Bohning and Fred Bear open tubes (with his picture from the '70s) of commercial string wax all worked fine over the years, and I couldn't tell the difference. Red wax that is over the mini cheese pods, "toilet bowl sealer"...yellow bees wax and Sno Seal boot wax have also worked just as well and often get used on back pack trips. I will say the one tube of expensive Winner's Choice lube in a sealed tube didn't seem to do a very good job or hold up very long.