Updated Sealing Wax

I've discovered a better way of using sealing wax on letters. I found out there is a thing called a melting spoon. While a melting spoon doesn't look like a spoon, it handles like one and enables a person to melt enough sealing wax to do just one or two seals. The biggest advantage of using a melting spoon is that you don't have any sealing wax that is on fire dropping on to your letter. What you do is place enough sealing wax into the small metal cup at the end of the spoon. You then hold the cup over a candle or lighter until the wax melts in the metal cup. Once the wax is melted, you pour the wax onto your letter, and then press whatever seal you're going to use into the hot wax. Since no flame makes direct contact with the wax, there isn't any way for it to catch on fire and possibly set your letter on fire. This is obviously a huge advantage over using sealing wax sticks that have wicks in them. I've used sealing wax sticks with wicks and I've had letters catch on fire at least two or three times because of them.

Another advantage of using a melting spoon is that you can use sealing wax beads. The beads are cheaper per seal then sealing wax sticks. Using LetterSeals.com's sealing wax beads, the cost of a wax seal is just 8 cents vice 35 cents using sealing wax sticks.

The one disadvantage with a melting spoon is trying to buy one. I searched for one and finally found one as part of a set sold by bridal people.com (I've removed the link here). The set costs $32.25 not including shipping. (THIS OFFER IS NO LONGER VALID.) The set comes with a melting spoon, a packet of red sealing wax beads, a stick of silver sealing wax, a small portable burner so you can have something to melt the wax in your melting spoon while your travelling, and three seals (a fleur-de-lis, a fish, and an anchor). Considering that a seal alone can cost you over $8 each, the set is a good value. Still, I do wish I could buy the melting spoon separately.

Updated December 24, 2012

Since people are reading this blog entry, I decided to check it and see if it needed updating. It did. First, as far as I can tell, the bridal people web site I posted no longer sells the set I mention. Second, you can buy a sealing wax melting spoon by itself from www.letterseals.com for $12.50 plus shipping. You will need something to heat the spoon so the wax will melt. I use a small alcohol burner which does a fine job of heating the spoon. Lastly, as an fyi, if you mail a letter with a wax seal on it, you will have to put an extra 17 cents postage on it if mailed in the United States. I believe the reason for it is because it increases the WIDTH of the letter or invitation and, U.S. Postal Service does charge extra for wide/thick letters. I remember my step-mother Kay getting hit with a postage due notice from the postal service because I'd put a wax seal on the letter I mailed her. Also, you may want to put an extra sheet of paper around your letter in the envelope so, you're letter doesn't get messed up where the seal is put. I believe the wax can cause writing on the letter in the envelope to smear like it would if you accidentally poured some kind of liquid on the letter.