I have an old John Partridge waxproox jacket that needs a bit of TLC. The material is in good condition, but I feel it needs a damn good wash and then the jacket re waxing...

Any ideas how to do this? I have a fair idea how to rewax it, but I am not sure how to get it clean and the old wax off first...

Regards,

Pete

Pete
I have several waxed cotton items. I "wash" them outside with cold water [garden hose] no soap. I use a soft brush for heavily soiled or bloody areas.
I always re-wax [usually called re-proofing] in the summer when it is warm/hot. I use Barbour or Filson re-proofing wax depending on the Garment.
It is not necessary to remove the old wax.
Hope this helps.

Pete,
After reproofing the jacket, use a hairdryer to make the proofing melt into the fabric. This will make the jacket less sticky, and the proofing will last longer.

Reproofing is essential, not only to make the jacket waterproof: a well proofed jacket last a lot longer and will not shrink (sp?); at least a Barbour will shrink if you don't reproof it.

Rather unexpected that at Texan and a Swede should teach a Welshman to clean his waxproof!

Regards,
Martin

Thanks gents and one of the great things about AR is that help does come from such diverse places and from people with such different hunting expirience..

The problem with this jacket is that it uses "hard wax" for the waterproofing and on parts of the jacket the wax has become "polished" in use to the point where the material of the jacket is actually shiny in places hence me wondering if the old wax can be removed by washing...

It could be that the heat from the hairdrier will soften the old wax up and sort this...

Regards,

Pete

hey Pete,
i have rewaxed my barbour border jacket several times but now i have send them to barbour, so they should do the job.
Because my new rewaxing wasn�t as good as how they do it "the professionsl style".
I think in the manual they tell to clean the garnment with cold or warm wather without taking any soap or washing fluids.
But maybe you can wash the items in a washing mashine, in a wool or cold water cycle.
So the jacket will come out wet and you have to dry it on thefresh air (not a tumbler).
I would wash it inside out, so the material (cotton) couldn�t be harmed by the machine.
And then rewas the jacket when it�s dry.
I have used the originally wax, but think that a wax spray is a better way to rewax it, becuase you can create a better film on the cotton, and won�t put too much wax on the shell.
Thenm let it dry again and do it again...as long you feel that you have enough wax on the garnment.

Just a thought,
cheers
konstantin

Hey Pete,

I just looked in the Barbour after sales service and in there it says "Cleaning simply involves brushing off all dirt and grit and then wiping or sponging it down with COLD water..............NEVER USE HOTWATER, DETERGENTS, SOLVENTS, SOAP, DRY CLEANING OR MACHINE WASH as these will damage or remove the proofing"

I always stand the proofing gear in hot water and then apply it and if I think that it does not look quite right I give it the hair dryer treatment, may not be right but it seems to work for me. Hope you sort it.

John

Gentlemen
I've seen the waxed jackets, never bought one. I'm curious as to the advantage of waxed cotton over some of the more recent water proofings.
Is there an honest to gosh advantage or is this a stylish affectation like wearing spats or the dinner plate belt buckles.
Jim

Pete, I know all the instructions say not to use detergents or hot water, but I "renovated" my barbour last year with a bucket of luke warm water and a small squirt of fairy liquid. Washed the coat down with a sponge and then hosed it off in the garden with cold water.

Certainly helped remove the smell of blood and dogs.

Brian.

John,

If it were to get a bit of mud off, that is the way I would go...However, I really want to get the old proofing off if I can as it looks crap ....
I have just found a company which will clean and re proof the jacket for �36 plus P&P which might be the way to go considering how expensive a new (decent) waxed jacket is...

Jim,

I have no doubt a lot of their popularity in the UK is down to tradition. However, decent waxed jackets or leggings are thornproof and just about bombproof in the field and I think are generally more robust than a lot of the newer materials. They can also be repair/reproofed as required. I only have the one jacket and have been very pleased with it; its held off the worst of British weather and does not absorb water due to the surface wax..They are not the sort of thing I would wear for still hunting and to be honest I do find it a bit cold in mid winter and therefore wear a sleeveless jacket/body warmer underneath...
Would I buy another one? Yes...as they are a good all round country jacket....

Regards,

Pete

[ 10-09-2003, 16:12: Message edited by: Pete E ]

I own a barbour Jacket for more then 12 years I sent to barbour for re-proofing three times , but they never clean inside , after years of blood , dirt , dog smell , and as my wife after a hunt said " come in and let the Barbour outside , I decided to clean " inside " with soap and a brush in the garden with cold water form a garden hose , also I use hot water to clean layers of old wax at elbows and shoulders , I reproof with Barbour wax ( apply heated )and a hair dryer , now it looks good ( only six years old )

Daniel

Gentlemen

I have three Barbours...all Northumbria. One is soo small that it's owned by my older sister. I have cleaned it in an ordinary washing machine. It got a bit smaller but not much and it was completly clean no wax and no dog smell or blood Barbour doesn't recommend it and I don't because re-proofing will take a LOT of wax

I follow the instructions from barbour and does like senior Daniel M, wash the inside with soap and water.

Questions , for all barbour owners. I think their sizes are a bit odd, short arms tight over the shoulders, seems to be sized for people that are fairly round? Anyone got the same experince?

/ JOHAN

I'm kinda confused here - until now I thought that prior to wearing any Barbour product, you had to leave it in the dog's basket for a year!

Only then can you take it into the field without howls of ridicule from those fortunates - who wear the same jacket once used by their Grandfather to beat out heath fires!

:0) Yes, the 'lived in' look is definately an institution over here in the UK!

Rgds Ian

Ian,

I don't mind a jacket that looks like I have lived in it; heck I don't even mind if it looks as if it looks like my dog has lived in it but mine is reaching the stage that it looks like a family of 12 Romanian refugees along with their dogs have been sleeping rough in it!

Regards,

Pete

[ 10-10-2003, 03:49: Message edited by: Pete E ]

Pete,

I think I know that family I had to evict them from a wax jacket that now lives in the back of my Landrover.

I agree that Barbours are virtualy bombproof but at a price. If I wear one beating I sweat like a pig at the slighest exertion then when I cool down between drives I get the cold and clammy feeling. Even taking the dogs for a walk it can get uncomfortable, and I agree that it can be as noisy as hell, BUT if I wear one wildfowling or rough shooting or on any occasion that does not require a forced march, the lived in look and feel of a waxed jacket cannot be beat. It is completely impervious to rain/snow/hail/wind/thorns/blood/guts and most other things. Although a lot of people now look down on the old Barbour I still wear one standing at a peg, some of the other guns may look trendy but they also look pretty pissed off with life after standing for thiry minutes or so in a gale.

I now keep the old girl for the foulest of weather when a route march is not involved, then it is in it's element.

Where is this firm that cleans wax jackets, I could do with a valet service after the visit of that Romanian family with the dogs.

John

I have an old Barbour wax jacket my Grandfather gave to me a while before he passed away and I love it. Not knowing any better I washed it the first time with a mild soap and water and rewaxed it, it seemed to work just fine. I did it the same way I do my boots with a hot hair dryer so it will really soak in well.

Doug

A friend had a Barbour motorcycle jacket that had been on the asphalt many times due to English beer and wet roads. It looked awful but it kept him dry and kept the skin on.
Based on this I think they are more durable than GoreTex etc. i have one of each so it is a moot point to me. Either will outlast my hunting days at this point in my life.

John,

Sorry for the delay getting back to you but I have been away stalking for a couple of days...

The company is called WAXING AND REPROOFING SERVICES and is on 01905 756066...They quoted me �36 for a clean and reproof plus P&& so its not cheap...a straight reproofing is a bit cheaper although I don't have a figure on for that...

You might also contact Barbour direct as I think they offer a similar service for there own products...

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

Thanks for the info I shall give them a ring. I have had a coat repaired and reproofed at Barbour, they were good but not cheap, but, I think worth it in the long run as they last for years and do take a lot of abuse.

John

[ 10-16-2003, 14:13: Message edited by: JAYB ]

Orvis in Manchester Vt. has Barbour days usually around mid October. Barbour will reproof your
Barbour jackets at Orvis those two days for free.
If they cannot finish you jacket that day they
will reproof it and ship it to you at no charge.
I have even shipped Barbour jackets to Orvis in advance and they reproof them and ship them back for free. I would bet that Barbour does this service at other locations in the country. They will only do their own brand of jacket.