Our Family. Our Craft. Our Wax.
The Family Formula That Was Never Meant to Be a Business…Until It Was
It began in a workshop tucked into the White Mountains of New Hampshire, after a long career at the CIA and a lifetime of curiosity led George Short to an unexpected obsession: restoring antique tools and the stories they carried.
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George fell hard for the craftsmanship of old tools — the kind made to last, the kind with weight and purpose and history in every nick and handle. But there was a problem. Nothing on the market cared for his “babies” the way he believed they deserved.
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So George did what any devoted restorer–slash–mad chemist would do. He made something better. A little experimentation. A lot of patience. And one day, a formula that cleaned, restored, and nourished tired old wood and metal like nothing he’d ever used.
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That jar became a quiet staple in the Short household — passed from bench to bookshelf, from tool handle to leather bag, from “here, try this” to “you need a jar of your own.” Family used it. Friends used it. Nobody left without a little jar and an enthusiastic nudge that they’d be back for more – because using it is fun too.
Before New Hampshire, before antique tools, auctions and flea markets, George and his wife Cindy had already built a life shaped by curiosity, learning, and growth. After years working at AARP in Washington, DC, Cindy created Grow Dendrites Forever™, a business dedicated to keeping minds active and expanding as we age. Together, they carried a shared belief that things — minds, materials, people — thrive when they’re cared for properly.
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Their path took them west to Washington State, then to Montana, where a love of nature, craftsmanship, and “real” mountains took hold. But it wasn’t until they returned east and settled in New Hampshire that antiquing entered the picture as more than a passing hobby — and everything clicked.
That’s where George discovered antique tools.
That’s where restoration became a passion.
And that’s where the wax was born.
Karen and Erik, already makers themselves, were drawn into that world naturally. They loved buying antiques, restoring old pieces, and creating new ones from reclaimed materials — always reaching for the wax because it simply made everything look better. Wood. Metal. Leather. Old things. New things.
Life kept moving. Families grew. Loved ones were lost. Paths shifted.
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After Cindy passed, Karen and George finally agreed on what had quietly been true for years: this wasn’t just a family secret anymore. It deserved to be shared.
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Wood Lover’s Wax became a business — slowly, organically, without hype. The formula never changed. The intention never wavered. But the reach was small… until Erik looked at things with fresh eyes.
“Why aren’t we taking this to woodworking shows?” he asked. They did. And everything clicked.
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Makers got it immediately. Restorers understood it instinctively. People didn’t just like the wax — they recognized it — understood it. After seeing what Karen and Erik could build together, George stepped back and handed them the reins.
He didn’t stop experimenting, though. Erik likes to refer to George as “the chemist” — because he’s invented the original formula all those years ago, and he’s never really stopped tinkering. So when Erik asked, “Can you make a food-safe version?” The chemist went back to work.
What emerged was a second family formula — built for anything that touches food, including cutting and charcuterie boards, butcher block, bowls, and utensils. Same care. Same intention. Different purpose.
Today, Wood Lover’s Wax is carried forward by Karen and Erik from the Delaware beaches — still family-made, still purpose-built, and still rooted in care, craftsmanship, and the simple belief that the things we create and love should last and look incredible doing so.
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Two formulas.
One family legacy.
And a whole lot of things made better by a little wax.