finishes. We lost hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product because someone lubricated the gears in one of our tunnel ovens (used to cure coating) with an aerosol that contained Silicone.

Dave
 
sorcerertd said:
If they don't want to revive it, maybe they would sell the "recipe"?
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First let me add something Pete said because it is not entirely true that those waxes were for floor mainly. They are woodworkers wax that was and still is used on furniture. He is right in the fact that there are now many spray on products that do basically the same job as hand rubbed finishes such as paste wax. Thus the demand is less. There is nothing proprietary about Johnson's wax that many other waxes don't have. It basically is a carnauba wax mixed with turpentine and fragrance ingredients. The wax I referred to is sort of a step up from what Johnsons is that everyone is eluding to which was mainly a furniture wax and this is a tougher wax because it has Microcrystalline cellulose in it. (this is basically what Renaissence wax is that we all know and probably use on our pens) My wax was sold to Johnson and is was changed to just Bowling Alley wax. The Butcher line and or name was dropped. The formulas for many of these waxes was and had to change due to stricter regulations so asking for same formula will never happen. I saw this when Watco Danish oil was discontinued and then brought back on high demand but the formula was never the same and I saw it right away.

With all this said there are many waxes that are same quality woodworkers waxes out there. Minwax line is a good product and as is the one I referenced Bowling Alley. But I caution you all and this was the reason I asked what are you using it for? These waxes are not food safe so do not use for bowls and plates made on a lathe.
 
First let me add something Pete said because it is not entirely true that those waxes were for floor mainly. They are woodworkers wax that was and still is used on furniture. He is right in the fact that there are now many spray on products that do basically the same job as hand rubbed finishes such as paste wax. Thus the demand is less. There is nothing proprietary about Johnson's wax that many other waxes don't have. It basically is a carnauba wax mixed with turpentine and fragrance ingredients. The wax I referred to is sort of a step up from what Johnsons is that everyone is eluding to which was mainly a furniture wax and this is a tougher wax because it has Microcrystalline cellulose in it. (this is basically what Renaissence wax is that we all know and probably use on our pens) My wax was sold to Johnson and is was changed to just Bowling Alley wax. The Butcher line and or name was dropped. The formulas for many of these waxes was and had to change due to stricter regulations so asking for same formula will never happen. I saw this when Watco Danish oil was discontinued and then brought back on high demand but the formula was never the same and I saw it right away.
jttheclockman said:
With all this said there are many waxes that are same quality woodworkers waxes out there. Minwax line is a good product and as is the one I referenced Bowling Alley. But I caution you all and this was the reason I asked what are you using it for? These waxes are not food safe so do not use for bowls and plates made on a lathe.
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I mainly use it for cast iron surfaces and jigs that slide on cast iron. The best part has always been the smell. It takes me right back to my dads workshop.
 
KenB259 said:
First let me add something Pete said because it is not entirely true that those waxes were for floor mainly. They are woodworkers wax that was and still is used on furniture. He is right in the fact that there are now many spray on products that do basically the same job as hand rubbed finishes such as paste wax. Thus the demand is less. There is nothing proprietary about Johnson's wax that many other waxes don't have. It basically is a carnauba wax mixed with turpentine and fragrance ingredients. The wax I referred to is sort of a step up from what Johnsons is that everyone is eluding to which was mainly a furniture wax and this is a tougher wax because it has Microcrystalline cellulose in it. (this is basically what Renaissence wax is that we all know and probably use on our pens) My wax was sold to Johnson and is was changed to just Bowling Alley wax. The Butcher line and or name was dropped. The formulas for many of these waxes was and had to change due to stricter regulations so asking for same formula will never happen. I saw this when Watco Danish oil was discontinued and then brought back on high demand but the formula was never the same and I saw it right away.

I mainly use it for cast iron surfaces and jigs that slide on cast iron. The best part has always been the smell. It takes me right back to my dads workshop.
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Yea that is basically what I use those type waxes for also. The true hardcore woodworker will use on furniture still but many substitutes these days. As I mentioned the Butchers Bowling Alley wax is one I like the smell and I will never be able to find that can again Fortunately I do have a brand new can unopened plus the 1/3 left can I use now. There are many products that were discontinued that I fell in love with as I climbed the woodworkers ladder over the years. Formby's wipe on poly oils was my go to and no longer available.
 
KenB259 said:
I mainly use it for cast iron surfaces and jigs that slide on cast iron.
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Same. I use it on the lathe ways and tool tables (table saw, bandsaw, sander, drill press, etc.) What I have left will still last me many years for that purpose. I'm sure a suitable or better replacement will be available when I run out.
 
I looked more closely at my can of paste wax., and it's not Johnson - it's Minwax, which works well for shining up some flatwork as well as the cast iron surfaces in my shop. The cans have similar color labels.


Plus, the price is much more reasonable. (about $18/can)
 
I recently bought a can of Trewax Clear at our ACE Hardware store for about $13. It's basically a Carnauba type wax. So far on my metal bits I like it. (I also picked up a can of Nevr-Dull Polish to clean my ways and tabletops before waxing). - Dave
 
I have a 3/4 can of JPW. However, to coat my lathe bed, BS table, and DP table, I use a product called Ballistol. Spray a light coat and polish with a dry cloth. No problems with rust.
 
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