How to Use Renaissance Wax

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By geltdesigns
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Renaissance Wax is a micro-crystalline wax polish used by many museums as well as jewelers to protect the finish on precious items. In this tutorial you will learn how to use Renaissance Wax to protect the patina on your art jewelry

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Renaissance Wax
Clean dry soft rag

Step 1

Take a clean soft cotton rag, dip a corner into the container to get a small amount of wax and then smooth the rag over the surface of your finished art jewelry piece. Use the wax sparingly. A little wax will go a long way.
Step 2

Wait for a few minutes. Allow the Renaissance Wax to dry. Buff off the excess wax with a separate clean portion of your rag.
Step 3

Coat again with a small amount of wax. Continue coating and buffing the jewelry piece with the cotton rag until it has a nice sheen.
Step 4

Repeat as needed until done. Be aware that Renaissance Wax will darken your patina a bit.

Tips & Warnings

While Renaissance Wax is a bit expensive, it will last for a very long time if used properly.
Car wax is a less expensive and more durable alternative for Renaissance Wax.
Do not apply too much and be sure to wipe/buff off all the Renaissance Wax after it dries or you may be left with a white haze on your piece.
While Renaissance Wax offers some protection for your patina, no protectorate is foolproof. Both the patina and the Renaissance Wax will wear off on high spots and some color shifting might occur over time depending on what type of patina you used. Liver of sulfur is relatively stable.
In general, patinas on copper tend to be flakier, more sensitive and less durable over time (than patinas on silver or gold) even if you apply Renaissance Wax to stabilize and protect.

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