Symox

I will take the advice of others and start with a new chain so it may be a while before I try it.

I've used White Lightning drip wax before. Loved how clean everything was but hated how quickly I had a squeaky chain - seemed like I had to reapply after every 30 mile ish ride. It was the noise that got to me and I went back to my tried and true Finish Line Dry.

It will be interesting to give this approach a try.

btw, I've tried using coffee and COVID mask filters to filter used mineral spirits. I've even did it multiple times in a row. Nothing seems to get it the liquid clear after a first use for me. Any suggestions? Seems like a waste to use it only once.

Thanks

Symox

For those of us doing touring: if you were to start your 2000 mile ride with a freshly waxed chain, what would you use to lube it every 100ish miles when it gets squeaky? I’m not trying to be snarky: if it lasts more than that let me know. I can’t see myself reimmersing the chain in wax during a tour

thanks

SoSmellyAir

Save those filters for their intended purposes. OMS can be reused multiple times. Just let the particulate matter settle and strain the liquid off the top slowly (so as not to stir up the particulates). OMS still works after it turns a bit yellowish.

In my experience, a waxed chain is good for between 200 and 300 miles, which (shamefully) covers my monthly mileage for most months.

znomit

I think you meant to ask which pannier do you put the crock pot in?

Polaris OBark

In fairness, I think this is one of the main limitations of wax.

If on-road, I would use DumondTech Lite after about the first 300 miles, and would be very careful about removing the excess.

If off-road, with a lot of grit present, I would probably try Squirt.

sean.hwy

I bought six cheap mason jars from amazon. Since I have so many jars it allows me to let the used jar settle for a week then pour most the mineral spirits through a coffee filter into another clean jar.
Not 100% clear but 1000x times better than trying to filter right after I took out the chain from the jar.

philbob57

While there's a question buried deep in the text of the OP, the title of this thread is 'Immersive waxing / it should be more popular' .That's a statement of opinion masquerading as a statement of fact. Seeing the title as a question is misreading it.

Lots of assertions surrounding a question says to me that the person wanted to voice their opinion, not get an answer to their question. I don't know what the OP thinks he did in his OP, but my bet is that a language scientist would parse it as a provocation. Which worked. I can't see much has been lost.

I've been waxing my chains for close to 40 years. I was an early user of Tri-flow, and it blackened everything that touched it. Wax is much cleaner, IMO, and I don't mind taking the chain off and soaking it in paraffin every so often. But I've tried only 3 processes - oil, Tri-flow, and wax; there are many approaches I haven't tried, and won't. I would not assert that wax is the best lubrication; I do think it's good enough.

Polaris OBark

OK, the title merely asserts waxing should be more popular.

SpedFast

This thread is lasting longer than the wax on my chain, that's for sure!

seypat

There's a canning process also involved?

terrymorse 

If the basis for "best" is minimizing power losses and maximizing chain life, wax has been shown to be the best chain lubricant.

At least in dry conditions.

If the basis is ease of use and minimizing time between applications, not so much.

Mojo31

No, but it can sometimes be jarring.

Symox

Bought all the goods and thoroughly degreased chainrings, cogs and jockey wheels (surprisingly dirty!).


I’ll report back

ordered a new SRAM chain but may try my used Shimano since I had it go through several mineral spirit and acetone soaks. I hear Shimano chains may not be great for this application due to wax not sticking.

im going to use straight Gulf canning wax btw

Polaris OBark

I've only used Shimano chains and straight Gulf canning wax. You will be fine.

Symox

awesome, ty so much for the info

SoSmellyAir

I do the same thing except (a) I use pasta sauce jars (after my wife uses the pasta sauce and I clean the jars) and (b) I only need 3 to 4 jars in rotation.

yaw

I don't do this myself because I don't tour but I heard that the Silca Super Secret drip wax is well suited to top up waxed chains as the wax base is essentially the same and dries hard (unlike Squirt/Smoove). So you could start with an immersion waxed chain and drip wax it every night and have it dry and ready in the morning. That said, you could also use Squirt/Smoove without creating problems while you are out there but I would want to strip that stuff properly before the next immersion wax. So to avoid any form of additional cleaning, that Silca wax drip should do.

As for the chains, I use coated YBN and Shimano chains, no dramas.

Symox

Haven’t ridden it yet but I found the process of cleaning/degreasing the drive train and chain a lot of work. The waxing of the chain wasn’t too bad actually but the loosening of the “frozen” waxed chain was annoying. The part that really was a pain was attaching the waxed quick link. I found I had to scrape off wax from several tight spots to get it to lock. Even then it took quite a while to get it to lock properly. I was using a KMC quick link. I tried and failed using SRAM’s quick link supplied with the chain.


I know there is a learning curve but so far I’m not impressed with the ease of the process. I learned a few tricks to speed it up next time.

im also not too impressed with the look of the furry” wax on the chain after breaking the wax free. I assume this will fall off as I ride.

my $0.02

SoSmellyAir

I clamp an old wooden broom handle in my Feedback Sports Ultralight work stand, rotate the clamp so that the broom handle is horizontal (and parallel to the ground). I drape the chain over the broom handle and drag the chain over the broom handle while holding both ends of the chain. Flip chain over and repeat.

I wax the chain with the quick link separately attached, by looping a wire (from the inside of a twist tie) around the groove near the protruding end of the pin. But next time I will just wax the chain with the quick link closed.

A little wax is not going to prevent the quick link from locking if you use this tool: Amazon.com : Super B 2-in-1 Master Link Pliers (The Trident) : Sports & Outdoors

Some fall off. Some stick to the RD pulleys but is easy to brush off if the bike is on the stand.

Symox

I actually used a park tool quick link tool and could not close them until scraping wax from the holes and crevices of the locking mechanism.

I like your idea about waxing with the quick links on the chain that might work better

phrantic09

I’ve only ever had a problem with the quick link when I was using the Silca bag in boiling water, once I switched to the crock pot method, I just hang the chains from one of the adjustment rods on my stand and break the links on the stand itself.

Polaris OBark

I've never waxed the quick-link. I just remove the wax from the ends, put the pins in a few times to push out the residual wax, and then close it with the Park tool.

procrit

Haven’t used this wax for almost two years. It’s just been sitting in the crock pot. It used to come out sorta opaque white, today it came out brown and sorta crusty… What happened?? Yes, my chain was and stripped from all grease prior to this.

cxwrench

Wow...that looks great.

Symox

what color was the wax in the pot before you put the chain in? It’s possible the wax was dirty in which case you should probably start over.

also, I think it is possible to overheat the wax. Not sure if that could cause this though.