The Moustache

[zeus36]

For the wax, I used Col. Ichabod Conk's Mustache Wax back in the '90s during my Old West costume days. I liked the smell of the stuff... still have a jar of it.
I had a mustache like the one Kurt Russell sported in Tombstone.

[Biltmore Bob]

I don't like Conk's, no holding power whatsoever. It's more like perfumed Vasoline. I have a couple jars of Conk's that I use to experiment with. I'll add melted beeswax, and adjust the consistency till I get a wax that is stiff. If you use to much beeswax though, the wax will not be pliable and will be flaky. I have heard of a wax named "Cowboy 'Stache Wax" that is suposed to be pretty good. I have only found one place online that sells it. Buckaroo Honda. I can get a pretty good Wyatt Earp, but it takes about a year of growth. My kids cry every time I shave off my moustache.

[zeus36]

My girlfriend at the time, clapped and gave me a huge kiss (several in fact) when I finally shaved my moustache off ! She said it had been like kissing an old man, although I was in my mid-thirtys then.

[Biltmore Bob]

My oldest was about 7 when I shaved my 'stache for the first time (she's 16 now). I had a Wyatt with a Col. Sanders flava sava (spit). She screamed and runnoft crying.

[zeus36]

Try this link for some waxes:


http://www.handlebarclub.org.uk/wax/morewax.htm

[Biltmore Bob]

Thats where I read the reviews of Brother's Love. Actually ordered BL from a site called The Wisker Club. Thanks anyway.

[BellyTank]

I used to work in a Herbal Apothecary in London, a real old world place, est. 1844. I sort of remember an old moustache wax recipe-
it used Carnauba wax, beeswax and a vegetable oil, can't remember which one but all the ingredients were animal (beeswax) or vegtable, no mineral oils/petrolium jelly.
Carnauba wax has been used over the centuries in many applications and it has a certain dry gloss to it- you probably associate it with auto wax/polish but it's still used in the food industry and furniture, wood polish, etc. It also has some fixative/preservative qualities too.
I think if you toyed with proportions of yellow Beeswax, Carnauba wax and a medium weight vegetable oil, like Sweet Almond, you could get a good, useable consistency, with a little shine- adding the oil to the melted waxes to reduce the cold (cooled) viscosity/consistency. Maybe include some emulsifying wax in place of white candle wax(parrafin). Emulsifying wax IS parrafin based but it's modified and comes in flake form- used in soap making and as a smooth thickener in cosmetics- 'emulsifying' because you can blend it with water based concoctions.
The addition of essential oils can improve the shelf life(natural oils will slowly oxidise but inclusion of waxes helps) and also your hair- Rosemary is good for hair and Benzoin resinoid(classed in with essential oils/extractions/concretes and balsams for the sake of finding a source)has further preservative qualities and has a smokey vanilla-ish scent. It's good for rounding-off an essential oil perfume blend- mixing the base and top fragrant notes. It would be nice to have an 'all natural' moustache wax.
Apart from Rosemary oil, Thyme, Lemon or Bergamot, Turkish Rose and Benzoin, in appropriate quantities can make a mild appealing smell. Pure, Essential oils will always give a more subtle scent than synthetic aroma/fragrance oils. Mixtures of 'flower' oils and 'herb' oils gives a balanced, less feminine blend.

I once made some boot polish with Beeswax, veg oil and pure Pharmacy grade Turpentine... it worked.

This is the place I used to work in London-
http://www.baldwins.co.uk/
...use the search function.
-they do a lot overseas mail order, so if you need to purchase from them, it's relatively economical but you should surely be able to source what you need locally-

B
T

[Biltmore Bob]

Thanks BT. You, my good man, are a pletora of knowledge. Cheerio!

[BellyTank]

Thanks Mister.
More like a font-

B
T

[Michaelson]

This was posted at COW a month or so ago, and thought folks here would enjoy this site:

http://mustachesofthenineteenthcentury.blogspot.com/

The commentary amuses me, and while scrolling through the site, I catch myself twisting the handlbars on my own 'stache.

Anyway, not sure if this is the right place to post this, but a nice moustache would be considered an 'accouterment', kind of...sort of....

Regards! Michaelson