Best Skateboard Wax and How to Use it (skate wax recipe)

Richmond Bendu Aug 29, 2022
539 People Read
Curb wax
Table of Contents
  1. What is Skate Wax?
  2. What is Skate Wax for, and Where can you Use it?
    1. How to Apply Skateboard Waxes
  3. How to Remove Skateboard Wax
    1. Metal Edges
    2. Stone Edges
    3. Under the Board
    4. On the Trucks
  4. Best Skateboard Wax
    1. Shorty's Skate Wax
    2. Bones Skate Wax
    3. Spitfire Skateboard Curb Wax
    4. Dimebag Hardware Skateboard Wax
  5. How Much Does Skateboard Wax Cost
  6. Can you Use Candles as Skateboard Wax?
  7. How to Make Skate Wax
    1. Candles and Crayons
    2. Paraffin and Beeswax
  8. Skateboard Wax Molds
  9. Conclusion

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase. Quality comes first; this means I focus on showcasing the best products if I feel like it will make the content better. 

A saying passed down to newer generations of skaters is; Anything is skatable if you use enough wax. Skate wax can be your most important tool if you plan to street skate, it is not a necessity in a skate park, but as you get more control, you will need to apply more wax.

I always have skateboard wax with me when I skate, just in case I find a cool spot, and the only way to use it is to make it more slippery. Wax isn't for everyone, but if you are curious, this is the right post for you.

In this post, you will learn about the best skateboard waxes, how to use wax properly, and how to make homemade skate wax.

What is Skate Wax?

There are many types of wax available. For example, you can get ear wax, beeswax, and candle wax, but today we will focus on skateboard wax.

Skateboard wax is typically made from beeswax or paraffin wax, and it's the material you will see if you buy wax from popular brands. Bees naturally produce beeswax, but paraffin wax is made from coal or oil shale.

Crayons are made from paraffin, so you can melt them down to make skate wax if you have any leftovers.

What is Skate Wax for, and Where can you Use it?

Skateboard wax is used to reduce friction between your board and a surface you want to grind or slide on. The wax acts as a lubricant and makes it possible to grind on a rough surface or make an already grindable surface easier to slide on.

You won need skateboard wax unless you plan on grinding or sliding, so if you're a beginner, you won't have much use for wax. But wax can be useful if you are doing slappies or are learning how to grind. Be careful, so you don't use too much; this will make the surface very slippery, and you can easily fall off your board.

How to Apply Skateboard Waxes

Applying skateboarding wax is simple, but if you've never done it before, it is easy to use too much and makes the surface too slippery. Think of it as using deodorant, you don't need much, and you don't want it to be sticky.

I recommend starting with a small amount and applying more after testing to ensure you get the right amount.

How to Remove Skateboard Wax

Removing skateboard wax can be a hard task if too much is applied. First, use something with a flat surface to remove the top layer of the wax, then use a sponge with a rough surface scrubber. This will remove most of the wax that you have applied. Still, you need to wash the sponge occasionally to remove the wax, if you don't, it will become ineffective, or you will simply be applying wax.

Metal Edges

You don't need to apply much wax to metal edges since they are usually already slippery. Still, sometimes you will encounter metal edges that need some wax to feel good. Make sure you try to grind or slide on it without any wax to know how much you need.

Stone Edges

Some types of cut stone can be slippery, but most stone edges have a rough surface. Therefore, when prepping a stone edge, you should be generous with your wax.

Some edges aren't even skatable until you have showered them with wax. You shouldn't assume how slippery something is if you are new to skating; instead, you can test it by holding your board and sliding it on the surface you want to grind. This won't tell you much at the start, but after you get used to the feeling, you can tell what is grindable or not by using this technique. Curb wax is harder to remove, but fortunately, not many people choose to sit on them.

Under the Board

I only use skateboard wax under my deck when there are a lot of skaters skating the same obstacle as me. Not every skater is comfortable with wax, so it would be rude of me to put wax on something everyone will use; this is why I sometimes put it on the underside of my deck.

The wax will disappear faster and be less effective, but it's a good compromise that won't ruin anyone's skating session.

On the Trucks

Using skate wax on your trucks is the same concept as using it on your deck. Unfortunately, the wax disappears fast when applied to the trucks, but since you don't own the skate park, it is important to be considerate to others.

Best Skateboard Wax

There are many types of different skateboard waxes. They use the same ingredients, but how much of each can vary. The biggest difference between the brands is the size of the wax, shape, smell, color, and if it comes with a container or not.

I personally don't care much about small differences in wax, but I have listed the differences in case you care. All of the items listed are good wax for skateboards.

Shorty's Skate Wax

Curb wax

This wax works as it should and comes with a container. You can fit them in your pocket; they should last for a while.

The only downside is that some sellers don't include the box in the picture, so make sure you buy it from a trusted site to get the box.

Click here to check out the wax

Bones Skate Wax

curb wax

This is a great wax that will work for all areas; unfortunately, it doesn't come with a box, but this has never bothered me.

Click here to check out the wax

Spitfire Skateboard Curb Wax

spitfire skateboard wax

This wax works well and looks cool, but it is smaller in real life than in the picture and doesn't come with a box.

Click here to check out the wax

Dimebag Hardware Skateboard Wax

This is a solid piece of wax that will last you for a long time; my only complaint is that it doesn't come in a box you can use, but this has never bothered me.

Click here to check out the wax

How Much Does Skateboard Wax Cost

Company brand skateboard wax usually costs around $8-$20 per unit. The amount of wax is always different when you switch who you buy from, and they don't include the weight of the wax either since it is not required.

Even though they don't show how much you get, you can get a rough estimate by looking at the picture. Skate wax usually lasts for a long time, and the price isn't steep, so I would say that skate wax is pretty cheap overall.

Can you Use Candles as Skateboard Wax?

Candles are made from paraffin, but there are other ingredients you should add to make it work the best. Regular candles can be used as skateboard wax since it is better than nothing. Still, if you use candles, you might as well make melted wax and turn it into skateboard wax.

Let's look at how you can make your own skating wax.

How to Make Skate Wax

If you want to learn how to make homemade skate wax, you need to decide between two methods.

Candles and Crayons

The first one is the easiest to make at home. You need Candles and/or crayons and vegetable oil or olive oil.

Step 1: Gather supplies

Gather all leftover candles and crayons you have. If you want to make your own skate wax, you should start collecting leftovers instead of throwing them away. After you have gathered them, cut them into smaller pieces to make them melt faster, and remember to remove any paper or wicks from the candles.

Step 2: Set the oven temperature to 150 degrees

Let your oven warm up for 10 minutes. Most candle and crayon wax have a low melting point, so don't put the heat above 150 degrees to avoid burning it. Using your oven for melting wax is perfect for this method.

Step 3: Put all your pieces in an oven-safe bowl

Make sure your bowl is oven-safe and that it can hold all the wax; you don't want to spill wax in your oven.

Step 4: Add oil to the mix

Mix in one teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil. Mixing it with oil makes the wax easier to apply, but if you put too much, it will become too soft and crumbly.

Step 5: Put the bowl in the oven

You need to oven melt the wax for 10 minutes. Make sure to watch the wax to ensure that it doesn't burn. After it has melted, pour the content into a wax mold and put it in the refrigerator. If you don't have a wax mold, scroll further to see examples.

After it has cooled, take it out of the mold. Now it is ready to be used.

Paraffin and Beeswax

This one is a little more difficult to make, but it gets a better result. You will need to order both the beeswax and Paraffin and have a mold ready for when it's done.

Step 1: Gather your supplies

You need pure beeswax and paraffin for this recipe. Get a metal pot and a mold to poor the content into; if you have beeswax bars or paraffin bars, break them up to make them melt faster.

Step 2: Melt the wax in the pot

Add paraffin and beeswax into the pot, and use a 60-40 paraffin ratio to beeswax. If you use more beeswax, your skateboard wax will be too soft. Set your burner to a low to medium setting and put the pot on the stove to let the wax melt.

Step 3: Pour the wax into the mold

After your wax has completely melted, pour the wax into a mold. Let the wax cool in a refrigerator, and it is ready for use when it has cooled down.'

It is easier to make wax with the first method, but I recommend using beeswax and paraffin to make a higher-quality wax that resembles store-bought wax. You can save a lot of money if you have the energy to make it yourself.

Skateboard Wax Molds

The wax molds don't need to be anything fancy the mold in the link will work fine; you can even adjust how tall you want the piece to be by pouring more or less wax into the mold.

Click here to check out a wax mold.

Conclusion

Skateboard wax is important if you want more speed when you grind, or if you want to skate something, you cant grind without wax.

You can make your own wax easily, and by doing this, you can save money in the long run.

All the wax I have listed is of good quality, so it doesn't really matter which one you pick. However, feel free to look at more wax to see if you find something you think is cool.

I hope this post helped and that you have a nice day.

Table of Contents
  1. What is Skate Wax?
  2. What is Skate Wax for, and Where can you Use it?
    1. How to Apply Skateboard Waxes
  3. How to Remove Skateboard Wax
    1. Metal Edges
    2. Stone Edges
    3. Under the Board
    4. On the Trucks
  4. Best Skateboard Wax
    1. Shorty's Skate Wax
    2. Bones Skate Wax
    3. Spitfire Skateboard Curb Wax
    4. Dimebag Hardware Skateboard Wax
  5. How Much Does Skateboard Wax Cost
  6. Can you Use Candles as Skateboard Wax?
  7. How to Make Skate Wax
    1. Candles and Crayons
    2. Paraffin and Beeswax
  8. Skateboard Wax Molds
  9. Conclusion

Disclosure:  Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase. Quality comes first; this means I focus on showcasing the best products if I feel like it will make the content better.