MAKING WAX SEALS

WARNING: Molten sealing wax is flammable and will stick to the skin causing a severe burn. Use Caution when melting and pouring the wax and keep young children away.

Please do not send sealed letters through the mail. The U.S. Post Office uses elaborate automatic sorting machines that will eat your seal. If you wish to mail a sealed letter, place it inside a padded mailing envelope. This will insure the survival of your seal and the US. Post Offices machines.

It is a good idea to practice the following procedures a couple of times on scrap paper before sealing anything important.

 1. Break the sealing wax into smaller pieces by placing the stick into a paper or plastic bag and hitting it with a hammer. Do this even if you're using the little sticks of sealing wax with a wick in the center, unless you like bits of burned wick and charcoal in your seals.

 2. Melt the wax in a small container over a candle or alcohol lamp. A 1/4 cup, aluminum measuring cup works well. Melt only a small amount as it will melt faster and is safer. Do not allow the wax to boil.

 3. When the wax is runny but not boiling pour an appropriate amount onto the paper and let the wax set for a few seconds. A stiffer wax makes a high seal and runnier wax makes a thin seal.

 4. Push the seal into the wax. Don't leave the seal in the wax for more than a few seconds. It is the difference in temperature between the hot wax and the cold seal that prevents the seal from sticking in the wax. If you're having trouble with the seal sticking or you're going to be making a large number of seals press the ring against an ice cube between sealing to cool the surface of the ring. Dry the ring well with a towel before making the seal. Another good way of making a number of seals is to make the seals on wax paper. After the seals have set, remove them and glue them to the document. This is also a good way to make attractively shaped seals with no danger of ruining a document by pouring out to much wax. 

 5. If some wax does become caught in the seal, soak the seal in alcohol. This will dissolve the wax. Don't attempt to dig the wax out with a metal object or try to melt out the wax. This will damage the seal or discolor the metal.