# bought beeswax to use but it smells. not quite like it should?



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

The Australasian Bee Manual, by Isaac Hopkins Chapter IV:

"With the growing scarcity of beeswax during the past twenty years and the consequent increase in price, came the opportunity for the adulterator. At first the adulteration was carried on in a very clumsy style and easily detected, tallow and resin being chiefly used. But of late years the fraudulent imitation of the pure article has been so cleverly made that except by experts or by direct tests it could not be detected. 

"The usual adulterants nowadays, and which are so difficult to detect by the uninitiated, are the ordinary commercial paraffins and ceresins, and for these the simplest way of detecting them is by the alcohol test. Too much reliance, however, must not be placed in it as it is quite possible that something else might be added to make the test unreliable.

"Into a clear glass bottle pour a little clean water, then drop in a small piece of beeswax of known purity; the wax being lighter than the water, will float. Now pour in gradually pure alcohol till the wax slowly sinks to and touches the bottom, but no more. Then drop in a piece of the suspected article: if it does not sink slowly like the wax there will be every reason for believing it to be adulterated. When there is more than 5 per cent, of either of the two adulterants present the stuff will float, while the pure beeswax lies at the bottom of the liquid."

Personally I would NOT rub beeswax on the topbars. I would just leave them. The bees will do a better job of attachment without the beeswax there.


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## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

'cosmetic grade' wax has been refined. Probably heated to within an inch of it's existence.
You can obtain wax from your local beekeepers, try your local club.
To soften the wax for rubbing, heat it to about 100-110* F. Or just melt some in a clean soup can in some hot water and paint the wax onto your bars with an acid brush.


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