Mitsuro Hikime Wax - Ziess Formula

At Tacoma Metal Arts Center we now sell bulk pieces of Mitsuro Hikime Wax for jewelry makers.

This wax is a sculpting wax for Mitsuro Hikime style jewelry making. When warmed it pulls like taffy and creates a beautiful ribbon effect that translates beautifully into gold and silver jewelry through the lost wax casting method. Formulated, trademarked and produced by Susan Zeiss, a pioneer in this technique and an instructor in our teaching studio, Tacoma Metal Arts Center.

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The bulk pieces can be cut into smaller pieces.
10 grams is enough to make roughly 3 rings or 1 bracelet. This is a single large piece that can be broken up, cut, or re-melted into smaller pieces. To cut into smaller pieces: heat the wax under a heat source, such as an incandescent light bulb. Once softened it can be cut with a damp knife. The knife must be damp with cold water to prevent the wax from sticking to it.

About the maker:
Susan Zeiss is an award winning jewelry artist who works out of her studio in the Pacific Northwest. Her work is regularly shown in juried exhibitions and galleries. She earned her master's degree in metal arts from the University of Wisconsin. During her time as college jewelry faculty, she spent many years researching Mitsuro Hikime and through much trial and error she created her trademarked recipe of Mitsuro Hikime wax. Now semi-retired she wants to share her recipe with other makers in the hopes that the technique will live on. Makers may not represent the formula as their own, and credit can be given as the Zeiss formula.

Examples of jewelry in silver and gold made by Susan Zeiss