Wax your chain anywhere - make it yourself

[@andymapplebeck2374]

Used your wax/teflon chain recipe as you suggested and it has been brilliant. Also loved your clear, direct instructions and demonstrations......all of which has been a fine example to absolutely everybody who wants to make an instructional video, well done......

[@kevinferguson6652]

I've been using your wax recipe for years now. I got a slow cooker and ordered the wax and ptfe powder. Never looked back. I also make the liquid version after scraping some wax out of the cooker. It's awesome stuff and saves me money so I can buy more bike stuff. Thanks for the recipes and videos. Keep up the good work. I'll be watching from sunny Scotland 👀 😂

[@yru435]

I appreciate your thorough and informative videos on the chain lube topic. I had an experience recently that provided for me, and perhaps for your viewers, some pointers. I applied an expensive commercial wax lube product to my clean chain, and the lube just sat on the links with little penetration. I decided to add some solvent to the lube to give it some added fluidity. I tried a number of solvents and found that best was ACETONE. It made a nice milky sauce that was better at seeping into the pins and rollers. Here are reasons that ACETONE is better than NAPTHA (SHELLITE)... 1. ACETONE evaporates more quickly. 2. ACETONE is *far less toxic* than NAPTHA (SHELLITE).

[@oliveirataquariy]

But in my experiences, I have never seen acetone make paraffin liquid like in the video. Acetone does not alter paraffin.

[@stevenleffanue]

Acetone does not disolve paraffin wax. However, if you heat the acetone to 60degrees Celcius with paraffin flaws in it , the paraffin will particulate and be a mixture with the acetone.

[@garyaschenberger-cz2fj]

Ive been waxing my chains for about 3-4 years now and would never go back to the commercial products, cleaner longer lasting, thanks

[@damionmiller4366]

I’m sold! Thank you for making this simple, affordable, practical, and fun!!! 🤩

[@ralfhenning-venske6764]

Pope of cycling lubricant - big community contributor - Thank you, this is the missing piece in my OzCycle Chain Wax history - coming from 2019 with Petroleum - switching end of Dec 2019 to PTFE version and now a solid hack with the "on-track" version - Thanks a lot! Good to have you back chap!

[@stevenleffanue]

Improving lubricants is an ongoing process , maybe one day we will have belt drives with no lube.

[@FooFahFoeFum]

Very interesting.. Church candles and PTFE... Where do you find the PTFE in the USA??

[@FunMushizzle]

Just got a new bike, and just learning the art of waxing chains! First time around I went the commercial wax mix in a bag, pre-made. It worked fine and I'm loving how clean the chain is. Next step after finding your channel is do this myself and the save the money! Thank you!

[@kgu9870]

This diy mix is the best thing ive found for coating table saws, planers, and jointers for woodworkers out there

[@oranjid]

2-3 years later still sticking to your Method Steve and it is working well. With candles and PTFE. It was a bit of search required, but just the most simple stick candles seemed to have the best wax. Very similar to those you have there. If anyone is not sure what kind of candles to pick, do not go for tea lights, white stick candles with no coating, the cheap stuff is the best here. Still not sure if this is for everyone. But for people who like to ride 20-30.000km a year this saves big money asides of the pleasure to always have a clean drive-train. thank you Steve!

[@FooFahFoeFum]

Very interesting.. Church candles and PTFE... Where do you find the PTFE in the USA??

[@LLF1234]

@@FooFahFoeFum I think on Amazon? I could find some there, but not sure if it's the right kind of PTFE (if that even exists)

[@colincarter5266]

I love the feel and quietness of a freshly waxed chain (I use the immersion method with melted candle wax) but have been wanting good instruction on a freshen up drip application. Thanks for your clear and easy instructions. Will be trying this very soon!

[@RayStrilec]

Having used this recipe, I find that the liquid congeals in the bottle at colder temperatures. That can be a problem during the winters here in Northeast US. My solution is to put the bottle in a container with warm water, occasionally shaking it till the liquid thins and flows easily. However, when applying the warm liquid to a cold chain it causes the wax to harden on the chain, so my solution for that is to warm the chain using a hair dryer before applying the liquid. Experimenting with temperatures, you'll find you can get the wax to flow into the rollers before it sets up. The cooler temps can actually work in your favor. Thanks for all your waxing tips, Oz Cycle dude!

[@stevenleffanue]

Great input,thanx 👌. Can't imagine what it's like to be that cold , coldest we ride in here would be 6degC.

[@Up2L842moro]

Or bring the bike inside the house where it’s warm (hopefully)

[@TK-ov4hn]

Thanks for the update. You made me a believer about a year ago and I will never go back!

[@The2808erik]

Thank you. If anyone in the EU is looking for Naphta or Shellite, lighter fluid or washing benzin is the same thing.

[@crabtrap]

also known as 'panel wipe' and 'camp fuel'

[@unaluv88]

Thanks!

[@paulb9769]

Do you mean Zippo fluid?

[@jybuys]

Yes, in Dutch it's called 'wasbenzine'. You can buy it in a supermarket.

[@pradeepknal]

In Germany I found the same as "Brennspiritus". But the wax doesn't dissolve much. Wrong choice? Or does it need to be warmed a bit?

[@fernandomedeiros3393]

This is Gold! I like your recipes so much that I don't even bother waxing my chain on the pot anymore. This is all I use. Just wipe the dust off after the ride (If any), apply the lube, remove excess and you're done. I've made batches using IPA, OMS and Naphtha, all three performed flawlessly, IPA being my favorite.

[@MrAnon-2024]

I realise this was posted 5 months ago but, when you say IPA, are you referring to ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL? I have this in the garage (99.9% purity) so it would be great if I could use that as the carrier for the home made wax 👍

[@mogosialexandru36]

So....is the alchool good as a carrier? I want to make but i only have alchool

[@daniele_trioni]

​@@MrAnon-2024yeah, I think It's that!

[@MrAnon-2024]

@@daniele_trioni 👍

[@jybuys]

​@@MrAnon-2024lets ask the app Perplexity: will paraffin dissolve in isopropylalcohol? Paraffin wax does not readily dissolve in isopropyl alcohol. Here are the key points: 1. Paraffin wax is non-polar, while isopropyl alcohol is polar. As a general rule, "like dissolves like", meaning non-polar substances dissolve better in non-polar solvents[1][4]. 2. Experiments have shown that only a very small amount of paraffin wax (about 0.5 grams) will dissolve in 100 mL of boiling isopropyl alcohol. The solution becomes cloudy upon cooling[3]. 3. To effectively dissolve paraffin wax, non-polar organic solvents are required. Some options include: - Naphtha or mineral spirits[2] - Toluene or xylene[4] - Vegetable oil (for small amounts)[4] 4. In histology procedures, isopropyl alcohol is sometimes used as a dehydrating agent before paraffin embedding, but an intermediate step using a solvent like xylene is required to allow the paraffin to properly infiltrate the tissue[5]. In summary, isopropyl alcohol is not an effective solvent for paraffin wax. Non-polar solvents are much better suited for dissolving paraffin. Citations: [1] Cleaning with Organic Solvents, Part 2: Iso-Paraffins and Modified ... finishingandcoating.com/index.php/cleaning-pretreatment/1576-cleaning-with-organic-solvents-part-2-iso-paraffins-and-modified-alcohols [2] Question for you who wax your chain - Page 6 - Bike Forums www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/1191601-question-you-who-wax-your-chain-6.html [3] RE: [Histonet] Isopropyl alcohol and paraffin wax - Histosearch www.histosearch.com/histonet/Sep03A/RE.HistonetIsopropylalcoh.html [4] How to dissolve candle wax (paraffin)? - Chemistry Stack Exchange chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/17109/how-to-dissolve-candle-wax-paraffin [5] Dehydrating and embedding in paraffin www.ronaldschulte.nl/en/dehydrating-and-embedding-in-paraffin.html

[@NoKoolaidFourMe]

Converted all my bikes and the wifes bike to this. Brilliant stuff. So much cleaner to work on. Shifting is spot on. I'm rotating multiple chains. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out over time.

[@johne7100]

Pull the wick out with a pair of pliers and use a kitchen grater. I usually swap chains (one in the wax, one on the bike) at 500 km but last chain I did with the petrol/boiling water/wax/PTFE method gave me 1000 km before it got noisy. Wouldn't make a practice of it, just wanted to see. Great method, thanks!

[@ClaviculaNotoria]

The wife is angry I melted all the candles but the chain is happy, life goals met

[@stephengomme777]

Hopefully no power cuts anytime soon 😅

[@RichardsWorld]

Happy bike, happy husband.

[@michaelmerrills576]

But it was for her bike!!!

[@gunnarguggs2725]

I have been using _Acetone_ as the carrier. It is considerably *less toxic* than Shellite/Naptha and it 'dries' faster.

[@krak171]

Did it dissolve the wax fine? Mine is not dissolving with acetone and i dont have naphtha here

[@SniperSnake50BMG]

The revised version! Thanks you very much Oz!!!

[@mohamedmonem2645]

Coach , HUGE THANKS , i tried this method (naphtha) and it's very easy and very effective , it only took around 10 minutes to prepare and the result is very good , i used only naphtha and it dissolved the wax (with a bit of shaking) , applied it as you said , and a smooth ride we have , thanks a lot

[@paths.to.ponder]

Hi Oz, I did a 175km ride today with waxed chain and it was awesome. Thank you for the videos.

[@derekhobbs1102]

I'm currently on the Squirt band wagon, I just make sure I thoroughly clean new chain before first application. Current low level chain is at just over 4,000km with no noticeable wear.

[@rodionovivan]

I used your parafin-PTFE recepie for past 3 years or so in hot bath and in bottle. Perfectly happy with it.

[@RolfReiner]

Life saver!!! I ride MTB on a tiny, dusty, salty, sandy and windy island in the middle of the Atlantic. This is the solution, as it is very inconvenient and expensive to import products, particularly liquids.

[@morph__]

Been following Steve's waxing advice for the past few years and believe it has saved me at least 2 replacement chains and prabably a cassette too. This is with one batch of candle wax + ptfe brew. I'll give this liquid a try as a "touch up" when I forget to do a proper hot wax. Thanks Steve!!

[@ianwilde1800]

i was ranting on then seen your post yup you right

[@coypatton3160]

I bet you could use a mix of camping stove gas with your hot wax base to have s liquid lube.

[@FooFahFoeFum]

Very interesting.. Church candles and PTFE... Where do you find the PTFE in the USA??

[@edwiser]

Great to see people still doing this I started waxing my chains in the 80’s.

[@TikeMyson69]

You're doing something wrong. It takes only about 5 minutes for me.

[@edwiser]

@@TikeMyson69 I started waxing my chain in 1985. 😊

[@crabtrap]

@@edwiser are your palms harry yet?

[@vikingcove]

I started waxing my chain in the 70's while in high school. I have no recollection from where I got the idea. It worked great in New Jersey's cruddy winter and spring riding. I got my paraffin from huge bulk blocks left over from when we used to make sand candles.

[@bigwave_dave8468]

I was doing this in 1979 -- my neighbor was an Engineer from Hewlett Packard and an avid cyclist. He showed me how. I worked at a bike shop and we didn't have any paraffin based lubes in those days.

[@pierrex3226]

Been using your technique for years, thank you. 2 comments. 1. I use a bain marie for the hot wax bath, ie a metal container on top of boiling water. Works fine, avoids having to use a bulky appliance. Does mean I do it in my kitchen though. 2. Afaik a lot of store candles are soy wax, not paraffin. I suspect soy wax also works, but idk if that's been tested. If it doesn't say on the label, idk how you can tell.

[@FranticGuitar88]

You should mention that it is important not to get the wax anywhere near disc brakes. If a flake of wax gets on the brake pads it will wick in once heated and you'll never completely get rid of it.

[@Up2L842moro]

And then your next of kin will hear you praised for not being squeaky brakes guy at the funeral after flying off the road

[@neta1538]

so cool! thanks so much for sharing your experiences and your knowledge, greetings from frankfurt germany

[@ltu42]

My tip for this top-up lube: if the wax is not dissolving completely and the small bits of wax are clogging the nozzle, put the whole applicator bottle with the DIY lube into a cup of boiling hot water for a few minutes. The paraffin wax will dissolve into a clear solution.

[@DavidCanet]

oh really???? thank you

[@DavidCanet]

I will try with precaution not exploding

[@Suesses-Einhorn]

You are the best person for presenting this. I make 10 chains at once, clean them with car gas in a sealed container, let them sit over night, and rewash them one more time. You can reuse those 2 sealed containers and the same gas. Then i use the wax warmer for hair removal and wax all the chains. When i can hear some squeaking from the chain i put it into a old can and flush it with boiling water, put the chain out and eject the water from it and clean it with a rag. Then i rewax all 10 chains. Its very simple, you just dont want to breath those fumes, so do it outside. I use a latex glove over a working glove to handle hot stuff. And remember, gas is a fire hazard.

[@stephendenagy3396]

As a physician, I am a super concerned about your brew. The paraffin is fine. The naphtha and PTFE is not. Both are carcinogens and inhalation is bad. Skin contact…the naphtha will be instantly absorbed. So use proper rated containers (it can dissolve many plastics). Better…sorry, more expensive. Get Silca Super Secret Chain lube. 75% wax solids. But more importantly, it is WATER BASED. Takes 24 hours to dry. But has every advantage you mentioned. And it is top rated by your own Australian Zero Friction Cycling. I would say, MUCH SAFER! Otherwise I agree totally, waxing works. ZFC rated paraffin somewhat lower than the best hot waxes, but not bad. Worth hot waxing. To save money, paraffin hot wax, and use Super Secret in between. Cheers!

[@jensliebe320]

Any suggestions to substitute the naphtha and PTFE with anything else to make a safe self-made wax solution at home?

[@DusanSimonovic]

@@jensliebe320 originally OZ used Isopropyl as the medium. Is it better though? Anyway knowing that ptfe is not great or medium is also noz helping, just use gloves...

[@BigDanDCNation]

I swear I saw one of OZ's videos and he said to use paraffin oil, but I must've hallucinated that on Naptha fumes 😂. Can paraffin oil be used as the medium??

[@jybuys]

​@@BigDanDCNationmedium must evaporate easily. So the oil is no good.

[@ixb1]

I heard Silca claim that his SS blend is 80% wax,but if its true it will be paste like consistency.

[@GeneralKato]

Just the cleanliness of this method pushed me over!

[@MuckingMunt]

I have saved most of your old, original chain waxing related videos in a play-list Steve; and I think a summary like this was overdue. On each of my two main bikes I alternate two fully immersed waxed chains. On the few longer 300-400k+ (randonneuring) instances I've set out from home I've used the Isopropanol 'carry along' small bottle solution suggested from your earlier videos. I'm defintely keen to try the "no kettle" shellite approach here too. My only small critique of this video is under-playing the original conversion to a wax vs. oil/petroleum based chain routine. Things are a bit more involved for the first time proper waxing of a chain slicked in OEM/factory lube. I had tried waxing some years before first seeing your channel; and I found your emphasis on totally washing, rinsing and removing previous petroleum based lubes made all the difference. Still a fan of your approach and undermining the BS of the broader industry. Keep it up.

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes a chain must always be fully cleaned before any waxing

[@crabtrap]

Use a powered ultrasonic cleaner w degreaser solution. Will strip chain clean. They cost $60US....and have many uses

[@stevenleffanue]

Gasoline contains oil , so no.

[@stevenleffanue]

OK. If it dissolves wax and evaporates without leaving any substance it should work.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

My friend was told by Clarence Street Cyclery that it was unnecessary , casual mechanic's suggestion . I ended up sterilizing​ his chain and starting from scratch with Holy Cow . I had this in stock .@@stevenleffanue

[@ChrisLowden]

Looking forward to watching this video. Truth, I look forward to all your uploads Steve and have put into practice many of your tips. Keep up the great work, always enjoyed and rewatched!

[@aveedub7403]

I couldn't readily get hold of Naphtha, but lighter fluid, like Ronson etc seems to be a substitute, its virtually 99.9% the same.

[@damiano_damiano]

Brilliant video! Very useful... Thanks a lot

[@fabianmolyneux2308]

Steve Excellent video. Until seeing this, the whole waxing process all seemed too involved for me to head down this track. However, your very practical and simplified advice has made me reconsider it to definitely giving it a go. Again, thanks

[@mythos14]

thanks for the update. have not managed to get a solution like this, but will try again with ur added information.

[@mythos14]

i used 3/4 of an candle (45gr.), 0.75 Liters of wihte spirits, table spoon ptft. it seams a bit to heavy on wax but we will see

[@petrhanak6950]

I was wondering what this shellite is in EU. Well, it is white gas, reinigungsbenzin, or technicky benzin in Czech. Good tip from OZ!

[@mrsmradoch9584]

Taky hledám. :) Asi zkusím severochema White Spirit?

[@mrsmradoch9584]

Najdi komentář ot Eric S ... Píšou tam že použít se dá kerosene(petrolej) aceton a white spirits... Asi zkusím tu petrolej protože je nejlevnější :) u acetonu píšou že moc rychle mizi

[@jybuys]

In Dutch it is 'wasbenzine'.

[@davidmacdonald287]

Thank you for recommending Connex Chains eons ago.

[@robertculver3296]

Thanks again for great advice. I have been using the teflon /paraffin on my MTB chain for a couple of years now, it is really good as the 'dry' chain doesn't attract /hold dirt so a quick hose off at the end of a muddy ride keeps everything clean.

[@mdmattmann]

How often do you reapply ?

[@robertculver3296]

@@mdmattmann I haven't used the dissolved wax 'top up' approach, I have 4 chains that I 'rotate' on the bike about every 6-8wks (I do about 60km/wk) then every 6 months or so fire up the slow cooker and do all the chains at the same time.

[@stevenleffanue]

Every 300km for hot immersive waxing , 100km for this bottled liquid wax.

[@Unknown-jl7mg]

i really wonder how it works on muddy mtb.

[@Leo-gt1bx]

Have you tried Molybdenum sulfide?

[@ianwilde1800]

another good vid mate iv converted my bikes to wax its so much cleaner and the chain life is so much better and i live in wet region of the uk it really is best solution instead spending fortune on fancy dirty oils im still using the first lot of ptfe and wax a year later and i love it its clean my drivetrain looks butifull all nice shiny instead of horrible oily anyone looking to do this believe me i really love it and im cyclist i don't even own a car i have my 3 bikes hybrid mountain bike and road race bike

[@stevenleffanue]

Butiful 😁

[@Charl_Wait]

Still the best lubricant for your chain. My slow cooker broke, and the wax in it lasted longer than the cooker. They stole my bike last year, and yet the wax remains. 🙃

[@kousueki7024]

condolences for your stolen bike

[@danielbingham3124]

Thank you for your instruction of a cheap effective way of waxing chains. Seems like most youtubers are pushing the overhyped. expensive special waxes.

[@spektrumB]

Should I drop Squirt and use this homemade drip lube instead? Gonna made some this weekend and try it out.

[@dudeonbike800]

I understand Squirt (and Smoove) are made with slack wax so they flow as a liquid. The downside is that it never hardens like higher-grade waxes. If wax attracts dirt, it completely misses the point of waxing chains. So I just gave away my brand new bottle before I even used it. Using immersion wax now, both a candle wax with Tungsten & Molydenum Disulfide powders and Molten Speed. Just bought some food-grade wax to try that as an upgrade from the basic candle wax.

[@spektrumB]

@@dudeonbike800 I try Squirt, Effetto Mariposa Flower Power and Slica Super Secret for more than 15,000Km. Just finish a 13,000Km bikepacking trip two weeks ago. I honestly can't tell the difference in terms of how dirty the chains became, and how much they wore among the three lube. All performance very similarly.

[@BudinOnDanube]

I'm thinking of adding one more method to the above list of practical options - something like a combination between drip lube and hot waxing. It's as follows: Without removing the chain from the bike: heat the chain with a hair dryer or a heat gun (you can adjust the temperature of the air stream) and immediately afterwards (while the chain is still warm) slide the paraffin candle (or a block of cosmetic paraffin) onto the chain. The candle/block melts onto the chain itself and the paraffin wax penetrates in the same way (or even better) as the drip lube (and also similar to hot immersive waxing). What do you think of this option?

[@speckles9251]

I don't think we want, nor need to spread PTFE all over the place. I get along with my waxed chains WITHOUT that stuff just fine. Otherwise, good experimenting.

[@tcmcdcac]

Just a quick warning. I used the method and it worked perfectly - thanks! However, when applying, I stupidly splashed the shellite carrier on my old shimano dura ace C24's and disolved one of the stickers! No problem, but be careful when applying the mixture!

[@aldunne2001]

As always thanks Steve. I have been using your “recipes” for hot wax with a slow cooker for 5+ years with great success for both road and mountain biking. The only issue I have is that winters are very cold here (Canada) and I find the wax results in poor shifting when cold, say less than -10C. I can only attribute this to the wax getting too hard. Is there a way to adjust the recipes, either hot wax or drip wax that would make it softer for cold temperatures? Maybe mix the paraffin wax with paraffin oil, or thin it out with Xylene? Any thought on what experiments I can try for cold weather? Cheers!

[@stevenleffanue]

You can soften it with paraffin oil. Try half by volume , that's 50:50

[@SniperSnake50BMG]

Yeah I was thinking of that cases using liquid paraffin.

[@Eduardo1007]

How does it work for mountain biking? How often do you need to re-do the bath process?

[@stevenleffanue]

Hot wax every 300km

[@oranjid]

We do not have really cold winters, but 0 to -10C happen - depending on the mixture I started to get issues earlier. Wax does not last that long, shifting quality then decreases already after 80-120km and not the usual 450. I think it might make sense to run a winter chain - with a different mixture. My normal mix is 100% stick candles, that wax works well in most conditions, with PTFE powder. I tested mixing 30-50% of tea candles into the mix. Have to test around a bit, they seem to have a higher oil content. The "no stick" effect is slightly reduced though. But the higher oil content seems to work better in freezing temperatures. It is a bit of a compromise though and I would not want to contaminate my summer chains or wax mix with those candles, and it takes some experimenting to get the mixture just right.

[@tresorr1]

after using wax one year, 2 bikes (for citi and road bike) I noticed only one coins: in winter, when is many salt on roads, chain start rusting. So then you need to clean chain after ride in that salti conditions

[@crack0n]

for all germans its: Rohbenzin, Waschbenzin, Feuerzeugbenzin 😉

[@damienm8416]

Naphtha ist Rohbenzin was man so einfach nicht bekommen kann . Das näher gelegene wäre Wundbenzin .

[@mrsmradoch9584]

HI, I am from Czechia and wonder if it is some kind of white spirit? Severochema do these? Don't you know? :D

[@mrsmradoch9584]

Is it the one to Zippo lighters?

[@supernova1976]

This is brilliant, instead of the Teflon you can add Tungsten Disulphide, 8µm Powder , used as a dry lube

[@lilth501]

I was thinking maybe a cheese grater or a vegetable grating devices would be better than using a knife?

[@andreybatashov2183]

Particles might be too big though. knife grating produces really fine stuff

[@michahalczuk9071]

Thank you for this tip. It will be extremely easy to use, and I never wanted to submerse my chain in hot parafin because it was too complicated.

[@davidshepherd2927]

There's a much easier way to mix naphtha/camp stove fuel with paraffin. Melt the paraffin first and pour into the naphtha. This allows each to be measured by weight, to get a specific ratio of the two parts. At the right temperature, the lube will not be cloudy and has a water-like viscosity. If it's like this at room temperature, there won't be a lot of wax in the mix. I have to warm mine in hot tap water to liquify it. I also add 20-30% (of the paraffin weight) heavy gear lube. That should improve lubricity and does not attract dirt. If added to a hot wax, all it does is soften the hardened wax a bit. Acetone is far more likely to damage paint and plastics. I'll run a quick experiment, but I don't believe that it will actually dissolve paraffin, like naphtha will.

[@avvarutheja]

does acetone dissolved parafin wax? I am also interested to know

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes

[@avvarutheja]

@@stevenleffanue so do you recommend using acetone instead of naphtha to make my own wax lube?

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes you can certainly use acetone 👍

[@avvarutheja]

@@stevenleffanue Today I have cleaned my chain and tried with acetone+wax (instead of Naphtha). Acetone dissolved wax very well. No separation of wax / sedimentation after disolving with acetone. After mixing acetone & wax, got fluid which is, just like white milk. Worked very well for me.

[@holdenc1006]

Hey, greetings from Brisbane, new subscriber here, your channel is the one I’m most happy to have discovered. Also sort of a consolation to me that someone who knows what he’s doing, like yourself, still doesn’t mind using an ultegra mechanical in this day and age:)

[@PeterBollen]

Been using your immersion method for 3 years now! But I still have some old bottles of squirt left. Thinking about using that for a multi day trip. Any thoughts vs the diy solution? Thx!

[@corvus400]

Have you seen other video when he devolve Ptfe/paraffin mix shavings with some isopropyl alcohol in a small bottle. I think that would be superior to just paraffin in a bottle.

[@epacris78]

@@corvus400 Surely it is better than using Shellite too

[@ianthomas3155]

Great to see you back.

[@madpeddler8263]

I don't think he's back, someone else is responding in his absence. The video is most likely pre gone-you-know-where

[@bewster7]

Welcome back - we've missed you 👍

[@bewster7]

@@sprayaho1ic I know this - very sad, but I still need to lube my chain.

[@MuckingMunt]

Another suggestion; I use one of those free-standing common kitchen cheese graters, rather than a knife to more quickly granulate the wax from your source candles or block of wax. Just chose which side of the grater gives the finest shavings!

[@svgs650r]

Maybe you could explain the solvent switch from the original liquid paraffin to isopropyl and now to naphtha. Great instructive content by the way, it’s very much appreciated!

[@JohnnyRabbitQC]

The difference is that you don't need to heat up the mix for the wax to dissolve by using naphtha as the carrier. 🙂

[@svgs650r]

Well @@JohnnyRabbitQC there’s way more to it than that, maybe a chemist could explain

[@JohnnyRabbitQC]

@@svgs650r There surely is more to it of course! I'm no chemist, i'm a cyclist. I am actually reading some safety documentation on bicycle lubricants to know what they use for carrier. I often see heptane that is an ingredient of naphtha.

[@crabtrap]

@@svgs650r white lightning uses naptha as the carrier aswell. same for seafoam as a carrier for shale oil. naptha evaps quick and also is a hyper penetrator (used in some of the best pene oils. its also a great solvent. that is all there is to it. carries the wax and gets it in nooks then evaps, leaving wax

[@RayStrilec]

I've viewed many of your videos and they are very informative and helpful. I am a chain waxing convert, thanks to you. I have noticed that you have recommended different liquid wax mixtures, over time, using different chemical agents. Early on you recommended paraffin oil, you later explain that the oil may attract dirt but may be best in wet environments to prevent rust. In other videos you recommend using 99% isopropyl alcohol and in this video, you recommend Shelite (naphtha, here in the US). Could you explain the evolution or the benefits or detriments of the different agents? Might be the subject of a separate video.

[@stevenleffanue]

Some chemicals are not available or have different names in certain countries. For the bottled wax shellite or white spirits is best.

[@Suesses-Einhorn]

Rewaxing is also very simple on the go. You just need a ziplock bag and hot water, put the chain and some wax into the ziplock and then put it into the hot water, work it a bit and you chain is ready to go.

[@darciobraga6941]

OZ I use you was formula with PTFE. That is fantastic! About this video I have a question or observation I believe that naphtha can damage the bike paint. For that reason I’d stick with alcohol.

[@stevenleffanue]

If you spill some on your paintwork simply wipe it off with a clean rag. The natpha evaporates quickly anyhow.

[@mdegeus]

Noooo, please don't add PTFE powder. Thats so hazardous for the environment. It add really marginal gains, but the environmental impact is enormous. Please, please, please, don't suggest adding that

[@stevenleffanue]

PTFE is used extensively in cookware

[@Adanteh]

@@stevenleffanue Many companies have stopped using it due to known health concerns when it starts flaking off. In general non-stick pans with such a coating are awful. Luckily more and more people are switching to cast iron or carbon steel. Plenty of companies messed up badly with the use of PTFE and contaminated local water supplies as well.

[@donbushek733]

@@stevenleffanue that doesn’t mean its safe or the right thing to do.

[@stevenleffanue]

There are other additives you can replace ptfe with if you wish.

[@donbushek733]

@@stevenleffanue What would those alternative additives be, Mr. Oz?

[@mickp10]

Thank you, quietest chain lube I have used (haven't tried crock pot waxing). The gear changing is silky smooth. I bought my parrifan wax beads from Spotlight, then mixed it into an old Pump water bottle, as tried a large applicator bottle but it leaked when shaking it.

[@Wuschbang]

Unfortunately 1.6ym PTFE is microplastics, naphtha is carcinogenic and enviromentally hazardous and paraffin is not biodegradable, so all in all very bad for the enviroment and for yourself 😬

[@Ernie_13]

Agreed. But isn’t it same or even worse with traditional lube? Traditional lube gets washed out of chain on 1st wet ride. And lube can easier move out of chain chain to environment or on you. I guess it would be good idea if you wax, to chip run your fresh waxed chain at home to chip away and catch to cloth most of the wax that is on outter chain to prevent most of it getting to environment.

[@Wuschbang]

@@Ernie_13 my lube is biodegradable 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@Boogie_man2506]

It's still better than traditional lube as you don't have to use any chemicals to clean the chain afterwards and paraffin is still better for the environment than oil.

[@anthonywylie2036]

Exactly jonas

[@Ernie_13]

@@Wuschbang kudos to you for using biodegradable lube, but let’s be honest - there is not many of them on the market and definitely the most popular ones and ones that seem to work best as lube (according to ZFC) are not. Same case with wax. Hopefully that can change in future and wax producers can come up with bio formula (if possible). BUT until then I would still argue that non bio waxing setup is FAAAAAAAR BETTER for environment than any bio or non bio lubricant, because with any wax, you should save many many chains. And lowering the number of used chains has far more significant impact on nature than your bio-lube.

[@DavidCanet]

chains get dirt because of electrostatic when the bicycle metalic frame moves and the air charges the frame and dust sticks to the frame very little . after several hours or days the black dirt becomes visible . so the grease helps.

[@dirkgross1603]

I've been a convert for about three years now. One downside (minor) is tracking miles on 5 bikes. Not a problem on my primary bike because I keep a spreadsheet for maintenance tracking, but my wife doesn't do that so I have to guess for hers...

[@brettmclean1213]

Great new recipe. Thanks Oz

[@MountainParameters]

I got a lot of bottles of liquid paraffin years ago and have been using it as chain lube. As we ride in the winter when temps can drop to -20C, I have noticed that the small bottle I carry does freeze at temps below -5C, so I guess my next idea will be to make a more viscose 'winter mix' by adding some naptha. Also I have learned here that adding ptfe would also be a good idea.

[@MountainParameters]

@@sabertoothmeowsi I find it seems to fade away quite quickly so I keep a mister bottle of it in my bag and usually spray it on every few days I use it full strength from the bottle, at the moment with no naptha, etc. Probably next winter I'll use the naptha as this stuff can freeze, but I'll have to titrate the ratio, I'll probably start with about 25% naptha.

[@ixb1]

I tried recipe now and it looks to be good. As a solvent i use light benzine.I also tried white spirit ,but evaporation is extremely slow which is not good.

[@genixia]

I assume that the excess of shaved wax keeps the solution near saturation, and shaking the bottle simply adds the energy needed to ensure complete saturation. Have you tried making the solution with molten wax and naptha in similar ratios? I'd think that the excess wax would precipitate out as fairly fine particles. If that's the case you could simply melt the wax in jar in a warm oven (170F) before adding it to a jar containing naptha. Along those lines, you could just take clean molten wax from your hotpot next time you refill it.

[@crabtrap]

no need just shave wax into jar. then add naptha to jar and cap. it will desolve wax. then just pour jar into bottle

[@DavidSeigneur]

I just waxed my chains for two bikes using the melted wax + PFTE, and looking forward to seeing the results. I'm really interested in how this liquid wax would work for "touch up" on the chain. Wouldn't the solvent used in this recipe also dissolve the wax previously on the chain? I'm just wondering how you get ahead with this process. Thanks for any feedback!

[@stevenleffanue]

As long as the carrier evaporates fairly quickly its fine. I suggest wait 5 minutes after application before riding .

[@Kref3]

Question for the GERMAN guys around here: Is Naphta / Shellite the stuff we know as REINIGUNGSBENZIN here? And of course: Thanks Oz cycle for the content, really great.

[@jybuys]

I think so. In NL we call it 'wasbenzine'.

[@paulperry2120]

Okay I made some lube up this way. Magic mate. Best lube yet and so easy.

[@kostais]

First of all thank you very much! I tried to repeat both of your recepies of liquid wax. Of course I could not find the exact ingredients on my local market. I use: - xylol instead of xylene - kerosine instead of parafin oil - white-spirit instead of shellite These are probably not the same, but this works! The only problem is the smell of my ingredients. Do xylene and shellite have strong smell?

[@stevenleffanue]

Xylene evaporates very quickly leaving no smell. Shellite has very slight smell.

[@lukemiller1873]

Steve, you're the best mate! I've watched all your videos and have learnt so much. Thanks to you, I managed to successfully build my own bike from the frame up. I figured if I can build it, I can service it. Keep the videos coming mate!

[@troycollett8540]

He’s hardly the best

[@troycollett8540]

@Jay Toons KZbin should prob delete the channel

[@White000Crow]

I just made some paraffin/moly grease bike wax, ~ 1:1 ratio. Hopefully it will hold up a little better than just straight wax and is firm enough not to attract dust.

[@davidshepherd2927]

If the wax separates from the carrier solvent, you have the wrong solvent. Naphtha/camp stove fuel will remain mixed as a clear liquid, if there's not too much paraffin in the mixture, or the temperature too low. The two parts will not separate. If you get a paraffin and solvent mix that's white, warming the mixture should turn it into a clear liquid. If not, you have a suspension, not a mixture. That won't penetrate or lubricate as well as a true mixture. My mixture has a water-like viscosity and is completely clear when applied. When the solvent evaporates, it works like hot wax. A mixture of one part paraffin to 4-6 parts naphtha (by weight) will mix completely, but may need a temperature of at least 80F to remain clear. Lower temperatures turn the mixture into a mush. Acetone will not dissolve paraffin. The two will remain as some sort of suspension.

[@crabtrap]

very good observations. this is my first naptha/wax mix and as you stated it does appear clear. white lightning which is a similiar mix of naptha appears cloady and needs heavy shake to get milky consistancy. i normally just remove chain and hot wax in heated ultrasonic bin

[@dudeonbike800]

If you're road riding, you should be getting far more than 300km out of your waxed chain. I just finished a tandem tour of 640km that included two days riding in downpours. And this was using candle wax from the hobby store with Tungsen & Molydenum Disulfide powder additives. (No PTFE, VOCs, petroleum distillates or other forever chemicals!) Never touched my chains the whole trip. I literally did not do anything to them for the whole ride. And remember, the main chain is suffering TWICE the load and abuse of a half-bike chain. Yes, the chains were a bit noisier after the two wet days, but nothing of concern. But I resisted the urge to do a LITTLE chain upkeep the whole trip. And trust me, I'm pretty fanatic about drive train performance and cleanliness. Been riding for 51 years and have done the "chain maintenance dance" for FAR too long! Just switched to immersion wax this summer and am kicking myself for not switching decades ago!

[@nadsim154]

It looks like the tungsten is staying and protecting that chain a long time, i'm using it as a big ratio and it stay so long !

[@robertb208]

Great work as always! Thanks for sharing

[@steva_nolimits]

The Magic Wax man 💪 no1 know with ur videos how many people started to wax their chains

[@stevenleffanue]

Like any industry improvements are made over time.

[@ctawfiq]

I use squirt lube. Next time will try to make my own. Nice video, as always.

[@RonaldBeirouti]

I was wondering... ZeroFrictionCycling says that their Super Secret liquid wax and UFO wax is 80% wax and 20% carrier (water). They say that this is important because after the carrier has evaporated, this would only leave a 20% empty space for dirt and grind to enter the chain. The other dry lube such as white lightning which only have a little wax to high amount of carrier performs very poorly in their tests. They are actually some of the worse chain lubes. I was wondering if you have tried your formula with a higher proportion of wax to carrier.

[@stevenleffanue]

The bottled wax is a temporary lube until you can hot wax your chain.

[@PaulStoopNL]

Hey Steve, Thanks fou your excellent explanation of your 'wax anywhere' recipe! I have just started immersion waxing my chains and have high expectations. With the 'wax anywhere' recipe I have one problem: Shellite of nafta is called petroleum ether or ligroïne here in the Netherlads but it is hard to come by. I can mail order it (not cheap) but it is not sold off the shelf. Do you have any suggestions for another solvent? Maybe lamp oil? I read that petroleum ether / nafta / ligroïne is also used as lamp oil... Best Paul PS O sorry I just read... Shellite equivalents.... benzine ,ligroin, petroleum ether ,white gasoline. Still unsure. Benzine or gasoline is fuel for cars right? I would not use that as lamp oil as it is highly flammable. But maybe I can stull use it to solve paraffine wax?

[@nordictenor]

I have had the same problem here in Denmark, I can't find anything just like shellite. I tried acetone, which everybody says should work, but it just didn't dissolve the wax. I now use Isopropanol 99% (see other video by Steve), it has to be heated to dissolve the wax, but it works, it is easy to come by and it can be used for other purposes too.

[@jybuys]

In NL it is called 'wasbenzine'. Gewoon bij de AH :)

[@Thomas-vx8yf]

thanks for the video greetings from Greece

[@SianaGearz]

If you need an applicator bottle, you can also get a dropper bottle from a pharmacy or a vape shop.

[@PatrickLino]

Great stuff OZ!

[@pawelkarakula9010]

Is it okay to use this as only method, without hot waxing? Let's say i'm going to "pocket waxing" my chain with this mixture every 100km, like with those on the market (Momum, Pro Wax, etc).

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes you can. So relube the chain at least every 100km.

[@pawelkarakula9010]

@@stevenleffanue Fantastic. Thank You for Your work!

[@7had]

Steve have you ever tried substituting graphite for the 1:10 PTFE? I would rather not use PTFE as it is a "forever chemical".

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes graphene works but leaves dark grey marks on whatever it touches.

[@global_nomad.]

have followed this and waxed my rival axs chain for about 12 months, 10k km, still good - washed off too quickly in uk winter rain, so have been back on the smoove for the last couple of months.

[@CristianMataoanu]

Do you change the chain link often? It seems that if we were to change the link every 300km it will cost a lot more than using an off the shelf lube and changing the chain at 5000km.

[@global_nomad.]

@@CristianMataoanu i never change the chain link - never broken a chain or a link so maybe power related - if you use them carefully they should last fine

[@satpalmodinagar7172]

What we can use in place of naphtha?

[@nikolaosstavrou5327]

white candles have only some color and steatine its an fatty acid and makes the wax more white hard and it melts in higher temperature.

[@wiciman5388]

Thanx for a great video! I live in Sweden where Shellite is hard to come by. I have sourced some of your suggested alternative carrier solutions (white gasoline f ex) but I am having a hard time getting the paraffin to melt all the way. I use pellets, not shavings like in the video. Through the glass jar, I can see that the pellets start to melt but only to about 50%. I have tried adding more fluid, shaking the jar, leaving for a week but still no luck. Can I use a stand mixer to get the mix completely dissolved?

[@stevenleffanue]

Eventually the pellets will dissolve. Meantime you could make another batch with shavings instead of pellets?

[@michalsuchy8902]

Just heat it.

[@Mourad1m]

I have watched all your videos! I think they are the best on KZbin. I would like to ask you four questions: I do not have the pot you are heating the wax. 1.Can i heat it in a cooking pot? 2.Do i have to add PTFE (I can't buy it where i live). 3.Is Naphtha paraffin oil? 4.Is why don't you wax the casette? Thank You!

[@stevenleffanue]

95degrees C maximum temperature. PTFE available from Aliexpress. Naphtha is not paraffin oil. No need to lube chainrings or cassette.

[@Mourad1m]

@@stevenleffanue Thank You! But what is Shellite called in Europe?

[@galala.7618]

G"day Steve,Thanks a million for the great work ,Please I bought wax+ teflon ,as well getting the Shellite ,Please my question is I bought 5 new chains ,do I need to clean them (in Turpentine!) before waxing them? Tnx lots. Safe Travels & Happy Cycling 🙂🙂🙂

[@stevenleffanue]

Yes you will need to completely clean new chains. I recommend petrol followed by degreaser followed by isopropyl alcohol. This clean is only performed initially.

[@cyclemadkiwi]

I've been using this for the last 3 years, Road, mountain and Track! I'm a Road and Track Commissaire here in NZ and at the recent NZ Elite Road Nationals doing bike check there were a few elite riders (Pro Teams too!) using wax....I still had to have a rag for all the other "Dirty" chains lol I've still been using the IPA though, looks like the Shellite is a little easier. Along with PTFE I also use Tungsten Di-sulfide and having great results. Love your videos!

[@stevenleffanue]

Cheers 😃 . Yes wS2 is good too.

[@sandythemonk]

Thanks for sharing your routine. Does IPA dissolve wax? Also can IPA clean a new chain of the factory lube if I keep it immersed in IPA for couple of days?

[@cyclemadkiwi]

@sandythemonk no, you need to follow the Oz Cycle method, use petrol first, then degreaser and lastly IPA. IPA on its own will not remove the factory grease.

[@JeanFrancoisDesrosiers]

Careful with all and anything that is/was in contact with naphta. Mostly that paper towel you throw in the trash. It can react and ignite.

[@cycling_tour]

Very useful for making wax drip lube👍 What kind of a budget wax can be used for slow cooker? Thanks oz cycle 🙏👍👍👍

[@stevenleffanue]

Any paraffin wax like candles

[@cycling_tour]

Great! Save me 75 AUD😁 Thanks again!