Chain wax
I know this issue has been discussed recently in other threads but I just did a search on "wax" and found nothing.
Anyway, I do like hot waxing my chains because it is so clean. However, I agree with Sheldon Brown that wax is likely not as good a lubricant as liquid oil-based lubricants. I assume that the theory is that the liquified wax penetrates into the spaces between the chain plates and between the pins & rollers. When the wax cools, it solidifies providing a lubricant that dirt is unlikely to stick to.
What concerns me is that when the chain is put in tension, the extreme pressure between the pins & rollers extrudes the wax out of this space. While a liquid lube could be wicked back into the space (through capillary action or whatever), once the solid wax is expelled, there is nothing to cause it to re-enter the pin/roller space. That is why I think hot wax is inferior to liquid lube.
I looked at some old posts on T@H on home grown hot wax recipies. Most are based on about 80% parrafin with about 10% of mineral oil & 10% Vaseline. I guess this makes the parrafin "greasier".
Some other posts suggested adding 10% or so a beeswax. One poster recommended against 100% beeswax (don't know why). What is the
I then thought about toilet bowl wax rings. I don't really know what this stuff is made of but the consistency is about half way between parrafin and Vaseline. Wax rings are cheap and I decided to experiment with an old chain. I melted the wax ring in boiling water I dropped a chain in. It seemed that the melting point of the wax ring was slightly above parrafin (it barely liquified in boiling water). I pulled the chain out & let most of the excess drip off. When it cooled, the chain was well coated with the stuff & had a slightly greasy feel to it. I have not yet tried the chain on a bike. It may work better to put the wax & chain into the oven at about 250 degrees F or so to more completely melt the wax & reduce the viscosity.
Does anyone know what wax toilet bowl rings are made of? Is this a silly idea? Am I likely to defeat the purpose of hot waxing because this wax is greasier than parrafin?
Anyway, on my way home tonight, I'll likely pick up some parrafin, Vaseline & mineral oil.