here is a picture of a chunk of beeswax used for stringing beads. 2 3/4 inches by 2 1/4 inches. I've had this for several years and it's as hard as a rock. It would have to be heated to use it. The red tint to the pictures is caused by the fires burning close by and this is after color correction.
It should also be considered that raffia is often wetted in-preparation for stringing beads. This makes it compress. Then, when it dries out, it expands and really fills the perforations. This is why it can be difficult to remove beads, and why there may be consternation as to how the beads were originally placed on such tight lines.
JDA.
I watched one of the Gambian dealers string with raffia- he was sitting on a mat, had the far end of the raffia secured to his big toe, and was moistening the stringing end with spit and twirling it to a small pointed end.
