Re-proofing oilskin that arrived so manky and perfumed that I...

Re-proofing oilskin that arrived so manky and perfumed that I ended up having to wash it. NEVER run oilskin through the washer unless you’re prepared to re-proof it. But, as the alternative was death by stink *shrugs* GO.

Mix and method based loosely on this: https://bushcraftoz.com/forums/showthread.php?1854-Reproofing-Oilskin - but I used about ½-2/3 the raw linseed oil and about 1/5 the turpentine, because I was going for ugly, durable, and waterproof-for-ages.

1) 25 lbs of beeswax, brought in from the cold room.
2) Sledge hammer, because cold beeswax is too bloody solid to break up otherwise.
3) Size comparison of about 4.3lbs beeswax stick in sacrificial crock pot. In the background: Raw linseed oil and turpentine. Sacrificial crock pot $1 from thrift store. Sacrificial because I’ll store the cooled mix in it for the next 10 or so coats.
4) Broken up beeswax, about ½ a stick.
5) Mix, finally melted. Old crockpot was old, and didn’t quite hit the temp I was hoping for. Room also kinda cool, so the mix cooled fast and sat on the surface until I took a heat gun to it.
6) 15 year old hat that I repaired with denim from dead construction jeans a while back, used as test for the mix.
7) Storm cape/hood. This is where I realize the mix is cooling too rapidly, and that a heat gun will be needed. Wax heavy mix like this very unfriendly to hair dryer, though I suppose if you wanted to spend a couple hours, it might work eventually.
8) Half finished coat.
9) Finished coat. Mix cool enough that it went on a bit too thick, but I’m OK with that - the extra will wear off over time, it smells good, and it’ll last and last.
10) Full shot of the coat. Don’t ask me about the hallway decor, OK?

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