Need opinions on restorations

[phonogfp]

Johnson's paste wax in the yellow can has a very long shelf life, if the can lid is tightly replaced after each opening. I've got a can of the stuff, still viable, that is at least 30 years old, "inherited" from my late father-in-law, who passed in 1986. Lord only knows how long he had had it up to then. Unless you use a lot of it, chances are that one can will last you a lifetime. BTW, look for this stuff in a traditional hardware store; that's the only place I see it for sale these days.

I can top that!

I still have a yellow can of Johnson's I used as a child to polish our rec room floor! That would make it over 50 years old now. I used it on a machine this fall and it still works great.

George P.

[DGPros]

Johnson's paste wax in the yellow can has a very long shelf life, if the can lid is tightly replaced after each opening. I've got a can of the stuff, still viable, that is at least 30 years old, "inherited" from my late father-in-law, who passed in 1986. Lord only knows how long he had had it up to then. Unless you use a lot of it, chances are that one can will last you a lifetime. BTW, look for this stuff in a traditional hardware store; that's the only place I see it for sale these days.

I can top that!

I still have a yellow can of Johnson's I used as a child to polish our rec room floor! That would make it over 50 years old now. I used it on a machine this fall and it still works great.

George P.

Hmmm. I wonder if we just found the secret ingredient to Twinkies?



disclaimer: this in NO WAY is saying to eat your Johnson's paste wax

[MidMich]

It works great on metal too, I have used it on metal parts that where missing spots of paint and had surface rust. It cleaned them up, stopped the rust , added a protective coat and looked good. I am thinking about using it on a Amberola 30 horn that has lots of surface rust.
Jeff

[Henry]

Ditto that, MidMich. When I got my XI, the winding key (a/k/a crank handle) had a moderate amount of surface rust/tarnish, which I polished off with 0000 steel wool, followed by a coat of the Johnson's. That was c. 35 years ago, and the key is still bright!

[MidMich]

SCJohnson bought us out from DOW Chemical in 1998 and I retired from them in 2011. We were told a interesting story years back, how Sam Johnson had hired a new major manager. The new guy shut down the Original Johnson Paste Wax line to save money. A soon as Sam found out, he raced right over and fired him on the spot. Sam said that Johnson wax is what made Johnson Wax and as long as he was around Johnson was going to continue making it just as the always had. As far as I know it is still the original formula. Wood , Metal, cleaner or preservative, it still works great. I use it on my saw blades and table to stop build up. And I retired out of the Handy Wrap factory in Michigan, so I am not trying to drum up business for the Wax factory in Racine.
Jeff

[MidMich]

I found this online:

SC Johnson® Paste Wax
Ingredients:
Deodorized NapthaSolubilizer. Deodorized naptha is a deodorized form of Stoddard solvent, which is sometimes called white mineral spirits. ...
Carnauba WaxFilm Former. ...
Microcrystalline WaxFilm Former. ...
ParaffinFilm Former.

Interesting, I used to use Stoddard solvent in my parts cleaner. When it became hard to get I switched over to mineral spirits. I never new they were the same? I guess this is why Johnson wax cleans so good.
Jeff

[Henry]

Very interesting posts, Jeff. Old man Johnson must have been quite the guy. Of course, you must also be aware that the Johnson Wax office building in Racine is a Frank Lloyd Wright design, and a famous one (aren't they all?).

http://www.scjohnson.com/en/company/arc ... dings.aspx