I used to break the chain wax over a metal pipe. I stopped doing that to save time. I just install the chain and ride a few minutes in a gear that has a straight chainline. I got this tip from a recent Silca video.
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I use an old small slow cooker that I had in storage. On low, it gets my Silca wax to 165 degrees in 2 hours 40 minutes. When the wax is ready, I swish 3 chains at a time, then let the chains drip dry for 30 seconds. I then I wax another 3 chains. Done.
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Sounds like my plan for next time. The very first time I waxed my chain I was all OCD about maneuvering each link by hand and ended up with a big annoying blister for the next week and a half lol,
If your real anal and have a hollow pin chain, get a straight pick and poke out the excess wax in the pins. A vary marginal gain
I use a paper clip 
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Have you ever put all those Dura Ace wax-boogers on a scale?
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No but I have poked a lot of holes in my fingers cleaning the wax out of hollow pins.
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Buying chains in anticipation of making the switch. I have a rival road bike and a force gravel bike. Assuming I don’t care to spend the money needed for hollow pins (no Red for me on these bikes), any reason I shouldn’t just buy a bunch of rival chains? I can’t find any difference between force and rival chains (other than cost) in my searching online… though because they will be different lengths, maybe I should get force for the gravel bike just to keep them straight. 
From ZFC’s chain recommendation doc:
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Wow that’s tiny - try here. It’s the paragraph under the graph:
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I would probably buy force after reading that article.
I currently run 2 rival chains and 1 force chain. They’d all still showing zero wear and I can’t tell the difference when I rotate through chains.
It’s odd to me that SRAM doesn’t seem to advertise that they have a different coating to justify the different cost. But looks like westernbikeworks (same as BTD?) has the force chains for the same price as the rival anyway. Thanks guys!
$30 Force flattop chains - https://bikecloset.com/product/sram-force-axs-d1-12-speed-chain-114-link/?srsltid=AfmBOoqTwa_KY-F3UJjJX-KE8WbxM8cicB_7PdvkmhZuGTB4fkGlwJF2
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I can attest to this. I rode 1000km on a GX chain and it was 1% worn. I was chocked…
It also started to rust fast as hell.
Just changed to X01 and been riding it in salt and wet weather, close to zero rust.
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Wow that’s a crazy difference! Shimano seem similar though, the 105 certainly rust easily.
Okay guys, I did not see what I am looking for so figured I would ask this. I want to start off, I have been waxing for about 3 seasons now and I recently moved to the full silca setup (literally their cooker, wax, cleaner etc).
I will be the first to say it, I hate waxing and if there was not so much evidence of it being superior I would flat out not do it. I loved the days of gold rock and roll lube at the beginning of the week and wiped clean.
Why do I not like waxing - I think the process is not fun, just me and then you have to worry about link issues, I have had the 11-tooth cassette after many waxes get clogged and then the bike would not go down in it during sprints etc. I know I know I’m whining.
So here is my question - I have a new bike… The new bike is white (very white)… when I wax a new chain, the flying wax boogers are just making the bike so messy for no good reason. I am on the hunt on how to de-booger the chain after I wax (without killing performance) it so I don’t have to spend the next 3-rides cleaning everything on the drive side of the bike.
If the answer is, tough luck let it be dirty - then so be it. My first thought was just running a new waxed chain through a dry/empty park CM-5.3.
First, I wan to say my experience with wax is the opposite of yours.
To solve the issue you mention:
Someone here said he uses a pulley wheel fixed against something and runs the waxed chain on it. Sounds good to me.
IME large pieces of wax are caused by leaving the chain cooling for to long. I prefer to pull it out when hot. I know some say letting it cool down makes the wax last longer. That is not what I’ve experienced.
On another forum people shared their experience running the still warm chain throw a cloth and they liked the results.
I have to say silca is the best Ive experienced. Very little flaking.
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Very odd. Did you use the silca chain stripper? Do you pull the chain at 160 degrees so it’s not caked with wax?
You can also drop the cassette in near-boiling water every once in a while to melt off any wax.
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This happens, my resolve is to accept it, however, I do pour boling water over the cassette from a kettle on bike wash day to remove wax build up on the cassette. It becomes a daning act though to angle the wheel so as not to drown the rim et al in excess hot waxy water, I dont want to remove cassette every time nor do i want to dunk the cassette into a bowl of water (bearings, grease etc).
The kettle pour works for me.
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I am following Silca’s instructions to a T and using all of their products and am not near max dip recommendations or anything like that (It has always been this way).
The Silca pot is set to 75*C which is the lowest it can go.
I think it just might be part of the deal of waxing. I can try the park tool to try and knock off some of the big chunks but am still open to all opinions on this!
For the wax build up on the cassette, I just use a small flat head glass repair screwdriver (it fits right between the cogs) and quickly scrape the wax out… I just have to remember to do it a few times a year.
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