Potting

[Clint Searcy]

How do you know it's pur beeswax? Had it tested?

Nope, I'm working on the word of the manufacturer who claims it was bees wax.

Are we to assume that the bees producing this wax were drinking acid rain? The mystery deepens....

Ummm... well no. Why would we assume that?

BTW, what's the coating on the coil wire and the lead-off wires? I suspect a chemical interaction here.


I'm not entirely sure what insulation was used on the wires. If I had to guess I would suspect it to be Formvar. Can you think of an insulation that reacts so severally with bee’s wax? I would be very interested in learning more about that. But then that would not explain the corrosion all along the inside of the covers.

[David Schwab]

Are we to assume that the bees producing this wax were drinking acid rain?

Acids are a natural part of bees wax. I'd guess it helps prevent bacterial growth? If you think about what bees use wax for, that would make sense.

[Joe Gwinn]

Joe Gwinn: "So, it really is the beeswax."

How do you know it's pure beeswax? Had it tested? Are we to assume that the bees producing this wax were drinking acid rain? The mystery deepens....

No, the bees are pissing in their wax.

Seriously, beeswax contains many anti-bacterial ingredients, just as does honey.

[Ruel]

Different enough in some cases. Look Here
http://aic.stanford.edu/jaic/article...-02-003_3.html
and here
http://www.balisongcollector.com/celluloid.html
and some more
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celluloid
The effects of celluloid decomposition on metals are well known, and when you look at some of the compounds formed during decomposition, like nitric acid, it isn't hard to see how a brass cover or wiring can be eaten away. You should consider yourself lucky that the government has not seen fit to regulate old pickguards the same way it has regulated the storage of old nitrate film stock. You'd have to store all chunks of old funky binding, and pickguard in steel drums UNDER WATER!

Wow! I didn't realize balisong (Pilipino for fan knife) is now this big. A website dedicated to "balisong" collectors? Who would have thought?