[Mikael Holtz Aronsson]

Hi

Do you know any good source to buy cobblers wax in UK from? I want it for tying classic north country spiders. I found one guy in US that makes a popolar wax, Bill Bailey, but I havnt found it here in Europe. Some bag pipe shops have something called cobblers wax, but is it the same kind of wax?

[danbruce]

http://www.funkyflytying.co.uk/shop/products/cobblers-wax/404/

You could try this

Dan

[Rob Brownfield]

I got some from Vienards if I remember correctly.

[Marc Fauvet]

or go see your local shoe-smith... 

[Magnus Angus]

Unlikely you'll find any in a shoe shop Marc!

I got some from the shop at The Bagpipe Centre http://www.thebagpipeshop.co.uk/
It's used by pipers to dress cord wound round chanters. The stick I got is exactly like the stuff I had years ago - dusted with chalk - wrapped in grease proof paper - very satisfying

Funkyfly tying make a good cobblers wax - decent recipe - look a bit like a sweetie but does the job
http://www.funkyflytying.co.uk/shop/products/cobblers-wax/404/

[Rob Brownfield]

Some bag pipe shops have something called cobblers wax, but is it the same kind of wax?

Ah, missed that bit...there are 2 types of "cobblers" wax used for pipes, sticky and hard. The stuff you want in made in the US (not Scotland...strange I know). A chap called Ted Anderson makes his own, it is by far the "stickiest" black wax you will find. I think his company is called Ted Andersons Pipe Supplies...or something close.

The stuff you tend to get here in the UK is much harder and not as sticky. When I am doing the drones on the pipes I have to heat the wax a little to get it to actually stick to the hemp. You may find the same with thread.

Realised, it was GAC I got mine from, not Vienards... http://www.fishingmegastore.com/-cobblers-wax~490.html
Vienards was tiers wax, not cobblers.

[Torrish]

Tom C Saville have some

[Peter McCallum]

Bagpipe centre as per Magnus's post 

[Rob Brownfield]

Bagpipe centre as per Magnus's post 

You can get locally via Scotch Corner in Turriff or Neil Selby in Peterculter.

[Magnus Angus]

That's local to you Rob - where is the OP?

[Rob Brownfield]

That's local to you Rob - where is the OP?

Europe I believe, but as we have locals buying from far affield it seemed logical to suggest places in Aberdeenshire which would also do mail order to Europe for the OP, probably at a better price than the rather commercial Bag Pipe Centre in Edinburgh.

 

[Mikael Holtz Aronsson]

Thanks for the tips! I ordered a piece from Funky yesterday. I googled it a bit and people seem to like it, and I also saw some nice pics of an olive body by Funky´s cobblers on yellow gossamer

[Marc Fauvet]

Unlikely you'll find any in a shoe shop Marc!

sorry dude, i should have written cordonnier as i found mine at the local shop in France... 

[Magnus Angus]

"...the rather commercial Bag Pipe Centre in Edinburgh"

Rob

It's in Glasgow. It's a shop, like the two local shops you mentioned? Just as the wrong Veniard wax you suggested first is only available through rather commercial shops? And just as the GAC stuff you gave a link to is from a rather commercial shop - and the block of Cobblers wax from GAC is a penny less than the stick of Thermowax from the Piping Centre.

(I happen to like the black, I like the colour it gives on threads, I feel the brown is too yellow - personal preference.)

[Marc Fauvet]

sorry dude, i should have written cordonnier as i found mine at the local shop in France... 

Magnus,
i stopped by the shop this morning, apparently they're almost exclusively using the sticky dark brown wax for repairing boots and stuff for the Foreign Legion post that's outside of town.
i guess i was lucky as the old-timer told me that otherwise he hadn't used it in 40-50 years.
cheers,
marc

[Magnus Angus]

How curious Marc. The Legion must use a traditional stitched shoe/boot? Go to a typical shoe repair shop here and they offer to cut a key and glue a shoe. None of the one's I spoke to had even heard of wax used in shoe making or repair.

So now when you see Legionnaires in the street you'll be staring at their feet?

Magnus

[Rob Brownfield]

i stopped by the shop this morning, apparently they're almost exclusively using the sticky dark brown wax for repairing boots and stuff for the Foreign Legion post that's outside of town.

He must have a good memory as the FFL stopped wearing the brown Palladium boot with replaceable soles just after Gulf War 1. (1990-91). They went onto black high legs and now use modern versions in brown by Meindl, Haix and Kestral, depending on deployment requirements (sandy/jungle/temperate).

The Palladiums fetch good money on the open market, £2-300,  if you can get your hands on some from the boot repair place!

You could be on a gold mine!!

Bloody horrible things!

[Derek Roxborough]

Make your own with beeswax and resin, about 3:1 beeswax to resin, some has a tiny bit of pitch in it, easgach 1