Making wax for your Native American Flute

This is how some flute makers and other wood workers make polishing compounds. Though the procedures and materials used in this video are not much different than supplies found in your kitchen, please don't attempt to make this unless you are qualified to use said materials and procedures. We cannot be responsible for injuries that may occur. If you have any questions please feel free to drop us a line using the contact form on our website at www.bluebearflutes.com and don't forget to subscribe!

[@lukehebert6207]

In response to 0:42, the only time I think "I can't believe he's telling us this" is when I'm thankful that you are so generous with your hard earned trade knowledge. Thank you for the vids :)

[@leahmondloch3794]

I'm sorry I don't get on face book, but you just never know I might just for your page. your the only one I watch, because your so honest and your not afraid to give away your flute making techs, thanks again Charlie

[@martysvideos5752]

For added safety melt the wax in a double boiler. The water insulator will prevent the wax from overheating and creating ignitable fumes

[@ajeamquaedvlieg6087]

I made a Beer fat from Sunflower oil with pure beeswax. As a disinfectant I used Tea tree oil, Lemon oil, Eucalyptus oil and Peppermint oil. To finish everything nicely a dash of Jojoba oil. Ratio 1: 2 as indicated in the video. Awakes perfectly to take care of the flute and I handle my didgeridoo myself. To use the flute from the inside, I use the mix without beeswax. THX for your information.

[@chrisosh9574]

I was going to say the secret ingredient is tea tree oil but I see you emntioned it in the comments, I like tea tree because it's anti fungal as well as anti bacterial, plus it smells good too. I use a mix of almond oil with bees wax for wooden items like plates and dishes and I have used it on my Blue Bear Flute, I hadn't thought of using an astringent but that makes really good sense.

[@sasparillooutside4047]

charlie i gota tell ya man... best teacher on the web. i been foolin around building flutes on my own hit and miss style "more miss than hit!" since ive found you ive taken my crafting to a whole new level. keep up the good work and thank you. much love bro

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks so Much Dane! That means a lot to me :)

[@Cj12sings]

Thanks Charlie, you are AWESOME beyond belief!!!!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Cj12sings Thank you.

[@ronlamarsh3792]

Thanks again for all that you post it is very valuable information that I have not seen anywhere else.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

+Ron LaMarsh Thank you Ron, I appreciate it!

[@jackreeves3001]

Thanks for sharing your talent.

[@stuartdavey]

Thanks again, Charlie! Great job showing the process and the caveats of safety. The beeswax-oil is my go-to finish for food safe items in my woodturning. Good rundown of the other oils that you've used and your opinions on them are very much appreciated. That does help. The additional oils and their purpose was a revelation to me. Again, thanks.

[@peterpeersman4931]

Stuart Davey ji

[@daviddotson6880]

Thanks Charlie for teaching.

[@dwightotto8344]

Larry, you're awesome!!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Who is Larry?

[@timothyg5293]

Another helpful bit of knowledge,thanks

[@nvdawahyaify]

I appreciate this video my friend. I find it funny that you call that a hobo cooker. It's exactly what i used for cooking when i was homeless. I also used other things, like public grills and open fires, but using the camp stove was my favorite. I also used to make my coffee in an old chilli can.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Same here my friend! And that is the reason I called a hobo cooker!

[@tomcartmill3456]

G'day Charlie and Jessie. I tried making your wax and it works great. I put too much Eucalyptus in and had add more of everything else to bring it back. Got rid of my cold at the same time. Thanks a lot. Tom

[@BlueBearFlutes]

:D

[@sweet.dreams]

a trick i learned from my grandfather, as a quick and cheap way to protect and finish wood work, is to use vasoline (petroleum oil/jelly), i use it on my flute, a small one made from red cedar, vasoline may not be all that natural but it is very safe, cheap and easy to use and obtain, i apply with my fingers and the heat from rubbing it on works it in nicely

[@buskinginstratford]

You are a great Teacher of a craft that is meant to live on and bring ,joy peace and happiness for millenniums to come, Thank You. just a hippy , lol

[@trinagray5462]

Thank You!!!

[@josieber8032]

Hi good info if u want to make it a bit safer u can put ur can in a pan of water and put it on the burner making a double boiler. I use the wax on my skin and hair too takes care of my dry hair and skin and helps to keep my hair from slipping out of the braid

[@bobbyjackson6593]

Great video ,thanks Charlie info. We all can use. Cal wild man

[@l.r.norris6519]

Around out shop we use walnut oil for wood polish, but sunflower oil would be good too.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Just have to add the tea tree oil for a preservative.

[@CalSextons]

Awesome video Charlie . . . my children and I love all your videos. I will soon be a proud owner of one of your western cedar flutes, would this flute wax be good for it also?

[@henrysscrollsawworks6367]

just a little hint you could use slow cooker or a crockpot they work great just a little slower at heating up ,,thanks for great videos an history lessons !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!seriously thanks

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Yes. We actually have been doing that for a few years now.

[@henrysscrollsawworks6367]

i just put the oil in a crockpot and the wax but i keep a check on it i baugt just a lower priced crockpot but it works

[@auburndruid1778]

Howdy doo Just a suggestion in case you didn't know is the melting of the wax. Is best done in a can that's is placed inside a pot of water. Because heating it the way u did kills the potency of the wax, burns it. Lest way is what i do for my didgeridoo mouthpieces. All the best bro...lol

[@BlueBearFlutes]

In addition to being beekeepers ourselves, I do know that all commercial beeswax sold in the United States has been heated to at least the temperature that I am using in this video. The purpose of using a double boiler is to prevent the wax from catching on fire since it has a lower flashpoint than people are accustomed to working with. Honey, on the other hand, does lose something if you heat it too much. These days, like numerous beekeepers, we heat the wax in a slowmelt crockpot. Thanks for watching!

[@slowerpicker]

Great advice and presentation. I'm going to make a little pot of your recipe for the sunflower stalk flute I recently made. Would you recommend heating the wax back to a liquid and swabbing the inside of the flute as well?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Especially with a sunflower flute it is not a bad idea. This will help seal any cracks or pores in the material. I wouldn't recommend doing it over and over again over a course of time because it will create a buildup that will change the tone of the flute. We occasionally use the liquid form on the outside of our hardwood flutes.

[@codyvanarsdel2863]

Could this mixture work with another type of wax?

[@amandasteven1400]

early in the vid' he says the ingredients are used with a grain of salt... does anyone kno how much salt to use?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

...just a grain!

[@sooth15]

Hi Charlie, I also have a background in furniture making. Quick question: Is there any specific benefit to adding the jojoba oil to the mix? It tends to be rather pricey, and I would think that the relatively small amount used would be about the same as just using an extra bit of sunflower oil. I know this is one of those recipes that you can just modify a lot and play around with, but I was curious to know what jojoba "adds" to the mix.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hey JC. Thanks for watching our channel! These days I don't use the jojoba any longer. It did add a little more "substance" to an already viscous mixture. You are absolutely right, too about modifying your recipe. In the winter we use a little less wax and a little more oil! :)

[@arnoldgenardabara3504]

Hi Charlie! Picking up a Western Cedar NAF you sent here to the Philippines. Tomorrow. But also working on some bamboo NAFs a local maker sent me as well as potentially my own creations. How long will one batch last on the shelf? Thanks! You've been amazing help thus far.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

With the appropriate amount of preservative (tea tree oil), for years!

[@arnoldgenardabara3504]

@@BlueBearFlutes Great to know! Thank you for the quick reply. Looking at the drones and the sawgrass one for my order but definitely excited about playing the western cedar. Was the first NAF I ever ordered. But found a maker here who makes great bamboo NAFs (they sound great but the finish can use improvement so I'll try my hand at redoing the finishes) and the person who sells pennywhistles and Irish flutes here recently got a shipment of Laughing Crow NAFs and I had to get one. So within a span of two weeks, the Western Cedar will be my fourth. My wallet is not too happy but my heart is. Anyway, do you think adding coffee, sunflower seeds, spices, or other natural colorants to the mixture would be a good idea if I wanted some color?

[@arnoldgenardabara3504]

@@BlueBearFlutes Oh, and the person who's now selling Laughing Crow flutes here is the person I told you about when you so graciously answered my inquiries about shipping to the Philippines before I made my order. I mentioned you and I'll be showing him the Western Cedar so he can see if he can add Blue Bear Flutes to his inventory in the future.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@arnoldgenardabara3504 Thank you my friend!

[@Bunnykisses1000]

Could you use jojoba oil as the base instead of the sunflower oil. I know from making natural body products for some years now that jojoba never goes rancid, whereas sunflower make go rancid as we dont need as much of the product as you need, obviously as we might only have one flute. Thanks!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

You can certainly use Jojoba oil.

[@jayfrz7567]

Hey Charlie you have inspired me to make my own flute I used black bamboo and it sounds great! Can I use plane old olive oil rubbed in and out to protect it? If so how often should I cure with olive oil?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hey! Yes you can use olive oil. Use it at least every other week or as needed.

[@jayfrz7567]

BlueBearFlutes thank you! I asume coconut oil as well correct?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Absolutely. I will let you know that we add the tea tree oil as an antibacterial.

[@jayfrz7567]

BlueBearFlutes yes I make my own deodorant for me and my wife. Using coconut oil, baking soda, and arrowroot powder also with few drops of tea tree oil. Make sure your family does the same. Deodorants out there kill your lymph system leading to desease.

[@williamadams8674]

great video, question, will you let us know via posting when we can buy your book? thanks, will

[@BlueBearFlutes]

William, we are working on plans this week for a video posting of the books' release. Keep watching and it should be soon.

[@williamadams8674]

Great, look forward to getting it, I have made one bamboo flute...kind of works, just does not sound very good, but on to the next one.

[@Markuz1775]

I wonder where I could buy Bees Wax arround here I could make my own flute Wax. With Eucalyptus oils, and my secret oil that I would use is a oil blend - Theives oil … How many times do you need to wax the flute in a year ? Great informative video.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Sometimes you will find beeswax in hobby stores and of course you can usually buy it directly from bee farmers. Typically, under usual use, I would recommend waxing the flute at least 4 or more times per year. It is really on a per needed basis depending on how to finish fades.

[@Markuz1775]

Ok , I just found a person that runs Beehives close to me, I will go see him and get some BeeWax to be able to make my own Flute wax. Thanks again...

[@naiman4535]

The other oils, like Clove and Eucalyptus, are not astringent - the correct word is antiseptic - killing germs.

[@jenalynnweatherall9104]

I tried this with my wife's best pot set before I herd your warning can you please send a flute and a prayer to my grave site!

[@jenalynnweatherall9104]

And I'm on my wife's account now I'm really screwed

[@BlueBearFlutes]

OH NO!

[@KitCox]

Are you saying she's faster than you running around the kitchen table??!!!

[@janicedrennen4897]

Will this also work for a pan flute?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

It certainly will. The only concern is if the Pan Flute has a lacquered finish. The oils in the wax may remove lacquer.

[@janicedrennen4897]

@@BlueBearFlutes in the paperwork that came with it said to oil it regularly. How ever oten that may be. It seems to me that what you use might be ok but not sure. Would organic coconut oil be better?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@janicedrennen4897 if you go to my channel and look at the flute care videos, I do have some information for you there. 😁

[@melvincollins5811]

Actually, jojoba is pronounced in the Spanish/Mexican way (Ho-Ho-Ba)... you should also mention that 3% of the people in this country are allergic to jojoba (I am one of the 3%)... They use the stuff for EVERYTHING (at least one "multi-level marketing" does): toothpaste, shampoo, soap, toilet cleaner, mouthwash, etc, etc, etc...

[@erobinette2359]

Could I substitute olive oil for sunflower seed oil and still get a desirable product?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

***** Absolutely!

[@erobinette2359]

Thank you for the timely response! My first flute (carved from good quality pine) is almost roughed out.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Fantastic E!

[@scottadler]

Beeswax is not Native American. The honeybee arrived with the Europeans. Is there a wax that was used by Native Americans?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hahaha, there is so much controversial history! We had bees and used honey and beeswax however European bees bred our bees out of existence. There are historical examples of Native People using bee products before Europeans came over.

[@chamelfo7049]

Sacaban del sebo Las abejas an existido en todo el mundo