SC Johnson Paste Wax

[RFGuy]

Has anyone used Trewax? It says in the description on Amazon that it's skid resistant. Not sure you want that. thoughts anyone?

This is what I was wondering as well...has ANYONE on the forum actually used Trewax and can you tell us how it compares to Johnson's paste wax? As JPG pointed out you don't want the additives for non slip that are often put into paste wax (intended for floor use). When I look online at Trewax that is all that I see are descriptions saying that it is "non slip". The SDS and MSDS sheets are worthless stating that up to 100% of the product by weight can be petroleum distillates and giving no other information. Another difference is that Johnson's paste wax uses paraffin and hydrocarbon waxes with the petroleum distillates. From the Trewax description it contains "Brazilian Carnauba wax" which is supposed to be a very hard wax (may or may not be what you want for surface protectant). Also under handling & storage Trewax is listed that you must "Keep [it] cool". Johnson's paste wax has been in my garage at all kinds of temperature extremes and I never had a can go bad. Not sure Trewax will endure in a garage shop based on the SDS...might want to keep it in the house if you purchase it.

I know the "workability" of Johnson's paste wax and what kind of finish it leaves behind. My question is what off the shelf paste wax is most comparable to it? Just Googling it....Trewax doesn't appear to be the "one" for me. Has anyone found anything closer to Johnson's paste wax for replacement?

[garys]

Read the previous posts. Some of us have been using Trewax for decades with great results.

[RFGuy]

Read the previous posts. Some of us have been using Trewax for decades with great results.

Gary,

Thanks. Sorry, I missed it. Do you keep it in a shop space where the temps fluctuate? Just wondering if it will separate or if it is just as stable as Johnson's paste wax when left in a shop that gets hot and cold.

[garys]

I have stored mine in various places. The first 10 years or so I had it, I kept it in my unheated garage. The garage temp varied between 100 degrees in Summer to 0 degrees in Winter. The last 20 years it has been in my basement workshop with almost no temperature change. The wax has never separated or melted. It is still as good as new.

[RFGuy]

Gary,

Good to know. Thanks again!

P.S. I have tried Renaissance Wax (besides Johnson's). It seemed to work well, but it is just darn expensive (comes in a ridiculously small container). Sounds like Trewax should be a good replacement. Has anyone used Minwax and had good results?

[chapmanruss]

When the subject of Johnson Paste Wax being discontinued earlier this year came up, I searched around a lot. I couldn't find any near me on the ACE website or other web searches. Eventually I found several cans on the shelf of a local hardware store that had recently opened up close to me. I bought two cans and since then I discovered the other cans have sold when I looked when I was there a couple weeks ago. Finding JPW now will likely be difficult except for paying a high price from some online auction seller which was the only place I found it online. I had called SC Johnson customer service when we were discussing this previously and was told they discontinued making their paste wax at the beginning of this year. The customer service representative I talked to did not know the reason.

As for alternatives Shopsmith has included Minwax in their Help Kit for many years now and I do have that. Shopsmith has also sold Trewax which I believe was under the Paste Wax listing in the Shop Accessories section of the catalog. That listings link, directly under Minwax, is no longer there. I have a can of Trewax too. I have not compared the use of Minwax or Trewax to JPW since I have my current can I have been using and the 2 full cans I purchased a couple months ago. Likely a lifetime supply for me. Since Shopsmith includes the Minwax in the Help Kit, I would use it as my first choice as a substitute for JPW. I think they sold Trewax mainly as a wood finishing wax. I do remember the Trewax online catalog page but not specifics on its use.

Sorry not much help on this, just my two cents worth on the subject.

[HopefulSSer]

Another SS reference to Minwax:
https://www.shopsmith.com/mediawiki/ind ... aintenance

"We recommend Johnson's paste wax or Minwax paste wax."

[RFGuy]

Russ,

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. Yeah, I was just curious what experiences others have had with different products. The "no skid" worries me about other paste waxes and perhaps Johnson's has had this all along and we didn't know. I would prefer a product that decreases the coefficient of friction on my main table, rather than makes it more sticky when I slide lumber across it. I still have about half a can of Johnson's paste wax here and will probably procure another can at an inflated price just to have it. It is just the known versus the unknown. Guess I could always make my own as well...

HopefulSSer,

Thanks for the Shopsmith reference. By the way, is this Shopsmith Wiki still being maintained? I've seen it before, but I didn't think it was being actively maintained or updated by anyone at Shopsmith any more.

[HopefulSSer]

HopefulSSer,

Thanks for the Shopsmith reference. By the way, is this Shopsmith Wiki still being maintained? I've seen it before, but I didn't think it was being actively maintained or updated by anyone at Shopsmith any more.

No idea. But I would imagine very little of the info will have changed

[jsburger]

When the subject of Johnson Paste Wax being discontinued earlier this year came up, I searched around a lot. I couldn't find any near me on the ACE website or other web searches. Eventually I found several cans on the shelf of a local hardware store that had recently opened up close to me. I bought two cans and since then I discovered the other cans have sold when I looked when I was there a couple weeks ago. Finding JPW now will likely be difficult except for paying a high price from some online auction seller which was the only place I found it online. I had called SC Johnson customer service when we were discussing this previously and was told they discontinued making their paste wax at the beginning of this year. The customer service representative I talked to did not know the reason.

As for alternatives Shopsmith has included Minwax in their Help Kit for many years now and I do have that. Shopsmith has also sold Trewax which I believe was under the Paste Wax listing in the Shop Accessories section of the catalog. That listings link, directly under Minwax, is no longer there. I have a can of Trewax too. I have not compared the use of Minwax or Trewax to JPW since I have my current can I have been using and the 2 full cans I purchased a couple months ago. Likely a lifetime supply for me. Since Shopsmith includes the Minwax in the Help Kit, I would use it as my first choice as a substitute for JPW. I think they sold Trewax mainly as a wood finishing wax. I do remember the Trewax online catalog page but not specifics on its use.

Sorry not much help on this, just my two cents worth on the subject.

As I have said in this thread and also in the other thread mentioned here, when I bought my SS 510 new in 1994 the help kit that came with it had Treewax in it. I still have just under 1/2 can left. It works just fine. As for storage, it spent the first half of its life in my unheated garage (~30° to 100+°). For the last 13 years it has been in my unheated but insulated dedicated shop (~45° to 85°). It is still the same semisoft consistency it was when I bought it.

IMO the demise of JPW is a non issue since SS has supplied Treewax or Minwax and not JPW in the help kit for MANY years now.