From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V5 #64 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Thursday, March 8 2001 Volume 05 : Number 064 ======================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with unsubscribe scribes-digets in the body of the message. Leave the subject line blank. Do not include any additional text. Re: [scribes]: Erasures from vellum Re: [scribes]: wax seal question Re: [scribes]: Re:Erasures from vellum Re: [scribes]: Another way to do sealing wax Re: [scribes]: wax seal question Re: [scribes]: wax seal question ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2001 19:18:29 -0500 From: Dave Nolan/Kara Westfall Subject: Re: [scribes]: Erasures from vellum It looks exactly like what happened to me the other day trying to erase walnut ink from pergamenata. Even with an electric eraser, there was a yellowish ghost image of the letters. I wonder if the erased letters get darker with time, like some inks do? Maybe when it was originally erased, the leftover image was a lot less noticable? Chiara da Ravenna Stonemarche, East (NH) =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 20:04:04 -0500 From: "Sally Burnell" Subject: Re: [scribes]: wax seal question > When I was a small child in England (almost back in the Dark Ages) my father > used sealing wax on the knots of string when he wrapped brown paper parcels > to post. He held it over the know and let it drip on. It hardened almost > instantly. I believe this kind of red sealing wax is still sold by bagpipe > suppliers for sealing the ends of drone reeds. Last time I bought it was > about 15 years ago. This immediately prompted memories of sealing letters with small drops of sealing wax and a stamp when I was young. Don't know where any of my old supplies wandered off to, probably still somewhere over at my mother's house. As I remember it, though, the small "candles" that I bought for sealing wax seemed denser in texture than a standard candle like the ones we used on the dinner table. I think I even tried making a seal with standard candle wax once, but I cannot seem to recall the result, as it was way too long ago now. That memory that Corinna posted just jogged a particularly fond memory for me of the smell of the wax. I can almost smell it to this day. Smells for me are a very powerful memory prompt. And for some reason, I could suddenly, upon reading the above post, summon to mind the smell of sealing wax. ~Saradwen Midrealm =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 20:06:44 -0500 From: "Sally Burnell" Subject: Re: [scribes]: Re:Erasures from vellum > I have heard of wadding up bread with ground glass for the abrasive and > using that as the eraser. Can't remember where though. Cennini? I guess > I've accumulated too much junk in my head and can no longer sort it all out! Yeah, now that you mention that, I, too, remember stumbling upon that somewhere. Can't seem to, like you, recall exactly where, either. Too many books in this tiny apartment!! Maybe it's "SCA old-timers" disease? ~Saradwen Midrealm =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 20:21:06 EST From: Fitchybear1@aol.com Subject: Re: [scribes]: Another way to do sealing wax In a message dated 3/6/01 9:01:18 AM Pacific Standard Time, mary_m_haselbauer@yahoo.com writes: << Sealing scrolls in Calontir involves a blow torch >> why is this not surprising?-JimBear (who really appreciates the Calontiri penchant for finding danger in just about any endeavor) =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 20:28:16 EST From: Fitchybear1@aol.com Subject: Re: [scribes]: wax seal question In a message dated 3/6/01 10:35:04 AM Pacific Standard Time, SHF@transport.com writes: << The seal is kept on ice between stampings, though you have to remember to wipe the water off or you get interesting patterns in the wax. >> About four years ago, Caid was gifted with some truly spectacular bronze seals, carved and cast. The handles are sculpted to depict a seal and the other a dolphin...the seals weigh about 1 1/2- 2 lbs each and are magnificent heat-sinks. Currently, we can do about 8 seals before the the seals start to warm up and then I stick them into the freezer for approx. 5 mins. and they are ready to go again.-JimBear =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2001 20:40:59 EST From: Fitchybear1@aol.com Subject: Re: [scribes]: wax seal question In a message dated 3/7/01 2:26:54 AM Pacific Standard Time, jackie@burns-arts.demon.co.uk writes: << Wow! I can now understand that the method I suggested would be completely useless for most kingdom seals. That heater your brother-in-law uses sounds very nifty. Jackie >> Actually Jackie, jewellers wax comes in different hardnesses (based on melting temp) the purple that Calontir uses is the hardest (highest melting temp) and may be suitable for sealing, thought what Caid uses is probably similar to what you use/used it has a shellac content (same stuff as used in finishing furniture) which gives it the hardness that traditional seals require. Modern sealing wax( the stuff from stationary stores for sealing envelopes for wedding invitations and such) has replaced the shellac with plasticene(sp?) which has a lower melting temp and isn't quite as tough.....JimBear (who used to have a sealing wax recipe around somewhere) =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V5 #64 ****************************