Originally Posted by
cyccommute
Use an organic solvent based wax or apply a water based wax at night so that it can dry overnight. That said, water based waxes offend my chemical sensibilities. First there is the water issue. Water takes more time to evaporate that the solvent used in organic solvent wax systems. But, more importantly, in order for wax to be soluble in water, it needs some very sophisticated and powerful surfactants (soap) to change it from extremely hydrophobic (water hating) to water soluble. That surfactant doesn’t go anywhere when the water evaporates. It’s still there mixed with the wax. Apply water…from rain for example…and agitation…from the chain going around…and the surfactant will reactivate and the wax will wash off.
Modern water based drip waxes aren't actually true chemical emulsions, ie. They don't use surfactants. The wax is somehow formed into tiny microscopic droplets which solidify in the carrier to form a kind of wax "dust". After application the water evaporates and the wax is held together by its own stickiness. After pressure is applied the wax squishes into a more solid form.
It's not ideal, which is why heating the chain briefly after the drip wax has had time to dry could be a good idea. It'd make the drip wax almost as good as immersion wax.