Originally Posted by
cyccommute
Perhaps you should dust off that chemistry degree
Mineral oil softens the harder wax because it is the same material with a lower molecular weight. The Wax Brigade…the ones without the chemistry degrees…will probably attack you for daring to violate the sanctity of the Holy Wax with any adulterant. A soft wax like Vaseline will likely soften the wax a little too which will help with flaking.
Digressing a bit, my Elite smart trainer stopped working correctly (the resistance remained at the lowest level). Contacted Elite in Italy: they sent me a replacement circuit board and told me to use "pure industrial petroleum jelly" to lubricate the threaded rod that adjusts the position of the magnet cart
I figured they knew what they were talking about, so I searched for the industrial version. Lots of sources of 55-gallon drums. Finally ordered a couple of pint containers. It's about the same viscosity as Vaseline but has almost no odor. It became my go-to for protecting the skin on my face for riding on the coldest days.
It worked fine to free the magnet cart, though Vaseline probably would have worked just as well.
So what does the "pure" mean in "pure petroleum jelly"?