What is cobbler's wax? Well, originally is was a special concoction formulated to coat and protect
the thread that cobbler's used. Cobblers would treat their threads with it to help it grip the leather
and to protect the thread, allowing the shoes to hold up longer.
Pipers use it to coat the first
18 inches of hemp so that it will stick to the tenon. Otherwise, untreated hemp will loosen and spin
on the tenon. This will result in a "frozen" joint and may lead to other problems. Traditionally the
only cobbler's wax available was a glob of coal tar. This stuff doesn't hold when it gets warm and breaks
up when it gets cold. It's really sort of obnoxious.
I did some research and brought certain
ingredients together to formulate my own cobbler's wax. This stuff coats easily and sticks like crazy,
even to delrin! This is a necessity for ever piper's maintenance kit! And a deal at $3.00 per puck,
eh!
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