Author Topic: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?  (Read 938 times)

GuitarStv

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Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« on: February 14, 2024, 01:41:09 PM »
I have an old cotton jacket - heavy kind of jean material on the outside and a light fleece inner layer.  I would like it to be a little water resistant (doesn't have to be 100% waterproof).  From what I can see online, I can either try spraying it with a bunch of semi-toxic coatings that might or might not work . . . or I can try waxing it.  Never actually worn a waxed cotton jacket before . . . does it breathe ok?  This would be for fall/spring type conditions where it's kinda cold and rainy and I'm walking the dog in the morning/evening.  Anyone have experience with this, or tips for how to get a good result?

Have access to a hair dryer and a lot of stubbornness.

Luke Warm

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2024, 02:39:56 PM »
I know some cycling bags are waxed cotton and there might be a video of that somewhere since bike bag making seems to be a DIY thing.

the_hobbitish

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2024, 07:37:40 AM »
My SO swears by his waxed cotton jacket. From my observations he seems to choose the waxed cotton over his rain jacket in anything short of a downpour. He was re-waxing a newer jacket last week and used Otter Wax. I'll see if I can get him to pop in here with thoughts...

GuitarStv

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2024, 07:52:57 AM »
My SO swears by his waxed cotton jacket. From my observations he seems to choose the waxed cotton over his rain jacket in anything short of a downpour. He was re-waxing a newer jacket last week and used Otter Wax. I'll see if I can get him to pop in here with thoughts...

Nice!  Otter wax is one of the products I was looking at to do this.

uniwelder

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2024, 08:12:18 AM »
I half-ass waxed a cotton jacket 20 years ago.  I had a container of Sno-Seal, normally used to waterproof leather boots.  I spread it over my jacket, working it all around, but not so much as to completely saturate it.  Then I used a hairdryer to get it to penetrate the fibers.  It worked pretty well for light rain, if I remember correctly.  It wore off at some point, but I'm not sure when that was.  I still have the jacket, but it's definitely just like regular cotton now.

GuitarStv

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2024, 08:13:30 AM »
I half-ass waxed a cotton jacket 20 years ago.  I had a container of Sno-Seal, normally used to waterproof leather boots.  I spread it over my jacket, working it all around, but not so much as to completely saturate it.  Then I used a hairdryer to get it to penetrate the fibers.  It worked pretty well for light rain, if I remember correctly.  It wore off at some point, but I'm not sure when that was.  I still have the jacket, but it's definitely just like regular cotton now.

Does it change the look of the jacket too much?  My concern would be ruining it somehow (making it ugly enough that my wife won't let me wear it in public).

uniwelder

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2024, 08:24:54 AM »
I half-ass waxed a cotton jacket 20 years ago.  I had a container of Sno-Seal, normally used to waterproof leather boots.  I spread it over my jacket, working it all around, but not so much as to completely saturate it.  Then I used a hairdryer to get it to penetrate the fibers.  It worked pretty well for light rain, if I remember correctly.  It wore off at some point, but I'm not sure when that was.  I still have the jacket, but it's definitely just like regular cotton now.

Does it change the look of the jacket too much?  My concern would be ruining it somehow (making it ugly enough that my wife won't let me wear it in public).

It is a black heavy cotton, about as thick as denim.  It didn't change the look at all.  If I used more wax, then maybe it would, not sure. 

If you happen to have some wax or waterproofing around, just try it out on a scrap piece of fabric or rag.

Fireball

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2024, 09:47:26 AM »
I have an old cotton jacket - heavy kind of jean material on the outside and a light fleece inner layer.  I would like it to be a little water resistant (doesn't have to be 100% waterproof).  From what I can see online, I can either try spraying it with a bunch of semi-toxic coatings that might or might not work . . . or I can try waxing it.  Never actually worn a waxed cotton jacket before . . . does it breathe ok?  This would be for fall/spring type conditions where it's kinda cold and rainy and I'm walking the dog in the morning/evening.  Anyone have experience with this, or tips for how to get a good result?

Have access to a hair dryer and a lot of stubbornness.

Do not bother with the semi-toxic forever chemical coatings. They only kinda work in a very light drizzle and have to be reapplied often due to wearing of the garment. TLDR: Waste of money.

sonofsven

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2024, 11:34:25 AM »
Yes, I do this. I have worn Filson gear for many years and my jacket and pants require re-waxing.
I have tried other products and homemade mixes (melted beeswax, toilet wax ring) besides the tins of Filson wax but I have come back to using Filson wax .
I have a favorite Carhartt vest that is the tyical Carhartt cotton duck material that I also wax. I make sure it is clean-ish (never washed in a machine or even hand washed) first, and warm. Once you wax a piece of clothing you can't ever wash it with soap again. I have pants that are more than thirty years old and have never been washed. I'm most proud that they still fit. Also don't wear it in your car or you might get some wax residue on your seat.
I'll lay an old towel on my ironing board and rub in the wax in small areas, slowly covering the entire vest. Rub it in really well.
I don't use a hair dryer or anything like that, just lay it out to air dry overnight before wearing it.
The look is a little wild. It doesn't take the wax quite as well as the  Filson material, but the more you do it the better it looks, although better is a relative term. It doesn't look bad, just different, and I've actually gotten compliments on the vest because it does stand out a little.
I find it really helps keep the constant rain I'm subjected to from soaking through the shoulders, especially. It's no substitute for real rain gear, but for use in a non constant downpour it's good.
You can order Filson wax online but they charge a shipping fee. You can order it on Amazon with free shipping but they raise the price so it's the same. I buy mine locally at a work clothes store. The logging supply shop near me has stopped carrying Filson because loggers aren't really wearing it anymore, it's becoming more of a boutique brand, straying from it's roots.
One more thing, the waxed garment tends to stiffen up when cold, this is not a bad thing in the field as it tends to make it feel a bit like armour, while retaining good field of motion. Don't store it outside in the cold or it will literally stand up in the corner.

GuitarStv

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2024, 01:06:07 PM »
I have an old cotton jacket - heavy kind of jean material on the outside and a light fleece inner layer.  I would like it to be a little water resistant (doesn't have to be 100% waterproof).  From what I can see online, I can either try spraying it with a bunch of semi-toxic coatings that might or might not work . . . or I can try waxing it.  Never actually worn a waxed cotton jacket before . . . does it breathe ok?  This would be for fall/spring type conditions where it's kinda cold and rainy and I'm walking the dog in the morning/evening.  Anyone have experience with this, or tips for how to get a good result?

Have access to a hair dryer and a lot of stubbornness.

Do not bother with the semi-toxic forever chemical coatings. They only kinda work in a very light drizzle and have to be reapplied often due to wearing of the garment. TLDR: Waste of money.

Yeah, that's why I was interested in the old school waxing approach.

GuitarStv

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2024, 01:06:34 PM »
Yes, I do this. I have worn Filson gear for many years and my jacket and pants require re-waxing.
I have tried other products and homemade mixes (melted beeswax, toilet wax ring) besides the tins of Filson wax but I have come back to using Filson wax .
I have a favorite Carhartt vest that is the tyical Carhartt cotton duck material that I also wax. I make sure it is clean-ish (never washed in a machine or even hand washed) first, and warm. Once you wax a piece of clothing you can't ever wash it with soap again. I have pants that are more than thirty years old and have never been washed. I'm most proud that they still fit. Also don't wear it in your car or you might get some wax residue on your seat.
I'll lay an old towel on my ironing board and rub in the wax in small areas, slowly covering the entire vest. Rub it in really well.
I don't use a hair dryer or anything like that, just lay it out to air dry overnight before wearing it.
The look is a little wild. It doesn't take the wax quite as well as the  Filson material, but the more you do it the better it looks, although better is a relative term. It doesn't look bad, just different, and I've actually gotten compliments on the vest because it does stand out a little.
I find it really helps keep the constant rain I'm subjected to from soaking through the shoulders, especially. It's no substitute for real rain gear, but for use in a non constant downpour it's good.
You can order Filson wax online but they charge a shipping fee. You can order it on Amazon with free shipping but they raise the price so it's the same. I buy mine locally at a work clothes store. The logging supply shop near me has stopped carrying Filson because loggers aren't really wearing it anymore, it's becoming more of a boutique brand, straying from it's roots.
One more thing, the waxed garment tends to stiffen up when cold, this is not a bad thing in the field as it tends to make it feel a bit like armour, while retaining good field of motion. Don't store it outside in the cold or it will literally stand up in the corner.

Interesting!

The sticking to car seats and the like sounds annoying.  Hmm.

uniwelder

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2024, 01:29:25 PM »
Yes, I do this. I have worn Filson gear for many years and my jacket and pants require re-waxing.
I have tried other products and homemade mixes (melted beeswax, toilet wax ring) besides the tins of Filson wax but I have come back to using Filson wax .
I have a favorite Carhartt vest that is the tyical Carhartt cotton duck material that I also wax. I make sure it is clean-ish (never washed in a machine or even hand washed) first, and warm. Once you wax a piece of clothing you can't ever wash it with soap again. I have pants that are more than thirty years old and have never been washed. I'm most proud that they still fit. Also don't wear it in your car or you might get some wax residue on your seat.
I'll lay an old towel on my ironing board and rub in the wax in small areas, slowly covering the entire vest. Rub it in really well.
I don't use a hair dryer or anything like that, just lay it out to air dry overnight before wearing it.
The look is a little wild. It doesn't take the wax quite as well as the  Filson material, but the more you do it the better it looks, although better is a relative term. It doesn't look bad, just different, and I've actually gotten compliments on the vest because it does stand out a little.
I find it really helps keep the constant rain I'm subjected to from soaking through the shoulders, especially. It's no substitute for real rain gear, but for use in a non constant downpour it's good.
You can order Filson wax online but they charge a shipping fee. You can order it on Amazon with free shipping but they raise the price so it's the same. I buy mine locally at a work clothes store. The logging supply shop near me has stopped carrying Filson because loggers aren't really wearing it anymore, it's becoming more of a boutique brand, straying from it's roots.
One more thing, the waxed garment tends to stiffen up when cold, this is not a bad thing in the field as it tends to make it feel a bit like armour, while retaining good field of motion. Don't store it outside in the cold or it will literally stand up in the corner.

Interesting!

The sticking to car seats and the like sounds annoying.  Hmm.

The Sno-Seal I used didn't give it a sticky, greasy feel.  I probably didn't nearly enough on to do so.  It certainly was very sticky when first applied, but after melting with the hair dryer, it absorbed deeper into the fibers and seemed to disappear superficially. 

From Filson's website, the instructions say- "Reproof your oil finish garments as often as needed with our paraffin-based wax. Simply apply an even layer of wax over your oil finish garment then use a heat gun or blow dryer to warm the wax so it absorbs into the cloth."  If they're just laying out overnight before wearing, I imagine that's why they leave residue.

sonofsven

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Re: Anyone ever waxed a cotton jacket?
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2024, 03:45:15 PM »
Yes, I do this. I have worn Filson gear for many years and my jacket and pants require re-waxing.
I have tried other products and homemade mixes (melted beeswax, toilet wax ring) besides the tins of Filson wax but I have come back to using Filson wax .
I have a favorite Carhartt vest that is the tyical Carhartt cotton duck material that I also wax. I make sure it is clean-ish (never washed in a machine or even hand washed) first, and warm. Once you wax a piece of clothing you can't ever wash it with soap again. I have pants that are more than thirty years old and have never been washed. I'm most proud that they still fit. Also don't wear it in your car or you might get some wax residue on your seat.
I'll lay an old towel on my ironing board and rub in the wax in small areas, slowly covering the entire vest. Rub it in really well.
I don't use a hair dryer or anything like that, just lay it out to air dry overnight before wearing it.
The look is a little wild. It doesn't take the wax quite as well as the  Filson material, but the more you do it the better it looks, although better is a relative term. It doesn't look bad, just different, and I've actually gotten compliments on the vest because it does stand out a little.
I find it really helps keep the constant rain I'm subjected to from soaking through the shoulders, especially. It's no substitute for real rain gear, but for use in a non constant downpour it's good.
You can order Filson wax online but they charge a shipping fee. You can order it on Amazon with free shipping but they raise the price so it's the same. I buy mine locally at a work clothes store. The logging supply shop near me has stopped carrying Filson because loggers aren't really wearing it anymore, it's becoming more of a boutique brand, straying from it's roots.
One more thing, the waxed garment tends to stiffen up when cold, this is not a bad thing in the field as it tends to make it feel a bit like armour, while retaining good field of motion. Don't store it outside in the cold or it will literally stand up in the corner.

Interesting!

The sticking to car seats and the like sounds annoying.  Hmm.

The Sno-Seal I used didn't give it a sticky, greasy feel.  I probably didn't nearly enough on to do so.  It certainly was very sticky when first applied, but after melting with the hair dryer, it absorbed deeper into the fibers and seemed to disappear superficially. 

From Filson's website, the instructions say- "Reproof your oil finish garments as often as needed with our paraffin-based wax. Simply apply an even layer of wax over your oil finish garment then use a heat gun or blow dryer to warm the wax so it absorbs into the cloth."  If they're just laying out overnight before wearing, I imagine that's why they leave residue.
It's not really a sticky residue, but it is a wax, so there's a possibility it could transfer to the seat depending on heat, pressure, etc, especially right after you apply it.
I always take all my outerwear off before driving anyway because I tend to get dirty, lol. Even though I have fancy seat covers.
For something like my Carhartt that is a fairly open cloth material, it takes a few applications of the wax before it builds up enough to seal the fabric, spaced out over a week or two, as needed. Then I will re-coat in the fall and then again if it needs it.
My house is pretty warm because of my woodstove so leaving it out to air dry works well, but a hair dryer works, too. I've used one before. I did try using my old ski waxing iron and natural beeswax but that didn't go well. It was easier to just buy the Filson wax.
The toilet wax ring is petroleum based and it really puts an oil finish on it: works good, but it's a little too much stinky oil, and I really wouldn't wear that in the car. Maybe if you were working in the oilfields or something.
The Filson wax smells really nice and that makes me want to apply it more, clever them.