I bought a wax sealing kit a while ago. Wrote letters to few old friends that have moved abroad. A few weeks later I got phone calls from several of them saying how they cried when they read them. We need to start sending more letters!
I send letters out every month. I travel full time so I meet people all of the world and we love staying in touch through letters. I also send letters to my siblings
It's because of Rajiv that I learned to use sealing wax and brown craft paper for gifts. And improve my cursive script. And make my own Jaffna powder. And cook the best version of chicken curry. And appreciate thrift and antique stores. And where to find the best most-bang-for-your-buck leather goods. And lots of other fun, beautiful things that don't cost much but are absolutely precious. Thanks Rajiv!
A defense of the wicked sealing wax sticks (the second option). I agree that the glue gun stuff is absolutely too ugly. However, my mom had the wicked sealing wax when I was a kid. Growing up, we moved around quite a lot and our family and friends ended up kind of scattered across the country. My mom loved to study calligraphy and to write people letters. She kept an amazing amount of correspondence with the people we ended up leaving behind and she would always seal the cards she sent with the wicked sealing wax (which can make it through the mail). Most people don’t use sealing wax at all now, so it was quite a special and remarkable little moment for our friends whenever they got one of these letters. Even though the wax itself was not as nice, I think it’s great that they got to see the effort my Mom put in to make the cards beautiful. I think I will buy her some of this fancier wax for Christmas or something soon
I look forward to everything you create. I grew up watching Martha with my mom and first girlfriend in the 90s. Her skills and appreciation for the well built and well made spoke to me. My little queer heart is overjoyed by your humor, esthetic, skills, and how the simple and beautiful life you create for yourself is accessible to regular people. You don't have a huge staff doing your bidding (although I'm sure there are many hoping for the opportunity!), but despite and because of that, I love what you do MORE than the queen of lifestyle herself. Thank you!
@@Im1BossyChickhahaha..... My 9th grade English teacher told us that poem would come in handy one day. Lo and behold, several decades later, I finally found the perfect spot to quote it. And I got a note back! Yea. For moments like that, TH-cam is a kick. Thanks! Let's see if anyone else notices. There are a few thumbs up so far......hahah
@@nostraa6125 Perfect occasion! 😄 I learned it from the original cartoon movie, then from the book. It's so nostalgic & heart-warming any time I hear it. TH-cam's definitely amazing for connecting ppl in moments like these. 💝
@@Im1BossyChick I also heard it first while viewing the cartoon. For a VERY long time, I thought he said "Ceiling Wax" and was only mildly curious about what that could be.
@@ANinjasEerierEnemy I thought the same thing the first time I heard it. I couldn't have been more than five or six years old at the time. I was probably about twelve or so when I found out what it really was, and I've wanted my very own seal and wax ever since. I'm fifty now and my very first seal should be arriving tomorrow.
Ah ha! I bought ‘bank of England wax’ a while back and couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong to get it to melt, I think I was trying to go too fast…. I’ll give it another try with slow & steady! Thank you, it’s been tricky to find info about it!
When I was a teenager in the 1960s, I bought some wax sticks and a seal, the latter which I still have and use. Recently I read that in the 18th century, people would hide a coin under a seal as a way to send a gift! Thank you for explaining the difference between the different types of waxes.
I was also mesmerized by it. When I was a kid I was using grandma´s spare metal or glass clothes buttons instead wax stamps, with normal wax candles. I loved making seals and exchanging letters with my friend living just next door. Letters were written with ink (always with somw blotch) on parchment paper. . . What a nostalgia. ❤
Wonderful, I started using sealing wax for gift and letter ever since your first gift wrapping video, it's always such a special experience to do and the recipient always appreciates it. What I also started doing and enjoying is searching for beautiful and old engraved seals. They are pretty hard to find, but living in France and looking for them in flea markets I came across some very nice ones. Once I found one supposedly from the 19th century with a very beautiful design, but the metal head part was coming loose. So I decided to carefully remove it so I could glue it back, and when I took it off there was actually a paper wrapped around inside with old writings in ink on it! It was undecipherable and crumbling, and I think it was probably used as padding rather than a hidden message, but still it was an amazing find and a testament to how special those objects are. I would love to see a video of your seals collection one day, Rajiv!
Sealing wax, was very much a part of my childhood in India, (alongside telegrams)! Most letters and parcels that left my father's office were sealed. There was a special wooden table on which the sealing was done. You also found candle stubs, a pot of glue, and rough white cotton fabric that wrapped the parcels kept here. All the office fountain pens were also refilled here! Great memories
Brought back many memories of the village post office and all the assorted stuff needed for parcels spread out on a massive teak table.....sealing wax, twine, coarse cotton cloth, pots of glue and absorbing the special ambience of a post office .
Thanks for sharing. About 30-plus years ago, I was vacationing in Toronto, Canada, and had the opportunity to visit the historical post office there. I was able to mail a letter back to relatives in the United States. It was enclosed using sealing wax, and much to my amazement, the seal remained intact to its final destination!
Hi Rajiv, I have to say that I totally agree about sealing wax. My grandfather worked on the railroad and had his own personal seal for important documents and shipments. In Argentina, we call it "lacre" -obviously the same Latin root as lacquer-, which also defines the deep red color and has its own verb: "lacrar". I still have my grandfather's seal, in bronze with Gothic letters, and I use it the same way you do. A warm hug from the other side of the continent. Silvana
This is missing one of the main forms: pellets or beads melted in a spoon over a flame. It allows for multiple pours, mixed colours, and best of all, reusing wax from other places, like the wax sealed on a bottle. It’s a beautiful experience that gives you all of the control and creativity you want.
Cheers for your 'deep dive'. I, too have used sealing wax since I was a kid, and loved the hunt in stationery stores for papers, seals and wax. I always think of the poem 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' : 'The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things - of shoes - and sails - of sealing wax - of cabbages and kings' I was taught to wet the seal, as you mentioned, to cool the wax and release the seal...but that this was also where the 'sealed with a kiss' originated. A quick pop in/on the mouth, and on to the wax. Steamy breath is more sanitary, I suppose :-) The other thing used, of course, are signet rings. Aristocracy and notaries would have their initials or family crest engraved deeply on a flat surfaced gold ring, and this image embedded in the wax was the proof of authenticity or approval from the sender. Like Stevie Wonder sang: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - I'm yours!
The Townsends TH-cam channel did a video on letter-writing in the old days and all of the tools and techniques involved. (Worth watching for anyone who enjoyed this video.) In it, they suggested that if you are going to send a sealed letter through the post to still put it into a regular envelope in addition to the wax-sealed envelop. This ensure that the letter can safely go through their system without gumming up the works and increases the potential that the wax seal will survive the journey. Food for thought. :)
*girlscreaminginNaijamerican* 🥰🤗🥰🤗💌This takes me back! I don’t even know why I stopped using sealing wax on my correspondence, but guess what? Thanks to you being out here just Rajiv-ing, I am absolutely resuming the practice for 2025. Yay! Thanks for the memories!
I wish to cross paths with you one day! You are magical! And what I feel is even more special - is the fans you amassed. I feel I could be friends with any one of your fans! All precious and kind souls.
I was fascinated with sealing wax in the 80s. Im much older than you but I was absolutely taken by it and I had a stamp made with my initial. It is a beautiful practice. That was once a necessity now a luxury but it’s so fun.
I can see why you love that kind, because your Grandmother started you off with it!! But there are people, like me, who love my wicked sealing wax! And the "new?" little beads there are can make some beautiful seals! Everyone loves the personal touch of these wax stamps, no matter how they make them!! Happy sealing hon!! Never stop being yourself!! ✌🏼️🕯️💚
I understand your passion for loving these beautiful things of the past. I received a gift of sealing wax as a child and loved it. The melting of the wax and then that crack of the wax was a simple joy.
As someone who does hundreds of Christmas cards every year, the wax seal sticks are a godsend. I have noticed that the brands of wax that are perfect for the gun aren’t always the best in bead form, and vice versa. But I’ve really enjoyed Artisaire wax sticks. They come out of the gun the perfect consistency to immediately place your seal in the wax. I leave it in the wax for a good 30 seconds before removing it. On the flip side, I’ve noticed that Artisaire wax beads take much longer and almost a higher temperature to become runny enough to pour on your envelope. Which would make sense when you think of how thick it is coming out of the gun. Their wax just is a thicker consistency for better or worse. So I definitely think it depends on personal preference and a combination of tools and wax brands. Love your videos just wanted to put my two cents out there!
I dream of a world without plastic, including without plastic-based sealing wax. Rajiv, your philosophy about living is so beautiful. Your videos amplify my longing for a world where we keep and cherish all of the beautiful materials and methods of the past while having a joyful and sustainable human society that is just for everyone around the world. Well, at least I can create such a world in my own home.
I just learned about the term parallel play. You are someone that I would be honored to parallel play with. And also at the end when you mention how the small things add up and have an impact. So true. You have those standards and that's why it is so awesome to see you express your style. Your expression is wonderful.
The way that you hold on to peacefulness in everything you do is really beautiful and inspiring. I got some of the pellet style wax you melt over a candle that I am intrigued to try-I don’t know if it will be fragile enough but the way the different colours can swirl in a life of their own appeals to me and it feels at least like it could be a nice thoughtful experience to use. I’ll be taking a trip to Venice over the new year and will be looking out for nice seals, especially second hand ones-there’s something about them as an object that really tugs at me. And of course, giving someone a letter on beautiful Venetian paper that has been sealed nicely feels like it would be rather magical….
After watching your videos last year, I purchased real sealing wax and stamp last Christmas. Ditto for plain brown paper and string, no tape. These things you share feel like gifts from you, as I never would have been aware of them. There’s a growing list! Happy holidays!
I also discovered sealing wax as a child and fell in love with it. I recently purchased a new seal and new wax and I sealed my Christmas cards with it this year. It was time consuming, but I loved the outcome.
I too have been using sealing wax since I was a child and I’ve even gotten an antique ring with a seal to use. It has a seal carved into a red stone and it makes me so happy to use it. I did not know about the real sealing wax so that is going to up the experience a great deal. Thank you for that Rajiv.
I love passionate, intelligent people who have strong opinions and good taste and aren’t afraid to share it with others! You are a delight, thank you for being an inspiration in so many ways
Oh I’m so very glad for this! I have dreamed of using sealing wax for letters since I’ve moved far away from many of my loved ones. It’s helpful to see the comparison between the different versions and I am of a similar heart that I don’t enjoy the violence to the paper or the plastic. Back to brainstorming special touches for the mail. Perhaps decorative edge scissors…? Thank you for being a generous teacher to us. I’m wishing you a festive season of joy and peace ♥️
Thank you for this Rajiv. This is very timely. My box of sealing wax along with my seal is on my desk. I used it just yesterday on Christmas cards, which will be hand delivered. My localpen shop. sells Herbin waxes. A nice selection of colors. It’s good to know about the other waxes that are available. I love your videos and that you are keeping the old traditions alive!
I used the glue gun wax this year for the first time. Pro tip: cool your stamp on a bag of frozen peas in between each use and you’ll get a perfect stamp. I know it’s not the Rajiv bougie stuff but it works and will go through the postal system
I agree. Not everyone can afford the ridiculously priced ones! Glue gun and the wax melts come in handy when you're trying to make things pretty when you're on a budget!
I love using it too and so glad to see this video ❤. I have used it for 55+ years and just love it! I only use the third kind that you demonstrated and always have used red though gold would really be beautiful
Rajiv, thank you! Your joy is evident. Also, your bracelets are mesmerizing…. I would love to know the story behind them and why two of them. Of course, if you can. Blessings
@@JC-qh7ze humnnnnnn I believe I have seen all his videos but can’t recall anything about the bracelets…. Interesting….. I will stay vigilant… thank you for your comment!!
I still have a small box containing sealing waxed and several stamps, from my teen age years when we still wrote letters. Now I must take it out and find reasons to use it, so thank you, dear heart! (I'm 74 y.o. and I promise you, I'm going to have some fun with this ❣️ I do have some wickless and some with a wick. Guess which one I'll be using. 😊
There are other types of sealing wax, and since I don't want mine to break in the mail, I will continue to use mine and enjoy it. I understand your obsessions with the original type of sealing wax, and you don't have to use the kind I use and enjoy.
It is important to use and love the stuff that makes your heart sing, there’s no wrong way to have joy. You and Rajiv just have different priorities on what you love about it.
In 1967, I was 18 years old and gave a birthday party for a special friend. I sent special invitations using paper with burned edges, a ribbon attached with sealing wax and sent them out. The seal was on the inside of the invite not on the envelope because it would crack. Needless to say, it set the tone for the party and everyone loved it. I still use sealing wax today so I know the difference between the “real” wax and what is sold today. It is so much fun to give a gift or card with a seal. I share your fascination with this! Thank you, Rajiv.
I remember having a similar moment regarding wanting to use seals after watching the Scarlet Pimpernel, as a kid. I had no access to proper wax and tried using a red candle (not very successful) and I tried using old coins to impress onto the seal (also not very successful). I even tried to make a tiny lino carving of the pimpernel flower to make a stamp haha. Many years later I bought a little letter writing kit which had one small stick of proper wax and a seal. Because it was small, it was extra precious and I almost never used it. Feeling the urge to go and dust it off now. Thanks for the memories!
I bought a sealing wax kit as a little girl and it’s still one of my greatest treasures!! I would save up to buy a new color when one ran out. So special!
I have no plans to start using sealing wax (I did in my youth in 1960s-70xs) after learning about it in WIlliamsburg, VA. I watched every minute and felt like I was taking notes. You are an excellent teacher.
I love your respect to tradition, what’s the point in doing something classical if its not done the way it was done in the past. I totally love the practical and symbolic function of the actual sealing wax and find the plastic thing dreadful. It’s all about the experience! You’re great!❤
Rajiv. This was wonderful and I agree with you 100%. I co-teach a Georgian/Regency era letter writing workshop at the Jane Austen Festival and my partner did a deep dive into sealing wax and he discovered the same issues you did. Anyway, this was fabulous. Thank you
The most popular wax these days is melts (also called beads), which is better than the ones you showed to my mind. You can melt any amount in a spoon over a flame, allowing more than one pour at a time. Differing levels of quality melts are sold.
Hi Rajiv, I totally relate to your love for the authentic wax, for its history, beauty, the process/ritual to use it and importantly for its original purpose: ensuring the secrecy/security of the message/information sent ❤. Thank you for sharing😘from 🇨🇦
Raj, thanks so much for sharing your love and passion for the traditional art of seals. Your emphatic approach and passionate verbage relates your knowledge and love of the finer aspects of the practice perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you Rajiv! Suggested project: design a personal ring with your own logo or crest for use with sealing wax. Some of those artisans can be found at present day Renaissance Festivals. As a younger person, the rings were what would captivate my attention! Just a thought. You are the best!
Thanks for this fascinating video on sealing wax, and understanding why you prefer to use the original sealing wax , which is fragile and breaks easily...." the experience is tied to History"...So True.
This video is such a score for me. I have only known about wick wax. It is hideous to use. I love using sealing wax so now I know about the real deal for my lovely stamps.
Ahhh oh my god I needed this video! I love my sealing wax but sometimes I have to throw away the spoon I use for melting. This video is so interesting!!
Rajiv! The second you said "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" I knew what you were going to say. That scene with Maid Marian also started my lifelong obsession with sealing wax. I couldn't stop my fevered little brain from thinking about that perfect red stick and the gorgeous blob of wax that spread across the scroll. Over the years I have experimented with different types too. Those little wax chips that you melt in the spoon? As a kid I destroyed so many cheap spoon bowls by blackening them with flames! Disaster. Your box of sealing wax is such a stunner, I'm going to treat myself to one. You should get a commission.
I could not agree more! I have English indentures from the 1800’s that still have their beautiful cracked red seals attached to the indenture, just exquisite!
Initially, there were no envelopes. The letter was folded up & sealed with the sealing wax. You would need the wax to break, so the letter wouldn’t be damaged. Your demonstration of the paper tearing was perfect in showing how that wasn’t the desired outcome-back then. Obviously we have envelopes now. It wouldn’t matter if it tore. Funny how things change over time. I love the history of ordinary things. It’s intriguing to me. I love watching your presentation s. Merry Christmas from Booubyjan Queensland Australia, Rajiv.
I love it. I had no idea about bank wax! I've only ever used the wick kind. I feel like mailing myself some letters with a bank wax seal and see whether they make it intact.
I wonder if you use bank wax to seal the letter or card and then place the sealed item in another envelope if that would prevent breakage. Extra work but you would get the breakage on the wax.
Your brown paper has such a satisfying weight to it Rajiv. I recently finished the huge roll I purchased 10+ years ago and although I bought what I thought was the same thing from the same supplier, my new roll is flimsy and thin. I can’t use it to wrap packages for postage because it will tear but even worse, it doesn’t have that beautiful robust crinkle sound.
If anyone is using the modern wax to send letters in the mail, you must pay extra for them to be sorted by hand, otherwise the letter sorting machine often destroys the seal anyway.
I used sealing wax in the late 60s/early 70s and thought it was very romantic. I used the second type as it was what was available and used for letters. Love the bank wax.
Lovely topic :) About a half century ago it was used at the post offices in Poland to secure valuable packages. It was very brittle brown sealing wax. Years later I tried to buy some for personal use and could only find the one with a wick in gift shops.
I found out about sealing wax as a kid from reading Lewis Carroll. “The time has come,' the Walrus said, To talk of many things: Of shoes - and ships - and sealing-wax - Of cabbages - and kings - And why the sea is boiling hot - And whether pigs have wings.'”
As a child in England in the 1940's, I was fascinated by the sealing wax that my parents used to seal parcels they were sending. No Scotch tape at that time!
Much older than you... During my pre-teen and teen years in the 80s there was a resurgence of sealing wax. Even stores like Hallmark carried wax and seals. It was probably paraffin wax, but I still loved it--possibly because I didn't know anything else. I probably still have the box shoved into a corner somewhere. I do recall that USPS had to do some messaging that they would not accept mail with the seals because they messed up the machinery.
Thank You for sharing Rajiv with us. You have inspired me with beautiful things in your life and this is one of them. I really enjoyed how the seal broke so beautifully! There is grace in everything! I will definately try my hand at this.
Hi Rajiv, thank you for sharing. Very interesting. I look forward to everything you create. I saw a video of Sri Lanka once and found it is a very beautiful place. I bet you miss it.
I enjoy using the 'mid-grade' type wax seal for my letters. Although I've not received feedback, it is my hope that the receiver does not think it hideous.😂
I bought a wax sealing kit a while ago. Wrote letters to few old friends that have moved abroad. A few weeks later I got phone calls from several of them saying how they cried when they read them. We need to start sending more letters!
True!!!
I send letters out every month. I travel full time so I meet people all of the world and we love staying in touch through letters. I also send letters to my siblings
That is so awesome! Best reaction! Would have been cool if they sent one back. Did you talk about that with them? I’m sure you thought it right!
It's because of Rajiv that I learned to use sealing wax and brown craft paper for gifts. And improve my cursive script. And make my own Jaffna powder. And cook the best version of chicken curry. And appreciate thrift and antique stores. And where to find the best most-bang-for-your-buck leather goods. And lots of other fun, beautiful things that don't cost much but are absolutely precious. Thanks Rajiv!
I think about you often as I learn to cook, clean, and take better care of myself. Thank you for sharing your talents Rajiv!
A defense of the wicked sealing wax sticks (the second option). I agree that the glue gun stuff is absolutely too ugly. However, my mom had the wicked sealing wax when I was a kid. Growing up, we moved around quite a lot and our family and friends ended up kind of scattered across the country. My mom loved to study calligraphy and to write people letters. She kept an amazing amount of correspondence with the people we ended up leaving behind and she would always seal the cards she sent with the wicked sealing wax (which can make it through the mail). Most people don’t use sealing wax at all now, so it was quite a special and remarkable little moment for our friends whenever they got one of these letters. Even though the wax itself was not as nice, I think it’s great that they got to see the effort my Mom put in to make the cards beautiful. I think I will buy her some of this fancier wax for Christmas or something soon
I look forward to everything you create. I grew up watching Martha with my mom and first girlfriend in the 90s. Her skills and appreciation for the well built and well made spoke to me.
My little queer heart is overjoyed by your humor, esthetic, skills, and how the simple and beautiful life you create for yourself is accessible to regular people. You don't have a huge staff doing your bidding (although I'm sure there are many hoping for the opportunity!), but despite and because of that, I love what you do MORE than the queen of lifestyle herself. Thank you!
Thank YOU!
"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things: Of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings."
"And why the sea is boiling hot - and whether pigs have wings." 💕
@@Im1BossyChickhahaha..... My 9th grade English teacher told us that poem would come in handy one day. Lo and behold, several decades later, I finally found the perfect spot to quote it. And I got a note back! Yea. For moments like that, TH-cam is a kick. Thanks! Let's see if anyone else notices. There are a few thumbs up so far......hahah
@@nostraa6125 Perfect occasion! 😄 I learned it from the original cartoon movie, then from the book. It's so nostalgic & heart-warming any time I hear it. TH-cam's definitely amazing for connecting ppl in moments like these. 💝
@@Im1BossyChick I also heard it first while viewing the cartoon. For a VERY long time, I thought he said "Ceiling Wax" and was only mildly curious about what that could be.
@@ANinjasEerierEnemy
I thought the same thing the first time I heard it. I couldn't have been more than five or six years old at the time. I was probably about twelve or so when I found out what it really was, and I've wanted my very own seal and wax ever since. I'm fifty now and my very first seal should be arriving tomorrow.
Why is your channel about all the things that I actually love?❤❤❤ wrapping paper, wrapping gifts, making soap,making candle .❤❤❤
I use sealing wax on everyone’s birthday cards. I love buying new stamps. Everyone seems to love receiving them.
Ah ha! I bought ‘bank of England wax’ a while back and couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong to get it to melt, I think I was trying to go too fast…. I’ll give it another try with slow & steady! Thank you, it’s been tricky to find info about it!
When I was a teenager in the 1960s, I bought some wax sticks and a seal, the latter which I still have and use. Recently I read that in the 18th century, people would hide a coin under a seal as a way to send a gift!
Thank you for explaining the difference between the different types of waxes.
I was also mesmerized by it. When I was a kid I was using grandma´s spare metal or glass clothes buttons instead wax stamps, with normal wax candles. I loved making seals and exchanging letters with my friend living just next door. Letters were written with ink (always with somw blotch) on parchment paper. . . What a nostalgia. ❤
Rajiv is such a treasure.
Yes He Is. Love Rajiv. He is a modern day Martha Stewart
Wonderful, I started using sealing wax for gift and letter ever since your first gift wrapping video, it's always such a special experience to do and the recipient always appreciates it.
What I also started doing and enjoying is searching for beautiful and old engraved seals. They are pretty hard to find, but living in France and looking for them in flea markets I came across some very nice ones. Once I found one supposedly from the 19th century with a very beautiful design, but the metal head part was coming loose. So I decided to carefully remove it so I could glue it back, and when I took it off there was actually a paper wrapped around inside with old writings in ink on it! It was undecipherable and crumbling, and I think it was probably used as padding rather than a hidden message, but still it was an amazing find and a testament to how special those objects are.
I would love to see a video of your seals collection one day, Rajiv!
👍👍🩷
I used to use the sealing wax pellets in a brass melter pot, but now I just make my own up (I'm also a beekeeper, so have access to plenty of wax).
Sealing wax, was very much a part of my childhood in India, (alongside telegrams)! Most letters and parcels that left my father's office were sealed. There was a special wooden table on which the sealing was done. You also found candle stubs, a pot of glue, and rough white cotton fabric that wrapped the parcels kept here. All the office fountain pens were also refilled here! Great memories
That sounds rustic & gorgeous. 💖
Brought back many memories of the village post office and all the assorted stuff needed for parcels spread out on a massive teak table.....sealing wax, twine, coarse cotton cloth, pots of glue
and absorbing the special ambience of a post office .
Thanks for sharing. About 30-plus years ago, I was vacationing in Toronto, Canada, and had the opportunity to visit the historical post office there. I was able to mail a letter back to relatives in the United States. It was enclosed using sealing wax, and much to my amazement, the seal remained intact to its final destination!
Hi Rajiv, I have to say that I totally agree about sealing wax.
My grandfather worked on the railroad and had his own personal seal for important documents and shipments.
In Argentina, we call it "lacre" -obviously the same Latin root as lacquer-, which also defines the deep red color and has its own verb: "lacrar".
I still have my grandfather's seal, in bronze with Gothic letters, and I use it the same way you do.
A warm hug from the other side of the continent. Silvana
This is missing one of the main forms: pellets or beads melted in a spoon over a flame. It allows for multiple pours, mixed colours, and best of all, reusing wax from other places, like the wax sealed on a bottle. It’s a beautiful experience that gives you all of the control and creativity you want.
Cheers for your 'deep dive'. I, too have used sealing wax since I was a kid, and loved the hunt in stationery stores for papers, seals and wax. I always think of the poem 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' : 'The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things - of shoes - and sails - of sealing wax - of cabbages and kings' I was taught to wet the seal, as you mentioned, to cool the wax and release the seal...but that this was also where the 'sealed with a kiss' originated. A quick pop in/on the mouth, and on to the wax. Steamy breath is more sanitary, I suppose :-) The other thing used, of course, are signet rings. Aristocracy and notaries would have their initials or family crest engraved deeply on a flat surfaced gold ring, and this image embedded in the wax was the proof of authenticity or approval from the sender. Like Stevie Wonder sang: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - I'm yours!
Rajiv, this series has been a godsend during the holidays!
The Townsends TH-cam channel did a video on letter-writing in the old days and all of the tools and techniques involved. (Worth watching for anyone who enjoyed this video.) In it, they suggested that if you are going to send a sealed letter through the post to still put it into a regular envelope in addition to the wax-sealed envelop. This ensure that the letter can safely go through their system without gumming up the works and increases the potential that the wax seal will survive the journey. Food for thought. :)
*girlscreaminginNaijamerican*
🥰🤗🥰🤗💌This takes me back! I don’t even know why I stopped using sealing wax on my correspondence, but guess what? Thanks to you being out here just Rajiv-ing, I am absolutely resuming the practice for 2025. Yay! Thanks for the memories!
I wish to cross paths with you one day! You are magical!
And what I feel is even more special - is the fans you amassed. I feel I could be friends with any one of your fans! All precious and kind souls.
NYC event!!!
@@madelinefagen24
I second that !
I was fascinated with sealing wax in the 80s. Im much older than you but I was absolutely taken by it and I had a stamp made with my initial. It is a beautiful practice. That was once a necessity now a luxury but it’s so fun.
I can see why you love that kind, because your Grandmother started you off with it!! But there are people, like me, who love my wicked sealing wax! And the "new?" little beads there are can make some beautiful seals! Everyone loves the personal touch of these wax stamps, no matter how they make them!! Happy sealing hon!! Never stop being yourself!! ✌🏼️🕯️💚
I understand your passion for loving these beautiful things of the past. I received a gift of sealing wax as a child and loved it. The melting of the wax and then that crack of the wax was a simple joy.
As someone who does hundreds of Christmas cards every year, the wax seal sticks are a godsend. I have noticed that the brands of wax that are perfect for the gun aren’t always the best in bead form, and vice versa.
But I’ve really enjoyed Artisaire wax sticks. They come out of the gun the perfect consistency to immediately place your seal in the wax. I leave it in the wax for a good 30 seconds before removing it.
On the flip side, I’ve noticed that Artisaire wax beads take much longer and almost a higher temperature to become runny enough to pour on your envelope. Which would make sense when you think of how thick it is coming out of the gun. Their wax just is a thicker consistency for better or worse.
So I definitely think it depends on personal preference and a combination of tools and wax brands.
Love your videos just wanted to put my two cents out there!
Love Artisaire as well!
I dream of a world without plastic, including without plastic-based sealing wax. Rajiv, your philosophy about living is so beautiful. Your videos amplify my longing for a world where we keep and cherish all of the beautiful materials and methods of the past while having a joyful and sustainable human society that is just for everyone around the world. Well, at least I can create such a world in my own home.
I just learned about the term parallel play. You are someone that I would be honored to parallel play with.
And also at the end when you mention how the small things add up and have an impact. So true. You have those standards and that's why it is so awesome to see you express your style. Your expression is wonderful.
The way that you hold on to peacefulness in everything you do is really beautiful and inspiring. I got some of the pellet style wax you melt over a candle that I am intrigued to try-I don’t know if it will be fragile enough but the way the different colours can swirl in a life of their own appeals to me and it feels at least like it could be a nice thoughtful experience to use.
I’ll be taking a trip to Venice over the new year and will be looking out for nice seals, especially second hand ones-there’s something about them as an object that really tugs at me. And of course, giving someone a letter on beautiful Venetian paper that has been sealed nicely feels like it would be rather magical….
After watching your videos last year, I purchased real sealing wax and stamp last Christmas. Ditto for plain brown paper and string, no tape. These things you share feel like gifts from you, as I never would have been aware of them. There’s a growing list! Happy holidays!
That is awesome!
I also discovered sealing wax as a child and fell in love with it. I recently purchased a new seal and new wax and I sealed my Christmas cards with it this year. It was time consuming, but I loved the outcome.
I too have been using sealing wax since I was a child and I’ve even gotten an antique ring with a seal to use. It has a seal carved into a red stone and it makes me so happy to use it. I did not know about the real sealing wax so that is going to up the experience a great deal. Thank you for that Rajiv.
I love passionate, intelligent people who have strong opinions and good taste and aren’t afraid to share it with others! You are a delight, thank you for being an inspiration in so many ways
Oh I’m so very glad for this! I have dreamed of using sealing wax for letters since I’ve moved far away from many of my loved ones. It’s helpful to see the comparison between the different versions and I am of a similar heart that I don’t enjoy the violence to the paper or the plastic.
Back to brainstorming special touches for the mail. Perhaps decorative edge scissors…?
Thank you for being a generous teacher to us. I’m wishing you a festive season of joy and peace ♥️
Rajiv is really the antidote to everything that is wrong with the world. ❤
Excellent expectation. First you inspired me to try to learn copperplate handwriting, and now this. Thank you.
Your attention to detail is what sets you apart from many. Thank you for your dedication to the finer things in life ❤
Thank you for this Rajiv. This is very timely. My box of sealing wax along with my seal is on my desk. I used it just yesterday on Christmas cards, which will be hand delivered. My localpen shop. sells Herbin waxes. A nice selection of colors. It’s good to know about the other waxes that are available. I love your videos and that you are keeping the old traditions alive!
Glad it helped
Thank you for inspiring me to seal all of Santa’s gifts with sealing wax this year!
I used the glue gun wax this year for the first time. Pro tip: cool your stamp on a bag of frozen peas in between each use and you’ll get a perfect stamp. I know it’s not the Rajiv bougie stuff but it works and will go through the postal system
I agree. Not everyone can afford the ridiculously priced ones! Glue gun and the wax melts come in handy when you're trying to make things pretty when you're on a budget!
I love using it too and so glad to see this video ❤. I have used it for 55+ years and just love it! I only use the third kind that you demonstrated and always have used red though gold would really be beautiful
Do you use the bank wax when mailing a letter?
I love seals and sealing wax, adn this whole process mesmerizes me. Thank you for the video!
I love that you have an actual person hold your camera
Rajiv, thank you!
Your joy is evident.
Also, your bracelets are mesmerizing…. I would love to know the story behind them and why two of them. Of course, if you can.
Blessings
I believe he has a video somewhere saying he made them?!
👍👍❤
@@JC-qh7ze humnnnnnn
I believe I have seen all his videos but can’t recall anything about the bracelets…. Interesting….. I will stay vigilant… thank you for your comment!!
@@JC-qh7zeReally?! I want them so bad! I Googled, checked Etsy, etc., but never found any that were even similar. Rajiv's are so perfect. ❤
I still have a small box containing sealing waxed and several stamps, from my teen age years when we still wrote letters. Now I must take it out and find reasons to use it, so thank you, dear heart! (I'm 74 y.o. and I promise you, I'm going to have some fun with this ❣️
I do have some wickless and some with a wick. Guess which one I'll be using. 😊
There are other types of sealing wax, and since I don't want mine to break in the mail, I will continue to use mine and enjoy it. I understand your obsessions with the original type of sealing wax, and you don't have to use the kind I use and enjoy.
I think one could peal the others and preserve both letter and seal
It is important to use and love the stuff that makes your heart sing, there’s no wrong way to have joy. You and Rajiv just have different priorities on what you love about it.
@@KTCoope Yes, thank you, that is what I was trying to impart. We are way apart on this one. Thank you.
Although I'm never gonna do this, I'm watching it, that's your magic Rajiv!
In 1967, I was 18 years old and gave a birthday party for a special friend. I sent special invitations using paper with burned edges, a ribbon attached with sealing wax and sent them out. The seal was on the inside of the invite not on the envelope because it would crack. Needless to say, it set the tone for the party and everyone loved it. I still use sealing wax today so I know the difference between the “real” wax and what is sold today. It is so much fun to give a gift or card with a seal. I share your fascination with this! Thank you, Rajiv.
Honestly, the way the original sealing wax just snapped was so satisfying. The other two left me horrified.
I remember having a similar moment regarding wanting to use seals after watching the Scarlet Pimpernel, as a kid. I had no access to proper wax and tried using a red candle (not very successful) and I tried using old coins to impress onto the seal (also not very successful). I even tried to make a tiny lino carving of the pimpernel flower to make a stamp haha. Many years later I bought a little letter writing kit which had one small stick of proper wax and a seal. Because it was small, it was extra precious and I almost never used it. Feeling the urge to go and dust it off now. Thanks for the memories!
Love that movie ! Especially Danny Kaye !
I bought a sealing wax kit as a little girl and it’s still one of my greatest treasures!! I would save up to buy a new color when one ran out. So special!
What a great learning experience. Didn't know there were so many different kinds. Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge with us.
I love sealing wax. It smells so good. I love the stamps. The paper, the ink pens. ❤❤❤ Thank you so much! I used it when I was a teenager.
I was sitting here waiting for your video!
There is treasure in respecting anything no matter how small,waxing being one of them
Thankyou Rajiv
Never miss an episode
Regards annie
I have no plans to start using sealing wax (I did in my youth in 1960s-70xs) after learning about it in WIlliamsburg, VA. I watched every minute and felt like I was taking notes. You are an excellent teacher.
I love your respect to tradition, what’s the point in doing something classical if its not done the way it was done in the past. I totally love the practical and symbolic function of the actual sealing wax and find the plastic thing dreadful. It’s all about the experience! You’re great!❤
Rajiv is a Spartan Soul without being Spartanic - for someone who might be his (grand)mother he offers me often a trip to memory lane ❤
Rajiv. This was wonderful and I agree with you 100%. I co-teach a Georgian/Regency era letter writing workshop at the Jane Austen Festival and my partner did a deep dive into sealing wax and he discovered the same issues you did. Anyway, this was fabulous. Thank you
I love the fact that you have an old soul. ❤❤❤
The most popular wax these days is melts (also called beads), which is better than the ones you showed to my mind. You can melt any amount in a spoon over a flame, allowing more than one pour at a time. Differing levels of quality melts are sold.
Yes ! I actually use this. I'm surprised he didn't cover them
Thank you, this will help me feel like a 16th century scribe, something I've always wanted to be
You are such a deep and interesting person Rajiv! You must never be bored !
Hi Rajiv, I totally relate to your love for the authentic wax, for its history, beauty, the process/ritual to use it and importantly for its original purpose: ensuring the secrecy/security of the message/information sent ❤. Thank you for sharing😘from 🇨🇦
Raj, thanks so much for sharing your love and passion for the traditional art of seals. Your emphatic approach and passionate verbage relates your knowledge and love of the finer aspects of the practice perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you Rajiv! Suggested project: design a personal ring with your own logo or crest for use with sealing wax. Some of those artisans can be found at present day Renaissance Festivals. As a younger person, the rings were what would captivate my attention! Just a thought. You are the best!
Thanks for this fascinating video on sealing wax, and understanding why you prefer to use the original sealing wax , which is fragile and breaks easily...." the experience is tied
to History"...So True.
This video is such a score for me. I have only known about wick wax. It is hideous to use. I love using sealing wax so now I know about the real deal for my lovely stamps.
I love sealing wax! I’ve used it for several years. Thank you so much for this video!
Rajiv I just admire you so much, you romance the common things in life. You are so classy. I love all your TH-cam videos.
Such a wonderful video.. loved how Rajiv has highlighted the experience of handling the original lac sealing wax .. superb !
I used sealing wax 70 years ago as a child to send letters to a pen pal. Loved using it.
Ahhh oh my god I needed this video! I love my sealing wax but sometimes I have to throw away the spoon I use for melting. This video is so interesting!!
Rajiv! The second you said "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" I knew what you were going to say. That scene with Maid Marian also started my lifelong obsession with sealing wax. I couldn't stop my fevered little brain from thinking about that perfect red stick and the gorgeous blob of wax that spread across the scroll. Over the years I have experimented with different types too. Those little wax chips that you melt in the spoon? As a kid I destroyed so many cheap spoon bowls by blackening them with flames! Disaster. Your box of sealing wax is such a stunner, I'm going to treat myself to one. You should get a commission.
I liked this video even before I watched it
I could not agree more! I have English indentures from the 1800’s that still have their beautiful cracked red seals attached to the indenture, just exquisite!
Thank you for reminding us that the small details in life matter!❤
Initially, there were no envelopes. The letter was folded up & sealed with the sealing wax. You would need the wax to break, so the letter wouldn’t be damaged. Your demonstration of the paper tearing was perfect in showing how that wasn’t the desired outcome-back then. Obviously we have envelopes now. It wouldn’t matter if it tore. Funny how things change over time. I love the history of ordinary things. It’s intriguing to me. I love watching your presentation s. Merry Christmas from Booubyjan Queensland Australia, Rajiv.
I love it. I had no idea about bank wax! I've only ever used the wick kind. I feel like mailing myself some letters with a bank wax seal and see whether they make it intact.
I wonder if you use bank wax to seal the letter or card and then place the sealed item in another envelope if that would prevent breakage. Extra work but you would get the breakage on the wax.
I love the passion you have for the things you share. Thank you!❤
Your brown paper has such a satisfying weight to it Rajiv.
I recently finished the huge roll I purchased 10+ years ago and although I bought what I thought was the same thing from the same supplier, my new roll is flimsy and thin. I can’t use it to wrap packages for postage because it will tear but even worse, it doesn’t have that beautiful robust crinkle sound.
This is something that I want to try. Thank you Rajiv for sharing this with us.
If anyone is using the modern wax to send letters in the mail, you must pay extra for them to be sorted by hand, otherwise the letter sorting machine often destroys the seal anyway.
That snap is satisfying! It’s like breaking breaking kit kats into the two pieces
I used sealing wax in the late 60s/early 70s and thought it was very romantic. I used the second type as it was what was available and used for letters.
Love the bank wax.
Thank you, Rajiv, for sharing the history and use of sealing wax😊
Great Video! A much unknown and overlooked substance… ♥️♥️♥️♥️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙋♀️☮️‼️
Lovely topic :) About a half century ago it was used at the post offices in Poland to secure valuable packages. It was very brittle brown sealing wax. Years later I tried to buy some for personal use and could only find the one with a wick in gift shops.
I found out about sealing wax as a kid from reading Lewis Carroll.
“The time has come,' the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of shoes - and ships - and sealing-wax -
Of cabbages - and kings -
And why the sea is boiling hot -
And whether pigs have wings.'”
This was so fun, I loved your passion Rajiv!
As a child in England in the 1940's, I was fascinated by the sealing wax that my parents used to seal parcels they were sending. No Scotch tape at that time!
I love your ranunculus! My favorite flower. I love that they look like paper flowers.
Much older than you... During my pre-teen and teen years in the 80s there was a resurgence of sealing wax. Even stores like Hallmark carried wax and seals. It was probably paraffin wax, but I still loved it--possibly because I didn't know anything else. I probably still have the box shoved into a corner somewhere. I do recall that USPS had to do some messaging that they would not accept mail with the seals because they messed up the machinery.
Thank You for sharing Rajiv with us. You have inspired me with beautiful things in your life and this is one of them. I really enjoyed how the seal broke so beautifully! There is grace in everything! I will definately try my hand at this.
You need to set your stamps on ice or ice pack between every couple of uses. It will separate from the wax easier.
Hi Rajiv, thank you for sharing. Very interesting. I look forward to everything you create. I saw a video of Sri Lanka once and found it is a very beautiful place. I bet you miss it.
I just subscribed. I really appreciate learning new things. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences to your viewers 😊
We need more like you Rajiv ♥️
I need to hear Ravij's opinion on everything in life, he just... knows.
I enjoy using the 'mid-grade' type wax seal for my letters. Although I've not received feedback, it is my hope that the receiver does not think it hideous.😂