Once again, I opened a can of worms. One of those worms was Sluggo, I think. He still doesn’t get it. I don’t want Zog’s formula or Wax Research’s formulas. I know they are adding this and that to get the exact consistency, smell, taste etc. that they want. I don’t want their exact formulas. I just thought maybe some chap would say, “Hey, parrafin and X will get you the basic wax. Then, mix some things to get what you like.” Ah, anyway, I wasn’t trying to rile anyone, and I certainly don’t want to steal anything. I am an honest man (that’s why I am always frustrated with politicians). On another note: I heard that the waves at Mavericks can get as tall as a six story building. Another friend told me it can get even bigger than that. Ah, but that’s another story. Okay, I did steal that joke. It’s from the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland.
Sluggo, didn’t you steal your nickname from the Mr. Bill show? Yes, that’s where I heard it before. Sluggo was the evil claymation figure that was constantly harrassing, even flattening, Mr. Bill. I knew it. Thief! You should be ashamed. Since you are into using other people’s nicknames as screen names, I think that you should switch from Sluggo to Ponch. Now that I have a basic formula (thank you), I can experiment. By the way, no one is selling a lot of surfwax because of the wax. Duh! I mean, wax is wax. It’s the marketing. And I have an angle that’s sure to please (in my less than humble opinion). In fact, years ago I sat down with the dudes from wax research. They were more than happy to manufacture wax for me (you know, subcontracting). They told me the wax business was not profitable unless you were Zog or themselves. They told me that marketing was the way to make money. I was informed that once you have a good gimmick (like Bubble Gum surf wax did), then you make the money through t-shirts and hats, etc. A t-shirt can be mass produced at about three bucks apiece and sold wholesale to surfshops for 8 bucks. Then they mark it up to 17 bucks (or more). Everyone cashes in. But wax sells for a buck, which is not profitable considering that you have to make the wax, put on a printed label, shrinkwrap it, put it in printed boxes, and then ship it, mail it, or drive it to every surfshop. It’s not a money maker at all. But once the kids love it, they buy the t-shirts which are very profitable. So, Sluggo, if you aren’t too busy squishing Mr. Bill, then you can… ah, never mind.
Time for your meds fairbanks
You are correct about the basic wax formulae from the website above. It gives you the very basic of ingredients but is not as detailed as the exact formula. During my time at Sex Wax the basic parafin was changed several times as was the distributor. There are many kinds of microcrystaline wax, petrolatum, mineral oil etc. In one instance the wax manufacturer informed us that one of the components that made up the wax was being discontinued so that the hardness and other characteristics were going to be affected in the particular formula that we were using. They also said that even they didn’t know what that compnent was. Zog had to made minute but nevertheless important changes in the overall formula. Wax is only profitable to the manufacturer and doesn’t yield much profit to any but the canniest distributors. We all need wax to stick to our sticks. So far nothing else works as well for as little money. Deck pads cost a lot and you can’t transfer them to other boards. I am partial to Sex Wax and Quick Humps since it made me a living and enabled me to surf Rincon at will for some of the best seasons during my 30’s and 40’s. I also got to meet all of the shop owners from Santa Cruz to Imperial Beach. I personally I have not had any problems using Sex Wax products but believe me I have heard plenty of stories about how much better this wax or that wax is. I think it comes down to personal preference and how you apply your wax and which wax you use for the water temperatures. I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement when I started work for Zog, so it is important to keep the formula secret. Hang Ten!!
Shape your own surfboards and glass them. But do not make your own wax or foam blanks. We dont need to do everything. The world is going insane my brother. heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheehheheheheehheheheheheheheheheheheheh
Youre a friggin baby. Why dont you do like everyone else: experiment and pay your dues! Youve already been spoon fed a basic surf wax receipe. What more do you want? Thats more than we ever had. Invest some of your own time and money. Are you afraid of getting your hands dirty? If you dream of being a manufacturer, then try being original and invent a product that works better. Otherwise- why the hell even bother?
Hey- Been missing you at mayhemsville, 5 surf schools out today- norcal junior and I just smiled sat outside and finnessed(barged?) our way thru’to the cove. To everyone else-IMO. T’aint much money in the surf “industry” 'less you come up with something truly new and or substantially better or get really lucky. For every Jack O’Neill or Brenda Scott Rodgers or Mr ZOG there’s thirty guys living in garages and working day jobs to support their “businesses”. Go surfing now!
Been very busy and trying to get my back feeling just right. Thanks for missing me. Ha! The surf industry is in another down spiral right now. It would make much more sense to invent something in another industry. We need something akin to the Endless Summer II resurgence to give it a push. If you aren’t a major you are struggling to make a living in the surf industry. Gidget will be a the shop on June 27th and there is a screening of the documentary on Sarah Gerhart on the 26th. Come by the shop and share some aloha ol’norcal.
Cool! we might not be on the mailing list- we never hear about these events till they’re in the past. Every time I see Gidget I try to speak a little yiddish to her, it cracks her up. The woman making the Sarah vid is way cool( and pretty pregnant). Mrs. Norcal is making margaritas so off I go.P.S. We will be at mayhemville 'bout 8 am for more fun and games Friday
Fairbanks: 1. I rarely post on Swaylocks, but reading your posts inspires me. This should make you very happy (see #5). 2. There are many people walking around with big, great, and visionary ideas that other people think are crazy, disregard, or ridicule. They are often prone to belligerently arguing with people who do not recognize the brillliance of or are unwilling to “get on board” with these ideas. Many of these people are walking around in the streets, on park benches, and in bars, arguing, muttering, and shaking their heads. In a sense, the naysayer is doing the misunderstood genius an enormous favor: as long as the misunderstood genius can belittle the naysayer’s intellect and character, it reinforces his/her own greatness and superiority. There are also a lot of people with big, great, visionary ideas who are in their workshops making them happen. 3. We as humans are saddled with many and constant existential dilemmas that cause us to question our existence and value in many different ways. 4. If you want to know what boards people like, fine. If you want to ride a Cooperfish, great–they look like great boards. If you want to make wax, follow the recipe on that link annd go for it, it’s cool to learn how things are made. If you want to sell wax, make it smell like vanilla or cantaloupe, or maybe coffee–people love those smells. (And make sure you use heavy duty, pre-shrunk cotton shirts). 5. But why does it seem like your primary motivation is to talk and get a reaction? Maybe because you regularly post “look-at-me-and-oh-my-look-what-I’ve-done” follow-ups in which you laud your misunderstood ideas/questions and point out the people who are too stuck in their small minds to be down with you. I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but this sort of thing seems to be more about “you” then about the wax or boards or whatever. Sorry, that’s just the way it reads to me. More importantly, it serves to negate opinions and shut down discussion. So Sluggo keyed in to your second question (with a perfectly reasonable opinion on it) and didn’t tell you how to make wax. Other people told you how to make wax. Other people talked about velcro and wax alternatives instead of answering your questions. Yet you thanked everyone but the person who disagreed with you outright. Sluggo doesn’t think you should make wax, other people do. Whatever. Swaylocks thrives on questions, debates, and A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS–if you liked and agreed with all of them, you would be very bored and uninspired. Let it happen and enjoy it… Now go make your wax.
I really don’t care if Mike makes wax, I just find it troubling that someone would even have to ask the question if it is ok to pay an “employee” for proprietary information. Would it even be OK if a bunch of people you don’t know on an internet site said go for it, steal someones recipe Mike? How do you think Greg L. would feel if one of his employee’s gave me his “recipe” to additive F and Resin Research epoxies so I can make them and sell them under my own label. Sluggo
If you even think to ask the question “is this unethical” – it probably is, so don’t do it.
Everyone knows that actions speak louder than words, which is why you should know a couple things: 1. I am often full or crap. 2. When I am not full of crap I am full of VG donuts. 3. I didn’t steal anything. 4. I simply asked a question. 5. If I were dishonest or unethical I wouldn’t have bothered to ask. 5b. I was only trying to learn. 6. My wordings are horrible, I know. 7. I haven’t been tubed in a year (clean, dry tube). 8. I do, in fact, love to hear myself talk and write. 9. No, I’m not Sam George. 10. Yes, I do suffer from foot in mouth disease (every damn day). 11. I am a nice guy, no matter what everyone else thinks or says.
More Meds please!