Check it out:
http://www.curiousgood.com/?page_id=64
http://www.curiousgood.com/?page_id=64
New tutorial up: making faux wax seals
- Thread starter juno
- Start date
You get more control with the hot melt glue gun. Even when I use real wax I use a hot melt gun to apply it.
With the tutorial I'm assuming you don't have sticks of wax lying around. Candle wax is unusable for seals -- hot melt wax / glue can even go through the mail without cracking or breaking.
With the tutorial I'm assuming you don't have sticks of wax lying around. Candle wax is unusable for seals -- hot melt wax / glue can even go through the mail without cracking or breaking.
dualedge
Sr Member
<div class='quotetop'>(juno @ Oct 6 2006, 02:18 PM) [snapback]1333220[/snapback]</div>
Ah, that's the logo I made.
I always liked that design. Works good as a seal too.
That's a really cool technique. I've tried doing stuff with wax and it can be a real pain in the a$$ to get it to look good consistently.
Ah, that's the logo I made.
I always liked that design. Works good as a seal too.That's a really cool technique. I've tried doing stuff with wax and it can be a real pain in the a$$ to get it to look good consistently.
franz bolo
Sr Member
Cool.. I guess it doesn't crack or melt like wax either.
FB
FB
fuzzylover
Well-Known Member
God how I LOVE the creative sharing here. Neat tutorial.
<div class='quotetop'>(juno @ Oct 6 2006, 02:18 PM) [snapback]1333220[/snapback]</div>
But isn't that's how they used to do it in ye olden days? Is modern wax a different consistency or something?
(In case it isn't clear, I'm not being critical, just wanna know more. )
But isn't that's how they used to do it in ye olden days? Is modern wax a different consistency or something?
(In case it isn't clear, I'm not being critical, just wanna know more.
)
(Treadwell: I had the same questions when I first started playing with seals, so no offense taken.)
The real wax is a bit flexible, but it can crack in half if it's handled roughly. (I'm sure the ye old stuff had the same problem.) The glue and the faux wax are super flexible so they completely survive.
Sealing wax is of a different consistency than candle wax -- I've often toyed with using crayons. It's definitely not going to melt easily. Problem is, without something like a glue gun, the wax has a tendency to scorch or worse, with the candle stick wax (sealing wax sticks with wick in the center of them) the wick will sometimes drop into the seal. When I first started doing seals I used the traditional wax and had about 1 in 5 seals fail to look good. With glue gun wax I have almost 100% success.
I recently had to seal 150 wedding invites and used the glue gun wax for it. The faux wax cools faster too, so you don't have to lay it on the ice pack. It really made it a breeze. My only complaint is that because of its flexibility it's often better to open the sealed letter using a letter opener rather than breaking the seal.
Another fun trick (if you are using the already colored faux wax) is to open the envelope and lay the flap on the parchment and seal on just the triangular flap (with the rest of the wax / glue being on the parchment). I do my Howler this way, and you can open and close the envelope without destroying the flap.
The real wax is a bit flexible, but it can crack in half if it's handled roughly. (I'm sure the ye old stuff had the same problem.) The glue and the faux wax are super flexible so they completely survive.
Sealing wax is of a different consistency than candle wax -- I've often toyed with using crayons. It's definitely not going to melt easily. Problem is, without something like a glue gun, the wax has a tendency to scorch or worse, with the candle stick wax (sealing wax sticks with wick in the center of them) the wick will sometimes drop into the seal. When I first started doing seals I used the traditional wax and had about 1 in 5 seals fail to look good. With glue gun wax I have almost 100% success.
I recently had to seal 150 wedding invites and used the glue gun wax for it. The faux wax cools faster too, so you don't have to lay it on the ice pack. It really made it a breeze. My only complaint is that because of its flexibility it's often better to open the sealed letter using a letter opener rather than breaking the seal.
Another fun trick (if you are using the already colored faux wax) is to open the envelope and lay the flap on the parchment and seal on just the triangular flap (with the rest of the wax / glue being on the parchment). I do my Howler this way, and you can open and close the envelope without destroying the flap.
Mike Rush
Well-Known Member
Hot glue... that is darned clever and really looks the part. :thumbsup
Not wishing to hijack, but I wonder if you saw the Phantom of the Opera (2004)? At one point the Phantom seals a letter with a brass 'skull' seal. He doesn't hold it on the wax for very long, and when he removes it it's a bit of a sticky mess. Whenever I see that I think "they should have chilled the seal beforehand". I'm just curious, do you think that would have helped? Or would you have hidden an icepack under the letter..?
Pretty trivial, I know. :rolleyes
Not wishing to hijack, but I wonder if you saw the Phantom of the Opera (2004)? At one point the Phantom seals a letter with a brass 'skull' seal. He doesn't hold it on the wax for very long, and when he removes it it's a bit of a sticky mess. Whenever I see that I think "they should have chilled the seal beforehand". I'm just curious, do you think that would have helped? Or would you have hidden an icepack under the letter..?
Pretty trivial, I know. :rolleyes
