My Grandmothers both kept a piece of beeswax on hand for waxing needels for easier penetration. Before retirement, as a carpenter I always had bees wax in my toolbox, to lubricate the threads on wood screws, for easier penetration. As a foolish youngster (in my early 20's), I melted beeswax with black shoe polish (to soften and color it), which I used for mustache wax, I used to race motorcycles, and sported a "handle-bar" mustache.