Before there were synthetic fabrics, before Gore-Tex and “weatherproof breathability," there was thick cotton and a can of wax. Early sailors realized that wet sails caught the wind better than dry sails, but wet sails were too heavy and slowed the ships down. The solution was rubbing oil into the sailcloths, making them more efficient and also water repellent so they stayed light in the rain. The sailors started cutting jackets out of the oiled sailcloth for themselves, wearing early editions of the rain jacket, but these primitive designs, made with linseed oil, became stiff in the cold and faded in color. Then, in the early 20th century, manufacturers developed a process for impregnating cotton with paraffin wax. The new material made for flexible, warm, durable and waterproof clothing that was quickly adopted by soldiers, outdoorsmen and sailors.
Since then a slew of synthetic, breathable and waterproof fabrics have been developed — and used in those lightweight North Face jackets everybody wears. But a few companies have stuck with waxed cotton, which remains much more suited to workwear and carries the look and history of a real outdoorsman; don’t expect the paper-thin liner of your standard synthetic zip-up to survive a stray edge when you’re cutting down a tree.
Huckberry has become well-known for its Flint and Tinder line, a selection of rugged apparel that includes a waxed jacket made from Martexin sailcloth sourced from New Jersey. Flint and Tinder’s jacket boasts custom hardware and is lined with blanket flannel (and there’s also an unlined version).
And if Huckberry customer reviews are any indication, the jacket (which tends to sell out at some point every season) lives up to its rugged good looks with plenty of utility. Flint and Tinder jackets, according to our tester, tend to develop a handsome patina over time, as well (never a bad option to have in your wardrobe, either).
We talked to Nick Kemp, design manager at Huckberry, to pick his brain on how best to take care of your waxed jacket, so it can serve you like a sailor. "The true draw of waxed jackets come out as they are worn, age and mold to the wearer.”
Of course, you'll have to re-wax them once or twice to keep them around that long. Here's how the pros recommend that you do it.
How to Wax (or Re-Wax) Your Jacket
- Hose your jacket or wipe it down with cold water.
- Remove and brush off any debris or dirt, again with water and a cloth as needed. Huckberry notes that if soap is needed for particularly pesky debris or dirt, opt for something more mild.
- Air-dry the jacket.
- Cover your working surface with a protective layer, like multiple towels – and of course, go through this process in a place like your garage or workshop.
- Heat your jacket with a hairdryer, which allows it to absorb more wax.
- Apply your wax of choice (at room temperature) with either a rag or your hands, wearing latex gloves – apply a thin coat to the entire jacket, especially in areas where the wax has worn off. Huckberry recommends using something like Filson Oil Finish Wax.
- Use your hairdryer to reheat your jacket, allowing the wax to absorb deep into the fabric, all the while wiping away excess wax.
- Leave your jacket out overnight before wiping off any final excess wax the next morning.
How Often to Re-Wax a Canvas Jacket
You’ll know when your jacket needs a re-wax using a simple test, Kemp says. If your jacket appears lighter in some areas than others, as the wax wears off over time, spray the jacket with water to test its water resistance. If, after five minutes, the water has beaded and rolled off, your wax is continuing to go strong.
“How often to rewax your waxed jacket really depends on how much the owner is wearing the garment and how much abuse the garment is taking,” Kemp says. “I have seen guys own waxed jackets for years and years, and not need to rewax them because they wear them infrequently and the wear is very light.”
On the other hand, Kemp adds that he’s seen wearers that “need to rewax their jackets every year or two, but this is an individual who is wearing the jacket very regularly, probably working outdoors in the jacket and giving the jacket a lot of wear.”
Kemp also recommends a nifty trick: You can heat your jacket up with a hairdryer (yes, seriously) in an attempt to rub out scratches and bends where the wax has faded. That process can redistribute the wax, but it also shows you areas where re-waxing is especially needed.
How to Care for Your Waxed Jacket
Kemp notes that, first and foremost, a waxed jacket takes on a personality and life of its own.
“One of my favorite things about a waxed jacket is the care. It is one of the easiest garments to care for,” he tells Gear Patrol. “If the jacket gets dirt or soil on it, it usually can be brushed off with your hands or a soft bristle brush relatively easily. The only other care is to re-wax when needed.”
Kemp recommends using a bristle brush or your hands as needed to remove debris and dirt from your jacket, as well as wiping down with water to determine when it’s time for a re-wax.
“You can start to see where the wax will start to rub off of the jacket,” Kemp says. “Usually, these areas lose their waxy outlook, and you can really start to see the base of the fabric.”
It’s ultimately about the journey of wearing and caring for a waxed jacket, Kemp says.
“A great waxed jacket not only has a great rugged look to it, but the functionality of being wind and water-resistant is really a winner for me,” he says. “Also, (there’s) the fact that waxed jackets, like a good pair of denim, ages and grows with you over time, and it really does get better each time you wear it.”
What You Need
Shop a selection of waxed jackets, wax and heat sources (including the same heat gun Skauge uses) below.
