REN wax

[Spurdann]

Should I remove the oil before I rub a revolver down with ren wax? This is for a revolver that will be handled but not necessarily shot.
I have never used ren wax and am looking for suggestions.

 

[lihpster]

Yep. Wipe off the oil before applying the wax.

 

[Onomea]

Yes. Remove the oil first.

My opinion: You probably don't need to use alcohol though. Just wipe it down with a clean microfiber cloth or the like so that it is totally dry before using the wax. Use the wax sparingly. A very thin layer is what you want.

 

[lkabug]

I Rem Wax all my hand guns where appropriate. I wipe them down with alcohol prior to waxing.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I am a fan of both the Ren and Stimpy waxes.

 

[chief38]

IMO, Renwax is best used for a "display piece" and not a firearm that gets shot on any regular basis. In order for the Renwax to properly adhere and work, the oil must be completely removed. Every time you shoot the gun the gun will have to be cleaned, all traces of oil and solvents removed and then Renwax must be applied again. All I can say is that for me it is more work and energy than I am willing to do. If the gun is a shooter and not "on display", no one really sees it anyway.

I do have a can of Renwax, I think it is excellent however I only use it on items that don't get used much and get viewed and handled somewhat. If that is what you intend on using it for, it will do a good job, however if used on a gun that gets shot regularly, it doesn't make much sense to me. That said, each one of us has our own opinions, routines and methods and likes doing things in a certain manner - no real right or wrong I suppose.

 

[Imissedagain]

Naphtha is recommended prior to Birchwood Casey bluing solution.
Might be good to remove oils before RenWax.

I use RenWax for bedding revolver stocks and other stuff.
Dries quick and thin to get an accurate fit.
Testing it as a finish on laminated wood, compared to
Hope's Tung Oil and Tru-Oil.
We used only Tru-Oil back in the late '70s thru early
'80s on 1911 slabs.
Got a bit messy when we had shelves with a hundred sets drying.

The oils darken some wood and the pic shows RenWax on
one side. The other side is raw, just a quick sand to 180 grit
to test color change. Will bevel and sand in the correct direction
to 400 or finer, RenWax, then range time.

 

[Imissedagain]

Tried RenWax on European Sycamore and Anigre.
.5mm veneers with West Epoxy but wasn't thrilled.
Will try it on the whitest of whites, European Tulipier.
It's more than twice the Janka hardness, at about 2500,
compared to the other two.
These are all dyed wood.
Pic of raw Tulipier.
Will show pics of the Tulipier when finished and
some fore/aft views of the shape, as it's a bit different.

Everything deserves a name.
For my Dad and his 10th Mountain Division buddies.
First to join in '41.

"The 10th Mountain Slope, by Sergeant Violin, puts the 1911 in
your hand as it was meant to be. Wide at the top, Narrow at the
bottom, while keeping the thickness of the the wood
consistent, from plunger tube to magwell."

 

[dmar]

Yes, definitely remove oil residue before applying Ren Wax. Everyone generally loves Ren Wax on the forum, I see nothing but folks that rave about it.

I like it ok, it gives a nice appearance and some protection. But, in my experience, it's not best for long term storage as I have experienced some light surface rust on guns stored with Ren Wax. I caught it time, so no damage, but it scared me enough to not trust it. I know how to apply was, and have used Ren Wax a lot in woodworking as well. My use of Ren Wax is when I want a gun to look good presentation/pictures and not have an oil residue, and I will also continually check those guns. BTW, I've experienced light surface rust with Ballistol as well, to me that stuff is useless compared to other, better options for gun oils/cleaners.

For long term rust prevention, Rigs grease is great, never a problem with rust. I've also had great results with long-term storage, believe it or not, with Frog Lube (I only use it as a protectant on surface metal, never as a lube or cleaner…). I use use "Corrosion X" as my go-to, everyday gun cleaning and wipe down oil. Works great, and I've never had any rust. Because of the hassle of removing oil and applying the Ren Wax properly, I really don't use it much at all anymore, there's better solutions, IMO.