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Thread: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Hi

    I was out in the thunderstorm in Aberdeen yesterday (it was very cool ) and was wrapped up well against the elements. However after about 30 mins I noticed wet patches seeping through my (not-so) Drizabone. Meaning that it's time it was re-waxed.

    Now I've done it before using the spray on stuff but I was wondering if anyone has used this wax stuff you have to apply hot to a warm jacket and rub in? is it easy to do? Wouldn't want to make a mess of my big coat

    Anybody got any tips?
    Last edited by Beowulf; 3rd-July-2006 at 11:50 AM.

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Yeah, stick with the spray.

    The warm wax works well, but it's horribly time consuming to make sure you get the whole coat and it's a messy job.

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    hmm.. The spray on stuff was pretty messy too if I remember and didn't do a really good job. or was that just me that'd didn't do the good job?

    I get paid on Thursday (damn stupid company pay system) so I'll nip into the nearby horsey shop (sorry Equestrian) and get some stuff from there. be it spray or hot wax.

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    If you use the wax, I recommend lots of rags, or a sponge to put it on with and a hair dryer to help smooth it down. It is messy though. It is possible to get them professionally re-waxed at dry cleaners.

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by Beowulf1970
    hmm.. The spray on stuff was pretty messy too if I remember and didn't do a really good job. or was that just me that'd didn't do the good job?
    Less messy if you wait for a dry day and spray outside!

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    After a very messy and unsuccessful attempt to rewax my Barbour I bought a Gortex cagoule, that was over 20 years ago and its still waterproof

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    I thought drizabones were oiled no waxed...

    and a quick google search later - re-oiling is what the drizabone website talks about...

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    I use the wax but always get in hell of mess with it as you have to work it into all the stitching... and boy does it smell afterwards - wonder if I overwax?

    And you can kiss goodbye to wearing it in the car as the damn stuff always rubs off on to the seats.

    Despite this, my coat has lasted about 10 years.

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    It's gettng to the time of year again (I like to get it done before I NEED to get it done) when I'd like to re-waterproof my Drizabone. I typed in "Waterproofing a Drizabone" in google.. and this old thread popped up

    Quote Originally Posted by Beowulf View Post
    after about 30 mins I noticed wet patches seeping through my (not-so) Drizabone. Meaning that it's time it was re-waxed.

    Now I've done it before using the spray on stuff but I was wondering if anyone has used this wax stuff you have to apply hot to a warm jacket and rub in? is it easy to do??
    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander View Post
    I thought drizabones were oiled not waxed...
    I used this stuff previously.. Driza-Bone Wax Garment Dressing

    and it worked well but OH boy was it a tough job. I followed RK's advice and rubbed it in (I actually used a small brush) and followed up with a hair dryer to smooth it out.

    However, now I'm down in London and have access to lots of cool services I didn't have in Aberdeen I was wondering if I could spare myself (and More importantly Twirly) the mess and smell and get someone in London to do it for me? And hopefully not at an extortionate price. I could actually do with the coat getting the "once over" .. getting seams checked. etc. I know I can send my coat to Oz to get this done.. but that's madness (a) it'd take AGES and (b) The postage to/from Oz for such a heavy item is prohibative.

    Anyone down here used a company for this?

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by Beowulf View Post
    I used this stuff previously.. Driza-Bone Wax Garment Dressing

    and it worked well but OH boy was it a tough job. I followed RK's advice and rubbed it in (I actually used a small brush) and followed up with a hair dryer to smooth it out.

    However, now I'm down in London and have access to lots of cool services I didn't have in Aberdeen I was wondering if I could spare myself (and More importantly Twirly) the mess and smell and get someone in London to do it for me? And hopefully not at an extortionate price. I could actually do with the coat getting the "once over" .. getting seams checked. etc. I know I can send my coat to Oz to get this done.. but that's madness (a) it'd take AGES and (b) The postage to/from Oz for such a heavy item is prohibative.

    Anyone down here used a company for this?
    Couldn't you get the butler to do it?

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by Beowulf View Post
    However, now I'm down in London and have access to lots of cool services I?
    try googeling "personal services waxing"

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove View Post
    try googeling "personal services waxing"

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Here is one for you...

    Wax Jacket Cleaning

    They are in Belsize park, opposite the tube station

    They offer a clean and re-wax for 45 notes.

    I am sure there are other places as well (closer to you than Oz )

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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove View Post
    After a very messy and unsuccessful attempt to rewax my Barbour I bought a Gortex cagoule, that was over 20 years ago and its still waterproof
    I used to wear Barbour jackets too. The re-waxing was never completely successful - especially in the groin area

    For many years I've been wearing Gore-tex waterproofs when sailing. It has always kept me dry and has been easy to wash and tumble dry. I think that wearing waxed or oiled cotton is more about fashion than function - it's not even cheaper

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    Lightbulb Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander View Post
    I thought drizabones were oiled no waxed...

    and a quick google search later - re-oiling is what the drizabone website talks about...
    I was confused by the same thing, so I did a bunch of research.

    While they're called "oilskin" coats, it's a misnomer nowadays. The concept originally was to treat heavy canvas with linseed oil, making it waterproof. However, after WWI, linseed oil was replaced by paraffin wax for a number of reasons.

    First, linseed oil discolors over time, turning yellow. Second, the oil also becomes stiff over time, making the garment harder to wear. And third, linseed oil prevents the garment from breathing, allowing condensation (from perspiration) to build up inside the coat, promoting mildew and shortening the life of the garment.

    Paraffin wax doesn't have these problems, and is therefore preferable.

    So, even though Driza-Bone and Kakadu make "oilskin" coats, they're really impregnated with wax, as is noted on Driza-Bone's website. (I would provide a link, but the forum doesn't allow me to. Thanks, spammers, for making life difficult for everyone.)

    Since this thread has been so helpful, I wanted to provide my experience on re-proofing my Driza-Bone, so others can learn from my steps.

    I have had my Driza-Bone duster for 9 years, but it had gotten smelly and needed re-proofing. So I cleaned the outside and hung it outside to air out during the day for several days.

    Then, I bought a canister of paraffin wax (all brands are really the same and I was able to find a 200g can of Kakadu-branded wax) and used a cheap paintbrush to apply the wax.

    I put a bowl of water on my stove and let the water boil, placing the canister in the bowl once the water had become warm. I hung the coat outside and, when the wax was liquid, I quickly brushed it on in as thin of coats as I could.

    However, never having done this before, I was appalled at how my coat was looking. It appeared to have been attacked by a candle and it wasn't getting any better. But I continued to brush on the wax, hoping it was dry in a better way.

    I had to re-heat the canister frequently, but eventually got the entire coat waxed. It wasn't nearly as messy as I'd been warned, but I'm glad I did it outside on a warm day.

    Once the wax was applied, I let the coat hang inside for a few weeks, wondering how to make my coat look new again. I was afraid I had either ruined the coat (not knowing that that "oilskin" is just an antiquated term) and that I was going to have to ship the coat to Australia for re-proofing, an expensive and time-consuming proposition.

    Yesterday, after finding this thread and having wondered for weeks if I'd just destroyed my oilskin coat with wax, I used several clean rags to finish the job.

    I ran a rag under very hot water, wrung it out, and then methodically worked the wax into the garment. I had to run the rag under the hot water very frequently, as it would cool quite fast, but after about an hour (and 4 rags), I'd done the entire coat and it looks as good as new!

    I also tried the hair dryer method, as was suggested, but my hair dryer didn't seem to get warm enough to do much good. Perhaps next time I'll try my heat gun. But I think the hot, wet rags really did the trick, so I'll do that on my Kakadu oilskin coat next.

    I hope this helps everyone else who is baffled by the terms and process.

    Jory
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    Re: Rewaxing / waterproofing a Drizabone??

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post
    I used to wear Barbour jackets too. The re-waxing was never completely successful - especially in the groin area

    For many years I've been wearing Gore-tex waterproofs when sailing. It has always kept me dry and has been easy to wash and tumble dry. I think that wearing waxed or oiled cotton is more about fashion than function - it's not even cheaper
    I think there's a degree of truth that oilskin coats have a certain appeal due to the fashion, however, I've owned Gore-Tex coats, too, and they offer different usefulness.

    I've had oilskin coats for 9 years, originally purchasing one because I liked the way it looked. However, it quickly became apparent that it was a spectacularly useful purchase, especially when coupled with a good hat.

    I now own two oilskin coats, both of which I love. One is a Driza-Bone and is a good ol' heavy canvas coat that can handle pretty much any storm. The other is a Kakadu, which is made of a lighter-weight cotton material. The Kakadu needed re-proofing after the 2nd year of use, while the Driza-Bone didn't need re-proofing for 8 years. However, the Kakadu weighs about half what the Driza-Bone does. So, they both are great to have around.

    For the past year, both of my coats have needed re-proofing and I couldn't find anyone who would do it for me, nor was I finding useful instructions on how to do it myself.

    As I just posted, I finally succeeded in re-proofing my Driza-Bone coat and it couldn't be a moment too soon. We had a big rain storm this weekend, which is going to continue through much of this week. And, of course, winter is just getting started, so there's lots of rain to go. And having no car, I've been dreading setting foot out of the house without one of my oilskins.

    Before I finished re-proofing my coat, I did go out in my Gore-Tex rain shell. But, while my torso remained dry, my jeans were soaked. I don't really want to have to wear a rain slicker over my pants when I'm just walking around town, so an oilskin coat is truly essential to me.

    I honestly don't remember what I did before owning one. And now that I've got one usable again, I'm really ready for the winter.

    On top of all that, my Driza-Bone coat should last the rest of my life. It's incredibly durable, and if I have to re-proof it twice a decade, that's $15 in wax each time, and about 2-4 hours of effort. That definitely makes it worth the $150 I spent on the coat in the first place.
    Last edited by jory; 2nd-November-2008 at 08:24 PM. Reason: grammar correction

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