What Candles and Wicks Are Made Of The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. - Carl Jung All About Candles > What Candles and Wicks Are Made Of What Candles and Wicks Are Made Of What Candles Are Made Of: PARAFFIN CANDLES Paraffin development began in 1830, but manufactured paraffin was not introduced until 1850. It provided an alternative to tallow which gave off an unpleasant odor when burned. In 1854 paraffin and stearin (the solid form of fat) were combined to create stronger candles, very similar to those we use today. BEESWAX CANDLES Most honey and bees wax is collected from July to September. It can come from the pollination of canola, sweet clover or sunflowers. Generally these plants result in a lighter scent and lighter colored beeswax. There are two types, solid beeswax and honeycomb wax. The solid bees wax candle is created by pouring liquid wax into a candle mold. The result is a smooth, dense candle which burns for an extremely long time. Honeycomb beeswax candles are created by rolling honeycomb textured sheets.

The honeycomb candle is less dense and burns faster. Beeswax candles produce a bright flame, do not drip, do not smoke or sputter, and produce a fragrant honey odor while being burned. CRYSTAL WAX CANDLES These are also called wax tarts or wax potpourri. They are made with an all-natural candle wax that holds twice as much fragrance as paraffin wax candles, making them suitable for highly scented candles. They are used with a potpourri warmer (without any water). The fragrance emerges when the candle starts to melt. GEL CANDLES Gel candles have a new and unique look. They give off a beautiful illumination and a wonderful aroma. And they burn three times as long as wax candles. But be careful. Gel candles produce a higher burning flame and they burn much hotter. Too much heat can shatter a glass candleholder or container which can ignite nearby combustibles, resulting in a room fire. To be safe, never burn a gel candle more than four hours. SOY CANDLES Soy wax candles are made from soy beans. They are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and bio-degradable.

They burn up to 40% longer than paraffin candles and burn evenly which means there is no tunneling effect. However, it is not recommended to burn more than four hours at a time. Soy candles are very sensitive to temperature and light. They should be stored away from sunlight, fluorescent lighting and other sources of heat. WHAT WICKS ARE MADE OF TODAY Most wicks manufactured in the US are made of 100% cotton or some paper-cotton combination. They are either square or flat braided. Some candles made in the US contain metal wicks. These metal wicks are typically made of zinc or have a tin-core. They are known to be safe and non-toxic. Zinc core wicks are most commonly used for gel candles because of their rigidity while the candle is being made and during the burning. However, some gel candle are made with cotton and paper core wicks. Be aware that some imported candles, mostly from China, have been found to contain lead wicks. Fortunately, the U.S.

Consumer Product Safety Commission has proposed the banning of lead wicks in all candles sold in the United States If you are concerned that your candle may have a lead wick, there is an easy way to test it. Take a normal piece of white paper. Rub the paper on the tip of an un-burnt candle's wick. If it leaves a light gray pencil like mark, you know it is using a lead core. All About Candles > What Candles and Wicks Are Made Of Types of Candle Wicks | NCA Research Studies Wicks Most consumers usually think of a candle’s shape, color or fragrance as its most important element. Most candle manufacturers, though, would probably say it’s the wick that makes the candle. The purpose of a wick is to deliver fuel (wax) to the flame. Acting like a fuel pump, the wick draws the liquefied wax up into the flame to burn. Different wick sizes allow for different amounts of fuel to be drawn into the flame. Too much fuel and the flame will flare and soot; too little fuel and the flame will sputter out. All wicks consist of a bundle of fibers that are twisted, braided or knitted together.

These fibers absorb the liquefied wax and carry it to the flame by capillary action. There are literally hundreds of different styles and sizes of wicks. The type of wax used in a candle, as well as the candle’s size, shape, color and fragrance materials all impact wick choice. Selecting the correct wick is critical to making a candle that burns cleanly and properly. Reputable candle manufacturers take great care in selecting a wick of the proper size, shape and material to meet the burn requirements of a particular candle. Types of Wicks Most high-quality wicks are made from braided, plaited or knitted fibers to encourage a slow and consistent burn. In general, twisted wicks are of lower quality than braided or knitted wicks. They burn much faster because their loose construction allows more fuel to quickly reach the flame. However, twisted wicks are useful for certain applications, such as birthday candles. In general, wicks can be divided into four major types: Flat Wicks. These flat-plaited or knitted wicks, usually made from three bundles of fiber, are very consistent in their burning and curl in the flame for a self-trimming effect.

They are the most commonly used wicks, and are often found in taper and pillar candles. Square Wicks. These braided or knitted wicks also curl in the flame, but are more rounded and a bit more robust than flat wicks. They are preferred for beeswax applications and can help inhibit clogging of the wick, which can occur with certain types of wax formulations, pigments or fragrances. Cored Wicks. These braided or knitted wicks use a core material to keep the wick straight or upright while burning. The wicks have a round cross section, and the use of different core materials provides a range of stiffness effects. The most common core materials for wicks are cotton, paper, zinc or tin. Cored wicks can be found in jar candles, pillars, votives and devotional lights. Specialty Wicks. These wicks are specially designed to meet the burn characteristics of specific candle applications, such as oil lamps and insect-repelling candles. Wick Use in the U.S. Approximately 80 percent of the wicks manufactured in the United States are made of all-cotton or cotton-paper combinations. The remainder consists primarily of metal- and paper-cored wicks.

Lead wicks were banned from the U.S marketplace in 2003, and for several years before that were found primarily in inexpensive foreign candle imports. NCA-member manufacturers voluntarily discontinued using lead wicks in the mid-1970s, and in 2000, asked all U.S. candle manufacturers to join its members in signing a formal pledge not to use lead wicks. The metal-core wicks sometimes found in candles are typically zinc- or tin-core wicks. They are most often used in container candles and votives to keep the wick upright when the surrounding wax liquefies. Scientific studies have repeatedly shown both zinc- and tin-core wicks to be safe. MEDIA CENTER Choosing Candle Wicks for Making Candles - LoneStarCandleSupply.com Browse our selection of paper core wicks . CD Series Wicks The CD series of wicks is a favorite among many seasoned candlemakers. These wicks are flat braided with a special paper filament woven around them. This configuration is engineered to promote maximum and consistent burn while insuring a wick trimming flame posture.

The CD series is used in many applications and is especially compatible with the harder-to-melt viscous waxes of both paraffin and vegetable base. Each wick has been cut to the specified length, primed with a high melt point wax (212°F) and has been crimped with a 20mm diameter x 10mm tall tab (except CD-22 which has a 20mm diameter x 6mm tab.) Size Browse our selection of CD wicks . ECO Series Wicks This series is designed specifically for natural waxes. The ECO series is a flat, coreless cotton wick braided with thin paper filaments interwoven for burn stability. This braiding technique also greatly improves rigidity compared to standard cotton and paper cored wicks. The specially treated paper threads provide a controlled curling of the wick making the ECO series self-trimming, which results in minimized mushrooming, soot and smoke. They have been designed to significantly reduce the "afterglow" and smoke often seen in paper cored wicks.

An important difference to note is that these wicks have been primed with vegetable wax rather than paraffin wax, enabling you to market your candles as all natural candles! Each wick has been cut to the specified length, primed with a vegetable wax (161°F), and has been crimped with a 20mm diameter x 10mm tall tab. Size Browse our selection of ECO wicks . HTP Series Wicks Coreless, all cotton braided wicks which are designed to bend at the tip when burning, forcing the tip of the wick into the outermost portion of the flame where it burns hottest. The result is more complete combustion, leaving less carbon buildup (mushrooming) behind and less smoking. Can be used in votives, pillars, containers, and gel candles. Each wick has been cut to the specified length, primed with a high melt point wax (212°F) and has been crimped with a 20mm diameter x 10mm tall tab (except HTP-1212 which has a 20mm diameter x 6mm tab.) Size Browse our selection of LX wicks .

Wooden Wicks Wooden wicks are relatively new to the candle making industry. Generally, there are two types of wooden wicks - hard wood wicks and soft wood wicks. You may have seen hard wood wicks available but they don't even compare to the superiority of the soft wood wicks. Our soft wood wicks offer the unique sounds of a wood burning fire as they crackle and pop while they burn. Our soft wood wicks are comprised of two pieces of wood. The wide, soft piece of wood produces the width of the flame while the narrow, hard piece of wood, called the booster, produces most of the heat. Both pieces of wood are treated with a solution to help the wood light easily and stay lit, as well as increase crackling when they are burning. The double thickness of wood should extend from the wick tab to about 1/8” above the wax in a finished candle. It may not be apparent just by looking at the wicks that they are comprised of two separate pieces of wood. However, these two pieces of wood are infused together by a special machine. This is what makes our wooden wicks unique and what gives them their excellent burning ability.

Wooden wicks are for use in containers, and should not be used in pillars or votives. Wooden wicks can be used in paraffin or soy. When using our wooden wicks in pure soy, we recommend using the large or extra large wick. This is to make sure the melt pool is wide enough since pure soy wax tends to hold in the heat, as well as fragrance. To achieve a good "crackle" sound with the wooden wicks, it is very important that you do not use too much fragrance oil. The crackle is a direct result of the correct amount of fragrance oil, type of wax, and amount of dye being used. Custom tabs are included with these wicks. Size Lead in Candle Wicks : snopes.com Claim: Lead candle wicks pose a household risk. Status: Multiple — see below. Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2000] (WebMD) — When Cathy Flanders, 41, of Plano, Texas, started burning candles for their pleasant smell in the spring of 1997, it never occurred to her she could be poisoning her family.

Three years, a serious illness and a lawsuit later, Flanders has a lesson to share with anyone buying scented candles: Watch out for metal wicks. Lead emitted by this type of candle is a serious health hazard. "Candles are fast becoming one of the most common unrecognized causes of poor indoor air quality," says Diane Walsh Astry, executive director of the Health House Project, an American Lung Association education project in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Flanders' woes started when Cathy was shopping at a clothing store and spotted some candles whose labels promised to fill her house with the pleasant fragrances of "winter" and "spring." Within six months of burning the candles, she noticed soot damage around her house. But Cathy didn't pinpoint the source of the problem until after Ron Bailey of Bailey Engineering in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, analyzed the Flanders' candles and discovered lead emissions. Around that time, 11-year-old Andrew Flanders' grades dropped precipitously. His teacher wondered if he had attention deficit disorder. When blood tests revealed an elevated level of lead, the Flanders promptly sent him to live with his aunt. "The lead deposits in our home are such that we could not sell the house if we wanted to," says Flanders.

As for the candles, the doctor ordered a total ban. Testing revealed the lead level in the Flanders' home to be 40 milligrams in 1995 to $2.3 billion in 1999. Part of the candle craze may be due to new interest in aroma therapy, a type of alternative medicine in which odors are used for relaxation or to treat illness. Ironically, the very candles sometimes used for aromatherapy can cause serious health problems. The chief culprits are candles with wicks made with metal cores. "Some candle makers use metal-core wicks because cotton wicks are often limp and fall over into the wax, extinguishing the flame," explains Jerome O. Nriagu, Ph.D., a professor of environmental chemistry at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor who has studied scented candles. Lead poisoning can lead to behavior changes and damage internal organs, especially the kidneys. Cathy's husband, Kip, had his gall bladder removed because of an illness he blames on the candles. Metal wicks Nriagu measured the lead released from 14 brands of candles.

He found that burning four metal-wick candles for two hours can result in airborne lead concentrations that pose a threat to human health. People with weak immune systems, including children and the elderly, are particularly at risk. "Besides breathing lead fumes, children can be exposed to even more lead that is deposited on the floor, furniture and walls because they often put their hands in their mouths," says Nriagu. After similar research in Australia, lead wicks in candles were banned there in September 1999. But despite the urging of experts like Nriagu, the candles are still legal in the United States. Not all candles — or even all scented candles — cause hazardous pollution. But since labels won't tell which ones are safe, Astry and other candle experts offer this advice: Watch out for shiny metal wire inside the wicks of candles. Opt for pure paper or cotton instead. Keep wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch for more complete combustion, and keep candles out of drafts. Windiness blows more toxins into the air and causes inefficient burning. Watch out for slow-burning candles with additives. (These candles often feel greasy to the touch.) Instead, look for pure beeswax candles, which emit less pollution.

For aromatherapy, put a few drops of scented oil in a defuser — a tray made to fit on a lightbulb. Or you can put the drops into some boiling water. Don't use candles in jars when the candle leaves a soot ring on the jar's lip. The soot may be an indication of lead dust. Andrew Flanders, now 14, has moved back home. And the family is still hopeful their lawsuit will win compensation from the store that sold them the candles. But no matter what the result of the suit, Cathy only wishes she'd had some whiff of the danger when she first spotted those innocent-looking candles among the racks of shirts and pants. Origins: The article quoted above appeared in the Alternative Health section of CNN's web site on 1 February 2000. It has since spread even further through e-mail. It is true that Cathy Flanders instituted a lawsuit against The Gap (the owners of Banana Republic) over scented candles, but her claim was that soot from the candles damaged her home.

The bit about her son's being adversely affected is new to the claim — an extensive 31 March 1999 Wall Street Journal article about her travails made no mention of either the boy or other members of the family experiencing health problems, and the September 1999 attempt to increase the scope of the February 1999 suit and make it a class action also failed to mention the lead poisoning of her son. Possibly that is now a component of the actual claim, but one is left wondering why the child's being sent to live with his aunt because blood tests revealed a high level of lead in his system — and the fact that this lead was tied to candles purchased from a Banana Republic store — was not mentioned by anyone prior to the February 2000 CNN article. (Bear in mind that Flanders says she began using the candles during the Spring of 1997.) Flander's reasons for bringing suit were described thusly in March 1999: Today, black soot outlines each beam inside her home. Dark stains surround light fixtures. The once-white drapes are now gray. Even the cobwebs in the corners are black. "You know how old socks get dingy?" says Ms.

Flanders as she wipes a family portrait with an alcohol-dipped swab, looking for signs of soot. "That's my house." The culprit, she believes: those holiday candles. Though her insurance company offered a partial settlement of $20,000 — covering everything from new carpet to replacing the ventilation system — Ms. Flanders sued Gap Inc., owner of Banana Republic, in state court in Dallas, alleging that its candles gave off excessive soot and noxious fumes. Gap, of San Francisco, denies the allegations in court but declined to comment further, citing the pending litigation. In court documents, Gap attorneys suggest Ms. Flanders misused the candles. In 1999, at least, the focus of this 1997 suit was soot damage to a home, not the health impairment of a child. Flanders has become "a candle crusader" who runs a newsletter on indoor-air issues that is regularly e-mailed to 1,200 readers, including attorneys, insurers and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researchers. Whether or not Cathy Flander's claims about her son ring true, it can't be all that good an idea to burn lead-wicked candles.

Lead is a nasty substance, and we're all far better off keeping our distance from it. Burning a material sets it loose in the air, and when that material is lead, a danger is created that goes far beyond that which existed when the lead was contained within a candle wick. Air inside a home is breathed by everyone who lives there, and airborne residue from a candle will land wherever it falls, likely on surfaces that will be touched by the home's residents. Lead from a little wick that no one handles can thus be spread around to the point that contact with it becomes unavoidable. Most domestic candle manufacturers took lead out of their wicks in the 1970s, though the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 1974 didn't find it a health hazard. Concerns about the potential for harm continue to rage. In February 2000 the Public Citizen's Health Research Group asked the CPSC to immediately ban lead-wick candles and recall any that were still on store shelves. According to the National Candle Association, the majority of wicks manufactured today in the U.S. are made entirely of cotton, with no metal cores. Those few wicks made with metal are typically zinc-core wicks.

All of these wicks are safe, so there is no need to eschew metal wicks, just lead ones. The National Candle Association says there is an easy way to test whether a candle has a lead core wick: Take an ordinary piece of white paper and rub it on the tip of an un-burnt wick. If the wick leaves a light grey pencil-like mark, it has a lead core. No mark, however, and the candle is lead-free. Concerns about the effect of candles on health are not solely limited to worries about lead's being loosed into the air — some people have voiced apprehensions over potentially carcinogenic dyes and perfumes used in these products, and yet others fear the consequences of paraffin fumes, asserting "It is never healthy to breathe petroleum products." How valid these misgivings are is anyone's guess. Barbara "candlepower" Mikkelson Candle Making: All About Candle Wicks All About Wicks Regardless of your level of experience in candle making, you still might ask, "Am I using the right wick?" Even veteran candle makers evaluate this question from time to time.

The "performance" of the candle will be greatly influenced by your ability to select the proper wick for each type of candle that you make. The wick will influence the burn time of the candle, scent throw and "sooting" or smoking during the candle’s life. As we have stated many times, there is not one perfect wick that will work for each and every application. The right wick is dependent on many factors including the wax type, scent added, color, burn time, type of candle and even the maintenance. When choosing a wick, there are some important criteria to follow. You should strive to achieve a consistent flame size a moderate temperature of the container minimal or no blooming (carbon deposits) a well-formed wax pool with no dripping minimal glow after the candle has been extinguished The issue any candle maker has is where to start when choosing the proper wick. In today’s marketplace the possibilities are endless and can be overwhelming at times. One of the most popular wicks for container and votive candles has been the zinc core wick. The zinc core has always offered rigidity in the "hot pour" process. But the down side is that zinc is very prone to mushrooming and carbon deposits.

The zinc core can also be confused with the lead core wicks due to the metal in the middle of the wick. NOTE: There is ban on lead core wick in the United States. When selecting alternatives to the zinc core, some popular choices include the RRD wicks (Round wicks), HTP wicks, LX and CD. In summary these wicks feature the following: RRD--is a round directional wick with a cotton core and tension threads. It has been designed for optimal burn in solid-colored, scented votives and containers. HTP--Are otherwise known as high-tension paper wicks. These wicks have a paper core wound into the wick to offer rigidity. These wicks are specially designed for use in votives and containers. CD--Also have a paper core wound into the wick and are very well suited for votives and containers. LX--is a flat braided wick with stabilized threats to help the wick "curl" during the burning process. These wicks will work in votives, containers and pillars. This Wick Types Chart is a great resource to determine the different characteristics of each wick type.

Each type of wick brings something different to the candle in terms of performance. It must also be noted there are many other wicks that perform very well. The wicks in the list above have been featured since they are requested most often. Other wicks to consider include the TL Series, PK and even hemp wicks. The flat braided wicks have always been popular for pillars and tapers. The standard 24 Ply and 27 Ply have always been popular in 2-3" pillars. Choosing the proper wick can be a daunting experience to even the most experienced candle makers. A Custom Wick Builder such as this one makes it easy to get the exact wick you need for any type of candle production. Oil Candle Wicks, Wine Bottle Wick Holder, Glass Wick Holders Your Email Address: Oil Candle Wick Holders & Bottle Wicks Oil candle wicks and wick holders for the popular bottle oil candles, mason jar oil candles and rock candle designs. We have wicks and wick holders available in glass wick holders, ceramic wick holders, aluminum wick holders and brass wick holders. Wick for your oil candles is available in fiberglass or cotton.

Plastic funnels are great for filling and much needed for your oil candle supplies. We have a full line of heat resistant glass wick holders in your choice of lengths that will work for any oil candle design. We also offer ceramic wick holders and a line of metal wick holders in both aluminum and brass. These wick holders are perfect for wine bottle candles and tiki torch candle designs for your outdoor use in the summertime. Also another favorite in making oil lamps are the rock candles. For this you need wick holders, wick and an oil reservoir. These oil candles have the look of a burning rock and they are most commonly made with granite. Another popular and fun to make oil lamp are made from wood logs and used in fireplaces. These oil candle designs have drilled out holes and a glass tube oil reservoir is dropped in to create a burning log look to use in the fireplace. These are great for creating a cozy atmosphere for the winter or anytime. Design your oil lamp from wood, glass, rock or glass blocks. We have the oil candle supplies you need to create your oil candle masterpiece.

Featured Products Candlemaking | Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library Harold Gill and Lou Powers April 1981 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 33 John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library Colonial Williamsburg Foundation by Harold Gill and Lou Powers [Candlemakers] CANDLEMAKING by Harold Gill and Lou Powers To the modern American who lives his nights in well lit places, the nights of colonial Virginia would seem dim. A room lit with seven candles appeared "luminous and splendid" to an eighteenth-century observer. 1 Most colonial homes included only two candlesticks; the average number mentioned in the ninety-five Virginia inventories examined for this report was slightly less than five per household. Nightfall must have forced the colonial person into a range of activities far different from what the twentieth-century person experiences. For instance, most work stopped with the failure of natural light. Reading was difficult by candlelight, so the colonial American could only sit in the dimness to engage in conversation or else retire. It was not that candles were too expensive for most people but that they simply did not provide enough light for close work like sewing. If we can judge by existing colonial houses, the interiors were dim even in the daytime.

Furniture was probably arranged to take best advantage of available light. Candles were the common method of interior lighting in colonial Virginia. In the late eighteenth century oil lamps of one kind of another became more popular and began to appear in more and more houses, but rush lights and other such lighting devices were nearly nonexistent before the Revolution. It may be because of fashion as much as anything that candles were the usual source of artificial light in Virginia. One writer observed in 1749 2. "candle light is more fashionable in England, and in all places of polite entertainment" than lamps of any kind. 2 During the eighteenth century candles were made of primarily four substances, all of which (except spermaceti) were produced in Virginia. Spermaceti seem to have been the most expensive and appear in the inventories of only the wealthiest estates. The three other kinds of raw materials from which candles were made were tallow, beeswax, and myrtle or bayberry wax. (Occasionally there is mention of candles made of other substances such as pimento.) 3 Tallow was by far the most commonly used material for candles.

During 1769 nearly 10,500 pounds of tallow candles were imported into Virginia along with over 6,000 pounds of spermaceti candles. No beeswax or myrtle wax candles were imported during that year. 4 After tallow, bayberry or myrtle wax seem to have been the most popular because of their better light and pleasant odor. Tallow candles usually cost about two pence less per pound than bayberry candles and about four pence per pound less than spermaceti. The price of molded tallow candles ranged from 10-½ to 11 pence per pound, and dipped tallow candles cost about a penny a pound less. Some chandlers evidently produced only tallow candles. Roger Pearse of Norfolk, for instance, referred to himself as a tallow chandler. His ad in the Virginia Gazette mentions both dipped and molded candles: Roger Pearse, Tallow-Chandler Near the Church, Norfolk, Makes and Sells the best mould Candles, at ten pence half-penny per pound, and dipt ditto, at nine pence half penny: Where all masters of vessels may be supplied with the best candles on the shortest notice.

5 A Williamsburg candlemaker, Morto Brien, produced both tallow and myrtle wax candles: 3. The Subscriber (lately from Norfolk) begs leave to inform the Public that he has erected a Manufactury of Soap and Candles in this City, and intends carrying on the Business in the best Manner, opposite Mr. Maupin's Tavern. He will give 7-½ d per lb. for Tallow, for picked Cotton 2/6, Myrtle Wax 10d, Wood Ashes 7-½ d per Bushel, Tobacco Ashes 1/3, and 1/ per lb. for Tow Wick. He begs the Inhabitants in and about the City will be careful of their Ashes, as he can supply them with good Soap upon more reasonable Terms than they can make it. 6 Many chandlers made soap as well as candles. Freer Armston, "Chandler and Soap Boiler" in Norfolk, offered his wares in Williamsburg. Tallow candles sold at 11 pence per pound by the box and soap at 6 pence per pound by the box and 7 pence in smaller quantities.

7 Candles were also sold by local merchants and other retailers. In November 1771 John Minson Galt, a Williamsburg apothecary, sold over 250 pounds of candles at his shop, including 95 pounds to the "Playhouse." 8 Many people relied on commercially available candles. Landon Carter feared he would have to "be contented to sit in the dark" because the candles he ordered from a Norfolk chandler had not arrived at Sabine Hall and he could borrow none from his neighbors. 9 The Burwells relied on a chandler in Surry County to supply them with candles at Carter's Grove. 10 William Byrd evidently produced his own candles at Westover. He wrote his overseer who had complained about not being supplied with adequate lighting: Then as to your being often forct, like mad people, to sit in the dark without a candle, I have this to say, that orders have been given from the beginning, to furnish you with one every night, and if those orders have at any time been disobeyd, upon the least complaint from you, that grievance too would have been redresst. But I understand the candles 4.

are not big enough for you. I am sorry we have not wax or at least mould candles to light you in your lucubrations. Had your Dear Friend Mr. Stevens supplyd us with more tallow, perhaps we might have been better able to light up the with House with bigger candles. In the mean time, if such as you have by the judgment of two good men would burn an hour and a half, that is full long enough to read by candle-light, which is not good for the eyes, and after that meditation and devotion might fill up the rest of winters evening. 11 Tallow Candles The best tallow candles, according to both Chambers Encyclopedia and the Universal Magazine, were made from half sheep tallow and half beef tallow. Other kinds of fat, such as hog fat, made candles smell, smoke, and sputter. Tallow candles were either dipped or molded, but preparation of the tallow for both methods was identical. When the fats were weighed and mixed in the proper proportions, they were cut into pieces to hasten melting and mixed in a boiler with a cavity around the top to prevent the fat from boiling over.

After the tallow completely liquefied over the heat, it was thoroughly skimmed of impurities. If candles were to be molded, some water was mixed with the tallow to help precipitate any impurities missed in skimming. But if the candles were dipped, water could not 5. added to the melted fat until the first three coats were applied to the wicks, because the dry wick would absorb water and cause the candle to sputter and possibly crack. Whether water was added or not, the tallow was poured out of the boiler through a sieve into a tub with a tap. Wicks for tallow candles were made of spun cotton either three or four strands thick depending on the candle's size. Candlewick was sold by most retail merchants in Virginia. To dip candles the liquid was drawn from the tub into a vessel called a mold, sink, or (as the French call it) an abyss. This vessel, triangular shaped with the pointed end at the bottom, was about ten inches wide at the top and the sides about fifteen inches. Its length varied. Supported by two feet, the vessel was placed on a kind of bench with a rim to catch the droppings as the candles drained.

The chandler strung wicks on two sticks called broches. The number of wicks depended on the number of candles intended to be made in a pound, whether 6, 8, 10, 12, or 16. If the candles were to be two ounces each, sixteen wicks were required; if about three ounce candles, there were twelve wicks. The worker held the broches parallel to each other by putting the second and third finger of each hand between the sticks. The wicks were dipped two or three times for their first layer of tallow and then drained over the vessel until the tallow hardened. A nearby rack held the broches until the candles cooled. For the second dipping the wicks were immerged three times, drained, and hung to cool; and for their third layer they were immerged only twice. The operation was repeated as many times as necessary to produce the desired thickness and weight. With the last dip they were "necked," i. e., plunged below the part of the wick where the other layers ended. During the dipping, the tallow had to be often stirred, and more fat 6. could be added to maintain the level in the dipping sink.

When the candles were cool and hard, the bottoms were finished by passing them over a heated, flat brazen plate to melt down and even them up. Tallow was also molded into candles. The tallow, as mentioned above, was prepared the same way as for making dipped candles. Candle molds, according to Chambers Encyclopedia, were usually made of brass, tin, or lead. Tin was considered the best. Pewter candle molds--fluted, ribbed, and plain--are often mentioned in Virginia records. Bayberry or Myrtle Wax Candles In a report about Virginia prepared in 1698, the authors observed that an advantage of the colony was plentiful "Myrtle-berries." They claimed the berries "boyled up to a Wax, make as good Candles as the best Wax Candles whatsoever, the Snuff whereof instead of stinking, does really perfume like Incense." 12 Berries of the myrtle bush or bayberry bush (also called Virginia myrtle and candleberry bush) provide a wax that can be used for both medicinal salves and candles. The shrubs grow along the East Coast from Maine to Florida and are most abundant near the seashore.

Although some varieties grow in England, use of the wax seems to have originated in America. In his History and Present State of Virginia, written in 1705, Robert Beverley observed that the use of bayberries to produce wax was a "very modern" discovery "notwithstanding these Countries have been so long settled." He was enthusiastic about the qualities of bayberry candles: At the Mouth of their Rivers, and all along upon the Sea and Bay, and near many of their Creeks and Swamps, grows the Myrtle, bearing a Berry, of which they make a hard brittle Wax, of a curious green Colour, which by refining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make Candles, which are never greasie to the Touch, nor melt with lying in the hottest 7. Weather: Neither does the Snuff of these ever offend the Smell, like that of a Tallow-Candle; but instead of being disagreeable, if an Accident puts a Candle out, it yields a pleasant Fragrancy to all that are in the Room; insomuch that nice People often put them out, on purpose to have the Incense of their expiring Snuff.

Beverley went on to briefly describe the method of refining myrtle wax: The Method of managing these Berries, is by boiling them in water, till they come to be entirely dissol'd, except the Stone, or Seed, in the Middle, which amounts in Quantity to about half the Bulk of the Berry… 13 Mark Catesby in his Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands (London, 1722) provided a more detailed description of refining the wax as practiced in eastern North Carolina: In November and December, at which times the berries are mature, a man with his family will remove from his home to some island or sand bank near the sea, where these trees most abound, taking with him kettles to boil the berries in. He builds a hut with Palmeto leaves, for the shelter of himself and family while they stay, which is commonly three or four weeks. The man cuts down the trees, while the children strip off the berries into a porridge-pot, and having put water to them, they boil them till the oil floats, which is skimm'd off into another vessle. These is repeated till there remains no more oil.

This, when cold, hardens to the consistence of wax, and is of a dirty green colour. Then they boil it again, and clarify it in brass kettles, which gives it a transparent greeness. These candles burn a long time, and yield a grateful smell. They usually add a fourth part of tallow, which makes them burn clearer. 14 8. Myrtle wax was a more important produce in North Carolina than in Virginia. During the 1730s myrtle wax was imported into Virginia from North Carolina, but by the 1740s myrtle wax was being exported from Virginia to the West Indies. Myrtle wax was purchased and resold by local merchants from the second quarter of the eighteenth century. The inventory of Richard Walker's store in Middlesex County included 80-½ pounds of myrtle wax valued at 7-½ pence a pound and 5-½ pounds of myrtle wax candles at 10 pence a pound. John Greenhow of Williamsburg advertised myrtle wax for sale at his store in 1766.

15 Ten years later Morto Brien, a Williamsburg chandler, announced that he would pay 10 pence a pound for myrtle wax. 16 Myrtle wax candles were the second most expensive kind, spermaceti being the dearest. Beeswax Candles Honey bees were imported into Virginia in the early seventeenth century, and while beeswax was exported from Virginia, it never became an important article of trade. Beeswax was procured from honeycomb after hearing it and pressing out the honey. The wax was melted in a large kettle with some water over a moderate fire. The liquified wax was then strained through linen, and afterward the scum removed with a tile or piece of wet wood. This completed the purification of the wax, but to improve the appearance the wax was sometimes blanched to a pure white color. The blanching or bleaching of wax was performed by melting the yellow wax and throwing it while hot into cold water or by spreading it into very thin layers. Some candlemakers used a cauldron with a pipe at the bottom so that as the wax melted it flowed gradually into a large tub of water.

The water tub was fitted with a large wooden cylinder turning constantly, and the wax formed into ribbons. As the surface of this cylinder was always wet, the 9. wax did not stick to it. The movement of the cylinder distributed the strips of wax through the water tub. The wax was then laid out on linen cloth and exposed to air, sun, and dew. The wax is then remelted and formed several times and allowed to weather between meltings until it was a bright white. Beeswax candles were made of white or yellow wax with a cotton or flax wick slightly twisted. Three methods of applying wax to the wick were used. Ladle method. A dozen wicks, twisted and cut to equal lengths, were tied at intervals around an iron hoop. The workman filled a large ladle with melted wax from the tinned copper bason of wax over a pan of coals. He gently poured the wax on top of each wick so that the wax covered the whole wick and the surplus fell back into the bason.

For cylindrical candles the workman continued to pour from the top of the wick; for conical shapes he poured the first three ladles on at the top of the wick, the next over the lower three-quarters of it, the fifth over the bottom half, and the sixth over the lower three-quarters. Then he continued pouring on wax until the candles reached the desired size. The candles while still hot and soft were removed from the hoop and laid close together in a double-up feather bed to retain the heat. One by one they were rolled on a smooth surface (usually a walnut table) with a large square instrument of boxwood. When conical candles were smooth, the big end was cut and a conical hole (for the candlestick pin) made in it. Cylindrical candles were not given this indentation. Water was used on the various instruments to prevent the wax from sticking. Hand method. Beginning with a cotton or flax wick of the desired length, the workman attached it to a hook in the wall. Wax was worked with water in a deep narrow cauldron of tinned brass. The candlemaker coated his hands with olive oil or lard and took a piece of wax and formed it around the 10.

wick, making the big end of the candle closer to the wall. In other respects the hand method was the same as the ladle method, except that the candles were not put in a feather bed but rolled on the table as soon as they are formed and that the table and rolling instruments were oiled rather than watered. Drawing method. Drawn candles were produced on an apparatus of two large wooden rollers turned by handles. As much as 400 yards of wick at one time could be coated with this method. As the wick was wound and unwound between the two rollers, it passed through melted wax in a brass bason and, at the same time, through holes of an instrument (like that used for drawing wire) attached to the sides of the bason. [See G, H, and I on the attached illustration.] The candles were then cut to the desired lengths, rolled for smoothness, and allowed to harden. Only cylindrical candles were produced by the drawing method. Spermaceti Candles. Spermaceti candles, derived from the oil of the so-called "sperm" whale, were considered a superior kind of lighting by the second half of the eighteenth century. These candles were both exotic and expensive.

Fithian recorded that the Carters sent some "large clear and very elegant Spermaceti Candles" to his room. 17 Spermaceti oil is found in the head cavity of the sperm whale. In the eighteenth century the oil was used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, as well as for candles. To separate wax from the whale oil the oil is heated over a gentle fire, then molded; when cold and drained, the wax is taken out and melted over again until well purified and very white. WE have no evidence of the method used to form candles from the wax. Spermaceti candles were said to be the finest as they were "smooth, with a fine floss, free from rings and scars, superior to the finest wax-candles in colour and lustre; and, when genuine, leave no spots or stain on the finest [fabrics]." 18 11. George Washington experimented with tallow and spermaceti candles, concluding that spermaceti was over twice as expensive for the length of time it burned. Washington was unimpressed by the clearness of light from spermaceti candles, since he never mentioned the quality of the light in the records of his experiments.

19 Just as there were various materials for candles, there were also various shapes. In the preceding discussion of production methods two shapes, cylindrical and conical, were mentioned. In addition there were other specific forms, such as the taper and flambeau. According to Chambers Encyclopedia, a taper was a tall wax candle placed in a candlestick used at funeral processions and other church services. Tapers were made in various sizes. In some countries, notably Italy, they were cylindrical; but in most places such as England and France they were conical or tapered. The word may come from the description of the shape or from the Anglo-Saxon word, tapen, meaning wax candle. Both kinds are pierced at the bottom for the pin of the candlestick. Tapers were produced either by the ladle or hand method. For a description of these methods see pages 9 and 10. A flambeua, as defined by Chambers Encyclopedia, is a lighting device made of several thick wicks covered with white or yellow wax. (We assume this means beeswax.) Flambeaux were burned at night in the streets, at funeral processions, during illuminations, and so forth.

Flambeaux were square, about three feet long, and made of four coarse hemp wicks loosely twisted. They were produced by ladling melted wax over the suspended wicks and letter the wax fun down. This was done two times. Then the wicks (at this stage called "branches") were laid to harden and then rolled on a table for smoothing. Four branches were joined by means of a red hot iron, 12. partially melting the outside of each so the pieces would hold together. More wax was poured on until the flambeau reached the required size (usually between one and a half and three pounds). The final step was polishing the flambeau along the angles where the branches joined; the polishing was done with a wooden instrument. ENDNOTES Types of Candles, Waxes, Wicks, Fragrance, Colorants. Low odor Combustible Waxes are widely used throughout the world for a wide range of applications, including packaging, coatings, cosmetics, foods, adhesives, inks, castings, crayons, chewing gum, polishes and - of course - candles. Wicks Most consumers usually think of a candle's shape, color or fragrance as its most important element.

Most candle manufacturers, though, would probably say it's the wick that makes the candle. The purpose of a wick is to deliver fuel (wax) to the flame. Acting like a fuel pump, the wick draws the liquefied wax up into the flame to burn. Different wick sizes allow for different amounts of fuel to drawn into the flame. Too much fuel and the flame will flare and soot; too little fuel and the flame will sputter out. All wicks consist of a bundle of fibers that are either twisted, braided or knitted together. These fibers absorb the liquefied wax and carry it to the flame by capillary action. There are more than 100 unique wicks on the market today. The type of wax used in a candle, as well as the candle's size, shape, color and fragrance materials all impact wick choice. Selecting the correct wick is critical to making a candle that burns cleanly and properly. Reputable candle manufacturers take great care in selecting a wick of the proper size, shape and material to meet the burn requirements of a particular candle.

Types of Wicks Most high-quality wicks are made from braided, plaited or knitted fibers to encourage a slow and consistent burn. In general, twisted wicks are of lower quality than braided or knitted wicks. They burn much faster because their loose construction allows more fuel to quickly reach the flame. However, twisted wicks are useful for certain applications, such as birthday candles. In general, wicks can be divided into four major types: Flat Wicks. These flat-plaited or knitted wicks, usually made from three bundles of fiber, are very consistent in their burning and curl in the flame for a self-trimming effect. They are the most commonly used wicks, and can be broadly found in taper and pillar candles. Square Wicks. These braided or knitted wicks also curl in the flame, but are more rounded and a bit more robust than flat wicks. They are preferred for beeswax applications and can help inhibit clogging of the wick, which can occur with certain types of pigments or fragrances. Square wicks are most frequently used in taper and pillar applications. Cored Wicks.

These braided or knitted wicks use a core material to keep the wick straight or upright while burning. The wicks have a round cross section, and the use of different core materials provides a range of stiffness effects. The most common core materials for wicks are cotton, paper, zinc or tin. Cored wicks can be found in jar candles, pillars, votives and devotional lights. Special and Oil Lamp Wicks. These wicks are specially designed to meet the burn characteristics of specific candle applications, such as oil lamps and insect-repelling candles. Wick Use in the Approximately 80 percent of the wicks manufactured in the United States are made of all-cotton or cotton-paper combinations. The remainder are primarily metal- and paper-cored wicks. Lead wicks were banned from the U.S marketplace in 2003, and for several years before that were found primarily in inexpensive foreign candle imports. The metal-core wicks sometimes found in candles are typically zinc- or tin-core wicks. They are most often used in container candles and votives to keep the wick upright when the surrounding wax liquefies. Scientific studies have repeatedly shown both zinc- and tin-core wicks to be safe.

Question: What are candle wicks most commonly made from?
Answer: Cotton