In a message dated 4/28/00 2:13:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jkiernan@julian.uwo.ca writes:

<< Why is it expensive? Half a dozen HistoNet replies have pointed
  out that almost any liquid that contains alcohol with a little
  glycerol and perhaps a dash of detergent makes an adequate
  release compound, and we all know that glycerol (which doesn't
  evaporate or mix with wax) is quite cheap to buy, even from
  vendors of lab chemicals.  >>

Yes, you are right and I guess that as a salesperson I should have never
admitted that a product is expensive.  That is actually a relative term as
you frequently have pointed out to the histonet community.  You can certainly
synthisize some glycerin and distill some alcohol and save yourself a bunch
of money.  Othewise a high quality glycerin sells on the open market for
about $50.00 US per gallon.   That is the component that makes a product such
as this on relatively expensive.

Cliff Berger