At 03:14 PM 11/15/98 -0500, you wrote:
>I am  looking for information on a wax adherent that is in use in  Germany
I'm
>told.  don't know the name of the product, it is not a bleach type
chemical , it
>bonds with the gum resins and pollen particles when wax is filtered to
make an
>almost white wax.
 
>Does anyone know what is called and a source for it?
 
I tested such a product years ago. It was a heavy black soap type of
material and it worked well but it also changed the chemical makeup of the
bees wax making it into a product with no more value then petroleum wax. I
do not believe it was ever marketed to the beeswax industry or beekeeping
industry here in the US.
 
The product I tested had no name, (don't quote me) but I believe it was
supplied by Shell.
 
Most beeswax refiners have their own commercial and secret process for
bleaching wax. The safest and the one that preserves the natural quality of
the beeswax is sun bleaching. If done right you can get white wax by sun
bleaching and is possible in all areas of the world at reasonable costs.
 
The 2nd most used process at least in use at one time was bleaching using
acid and filtering using carbon or DE. Have not bothered keeping up with
all this because the price of farm beeswax does not provide for further
processing and there is good reason for this as value of bees wax to the
buyer depends on his own use and most will not buy wax that has been
altered by chemical treatments. Clean dark beeswax has the same value as
light wax but does not always bring the same price but mostly close to it
depending on the needs of the end user and volume of the wax.
 
Much of the color in farm beeswax if from processing without adequate water
to wash the honey residue from the wax that burns and discolors the wax.
Beeswax should be as free of honey as it can be before melting in clean
soft water. Water should be changed if discolered by honey remaining in the
wax. I know many a one time used Brand type melters that actually heat the
honey to melt the wax but that does not make it the best beeswax melting
process unless carefully operated so the honey does not burn and darken the
wax which really slows that system down.
 
ttul, the OLd Drone
http://beenet.com
 
 
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