I think the time has com to wax my Kuroki hon kaya goban. Should I really buy the recommended wax from the Kuroki website in Japan or will renaissance wax be better. I think I have some bees wax but heard that might stain the board.

I would think that since you bought the board from Kuroki and Kuroki is selling the wax you would be safe to use their product.

Renaissance wax made me think of the ancient varnish that included chitin from beetle shells. A brief internet search told me that renaissance wax has microcrystals and is used to polish and restore metals. It is also used on wood, but my question would be if it would create too hard a surface. One of the charms of hon kaya for me is its softness.

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The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

My two main guides in life:
My mother and my wife.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

Fine wood waxes for go boards are either mysterious concoctions from Japan or simple carnauba. Microcrocrystalline is a petroleum product and is often combined with a solvent-based carrier. The danger with a solvent is that it might negatively affect your tachi mori. Lacquer is robust, sure, but disappearing lines would be a total bummer.

Carnauba is available in pure blocks from Woodcraft. You melt it and apply gently and carefully with very soft cloth.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/beal ... -x-2-x-5-8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnauba_wax

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcrystalline_wax

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Wax

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David Bogie, Boise ID
I play go, I ride a recumbent, of course I use Macintosh.