OK, a lot of hits and questions on how to wax a Barbour.
You will also need a good work area with a table (that won’t be affected by wax) and a place to hang the jacket. (I use a screened in back porch with a tiled breakfast table.)
The process is the same for a sylkoil jacket.
Step one, clean the jacket. Put the jacket on a work table, and using a bowl of ice water and a sponge, wipe down the outside of the jacket. The ice water keeps the wax on the jacket hardened and helps the sponge separate the dirt out. (Don’t use soap of any kind. Don’t put the jacket in the washing machine. I'm told that would remove the wax coating permanently.)
Step two, open the tin of wax and boil it in a pot of water over a stove, until the wax is melted.
Step three, using an old cotton t-shirt, work the melted wax onto the jacket, paying particular care to the seams, pockets and edges. (This is the part that’s harder in winter because the wax keeps solidifying on you). Ideally you should keep the wax tin in the hot water while working in order to keep the wax melted.
Keep the wax away from the corduroy collar, inside of the jacket, and inside of the pockets.
Keep your actions small and controlled so as to not make a mess. Clean as you go.
Step four, once you have re-waxed all the surface, hang the jacket up and use the blow dryer to re-melt the wax on the jacket and give it an even finish. This also gives the jacket a nice shiny fresh look.
Hang the jacket and allow it dry overnight undisturbed.
Please be aware the jacket will bleed excess wax for a short while after being re-waxed. So be courteous to others in this regard. For example if a stewardess asks if she can hang up your jacket, decline, and store it in the overhead bin over your own stuff. That way you don’t get wax on somebody’s sport coat or suit jacket.
Darwin Alert- On a humorous note, I once read a post from some person claiming to have thrown their waxed Barbour in the dryer and making a tremendous mess. Don’t go there. Use a hair dryer.
Purchasing Barbour Wax Dressing- In the U.S., the easiest way to get a tin of Barbour Wax is to log onto Orvis.com , and type in “Barbour” in the search field. That will bring up a page of Barbour products which should include the wax. The official Orvis description is: “Barbour Thornproof Dressing (SI8981)” The current price is $12.00. Instructions for re-waxing the jacket are written on the can.
Ongoing Cleaning- During the winter you may want to clean your jacket. Just repeat the cleaning step with the sponge and the bowl of ice water. Afterwards, use a blow dryer to dry it and to even out the wax again. You’ll get the nice shiny gloss finish once more.
Finally a warning note, it's too late to send your jacket back to Barbour for re-waxing. If you send your Barbour back this late in the year, you probably won’t see your jacket back until summer 2008. Those guys are slow.
John P.
(For related content read September 3rd 2006 post, "The Barbour Beaufort Jacket, men's stuff part one.")
If you’re only now getting around to it, you will need to invest a little bit more time and effort into the process.
Ideally the jacket should have already been cleaned and re-waxed during a hot summer day. The hot sun and weather keeps the wax melted and hence easier to work with. In the fall or winter, the wax keeps congealing and makes the entire effort more taxing.
The supplies you will need are: a bowl of ice water, a sponge, a tin of Barbour Wax (pictured in this post), a pot of hot water to boil the Wax tin in, an old cotton t-shirt, and a hairdryer.
Ideally the jacket should have already been cleaned and re-waxed during a hot summer day. The hot sun and weather keeps the wax melted and hence easier to work with. In the fall or winter, the wax keeps congealing and makes the entire effort more taxing.
The supplies you will need are: a bowl of ice water, a sponge, a tin of Barbour Wax (pictured in this post), a pot of hot water to boil the Wax tin in, an old cotton t-shirt, and a hairdryer.
You will also need a good work area with a table (that won’t be affected by wax) and a place to hang the jacket. (I use a screened in back porch with a tiled breakfast table.)
The process is the same for a sylkoil jacket.
Step one, clean the jacket. Put the jacket on a work table, and using a bowl of ice water and a sponge, wipe down the outside of the jacket. The ice water keeps the wax on the jacket hardened and helps the sponge separate the dirt out. (Don’t use soap of any kind. Don’t put the jacket in the washing machine. I'm told that would remove the wax coating permanently.)
Step two, open the tin of wax and boil it in a pot of water over a stove, until the wax is melted.
Step three, using an old cotton t-shirt, work the melted wax onto the jacket, paying particular care to the seams, pockets and edges. (This is the part that’s harder in winter because the wax keeps solidifying on you). Ideally you should keep the wax tin in the hot water while working in order to keep the wax melted.
Keep the wax away from the corduroy collar, inside of the jacket, and inside of the pockets.
Keep your actions small and controlled so as to not make a mess. Clean as you go.
Step four, once you have re-waxed all the surface, hang the jacket up and use the blow dryer to re-melt the wax on the jacket and give it an even finish. This also gives the jacket a nice shiny fresh look.
Hang the jacket and allow it dry overnight undisturbed.
Please be aware the jacket will bleed excess wax for a short while after being re-waxed. So be courteous to others in this regard. For example if a stewardess asks if she can hang up your jacket, decline, and store it in the overhead bin over your own stuff. That way you don’t get wax on somebody’s sport coat or suit jacket.
Darwin Alert- On a humorous note, I once read a post from some person claiming to have thrown their waxed Barbour in the dryer and making a tremendous mess. Don’t go there. Use a hair dryer.
Purchasing Barbour Wax Dressing- In the U.S., the easiest way to get a tin of Barbour Wax is to log onto Orvis.com , and type in “Barbour” in the search field. That will bring up a page of Barbour products which should include the wax. The official Orvis description is: “Barbour Thornproof Dressing (SI8981)” The current price is $12.00. Instructions for re-waxing the jacket are written on the can.
Ongoing Cleaning- During the winter you may want to clean your jacket. Just repeat the cleaning step with the sponge and the bowl of ice water. Afterwards, use a blow dryer to dry it and to even out the wax again. You’ll get the nice shiny gloss finish once more.
Finally a warning note, it's too late to send your jacket back to Barbour for re-waxing. If you send your Barbour back this late in the year, you probably won’t see your jacket back until summer 2008. Those guys are slow.
John P.
(For related content read September 3rd 2006 post, "The Barbour Beaufort Jacket, men's stuff part one.")
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