Christine,

If the Museum Wax is the same product as that sold here in Australian then
it is just microcrystalline wax dissolved in White Spirits. It is a fairly
stable product that can later be removed by soaking in white spirits. We
use microcrystalline wax as a protective surface coating for metals, rather
than as a consolidant or adhesive. It works best if you can heat the object
to about 80 degrees celsius after coating to melt the wax & achieve better
penetration. This also allows the wax crystals to arrange themselves which
enhances the performance of the coating. For objects that can't be heated I
would suggest using a polythene wax dissolved in white spirits. This is
applied cold & buffed with a soft cloth before the solvent has completely
evaporated.

George Bailey
Objects Conservator
Australian War Memorial
Treloar Centre for Conservation
4 Callan St, Mitchell, A.C.T. 2911
Australia
Phone: +61 6 241 6122
fax:   +61 6 241 7998
email: [log in to unmask]