https://imgur.com/gallery/Rbj9Fzx

I recently purchased a new set, that had been sitting for a long time before I bought it.
The wax remaining on the board is inconsistent. It some places it is shiny and a bit "grippy" when I rub it with my finger. Rubbing with a soft dry cloth helped a little but it is still noticeable. I think rewaxing would be a good idea, but wonder whether I should do anything to first remove any of the old wax?
The plan was to use renaissance wax which I have seen recommended here before. Can anyone who has used that share their experience?

The shell stones have a similar feel to the board, the wax (?) on them feels ever so slightly tacky. For those I'm hoping a bit of a rub and some use is going to fix them up.

The black stones were of course covered in white residue, but a wipe and re-oil has them looking fantastic.

Thanks

You should be able to see a thorough discussion of application techniques for that specific wax at the manufacturer’s site. You can also do a quick search for the re-waxing of fine wood furniture. The important thing is not to use rubbing friction o the board to melt the wax. YOu could damage the lines—unlikely, maybe, but possible. You might as well practice on the underside and edges first.

Cleaning your shells has been discussed here often. There are conflicting suggestions. There is even the unresolved question whether replacing the factory wax, once it has been removed with a good cleaning, is at all necessary. I have washed my shell sets several times. No wax.

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

From whom did you buy the set? It occurred to me that maybe the previous owner rewaxed and used a little too much wax. In any case it seems difficult to remove the old wax without damaging the surface. I wonder whether you might be able to even out the wax by using a hairdrier. Usually the wax is melted or liquefied when it is applied. I think it isn't an easy job to apply the wax on a board.

Thank you both for your replies.
I think the stones will be fine, it feels as though there is maybe a little excess on them or the wax has gone a little tacky over time but a good rub with a cloth seems to sort them out. I don't think anything more is needed and likely if they ever were in need of a proper clean and rewax I'd be sending them to a professional.

I'm pretty confident the seller would not have rewaxed the board, but it has been in storage waiting to be sold for quite a few years. Considering its been sitting for a log time and managed to make a journey from Japan to me in southern tasmania via a many year stop over in Queensland it doesn't surprise me that the wax is not in the best condition. Actually I had the same though about applying a gentle source of heat, as rubbing vigorously on the underside definitely softened and spread what was there out. I didn't want to go crazy rubbing the face of the board for fear of damaging the lines.

If I can get what is already on there to be more even and not shiny/grippy I think maybe that will be enough, I guess I have a concern that I should be giving it some kind of protective layer to ensure that it survives my lifetime, but in reality it might not be as fragile as I think. In any case I'll look in to the use of the renaissance wax more generally and try make a decision about whether it's really necessary.

Waxing fine furniture will be a similar process, easily researched.
I do not recommend heating the old wax on the surface directly with something like a hairdryer. If you can heat your new wax and keep it very warm, it should melt the original wax. Probably. But you still have the risk of damage to the lines. If they are lacquer, you cannot hurt them easily but I don’t know of any way to test your new wax to give you total confidence.

The wax on a go board give it a nice shine, helps prevent dust and debris from settling on the surface, and might slow down water if you were careless and had a spill. It also proves a few molecules of cushion between the wood and your stones. But waxes and oils will not preserve wood; they will not keep it from drying out or prevent movement such as cracking or warping.

Take some photos!

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

That wooks very rewaxing indeed!