From: Rex Deaver Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 09:16:58 -0500 Subject: Beeswax and You (long, low harp content)
At 01:07 PM 5/8/99, Pat Missin wrote:
I wrote: >> >>Beeswax is considered "food grade"
Pat wrote: >To be accurate, food grade beeswax is considered food grade.
Touche :-)
Pat asked: >Were these people dragging the waxed surface backwards and forwards over >their lips?
Depends on if the efforts of the brewers/vintners were "Good to the last drop" or not :-) But seriously, yes there is typically 6-8 hours each night of drinking, punctuated by conversation, stories, songs, jokes, roughhousing, flirting, etc. but drinking recieves all due consideration :-). Got to be nearly equivalent exposure to a couple sets of harping.
And, conducting a semi-scientific thought experiment here at the keyboard, yes the same parts of the mouth (or at least the same parts of *my* mouth) that come in contact with the comb of a harp are the ones that come into contact with the waxed surfaces of a beeswax treated leather jack or wooden mug...and we are talking wax slathered on, *not* the minimalist process used to treat combs
>BTW, bee allergies >are a lot less common than allergies to the pollen that beeswax >contains.
Melting heat destroys the pollens, the "essence of bee" is harder to get rid of. If you use commercially available beeswax, i.e., already in blocks of some sort, it has already been melted at least once. You melt it again, at least once...pollen should be no issue.
>But, if waxing your harps works for you - go for it.
What?! Never! Too high maintenance, I'll stick with fossil ivory/compressed cow-dung composite...I think it produces the best tone :-)
>It's only fair to >point out that there may be a downside.
And only fair to point out real life examples that put clinically potential risks into perspective. And, in the interest of fairness, I *have* seen a few bad reactions to beeswax...but only when used in cosmetic form, i.e., sunblock or lip treatments.
- -- "Alas! all music jars when the soul's out of tune." -- Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)
