The wick is one of the most important components of a candle...without it, the wax in your candle won't burn. Selecting the proper wick for your specific candle project is a bit trickier than it would first appear. There are many variables involved with making a candle that can influence the way it burns, including the following:
Type of wax
Type of candle (molded, container, rolled, etc.)
Size of candle
Type and amount of fragrance
Type and amount of colorant
Use of additional additives (stearic acid)
Most candle making suppliers will provide you with general guidelines on what type of wick to use for the specific type of candle you are making (click here to view ours), however, the key word here is "general". These general guidelines are really just a starting place. To determine the best wick for your candles, we highly recommend you create a personal process for testing each new candle project. The best way to do this is to use the guidelines provided by the supplier and then adjust from there- either to a different size or type of wick. GloryBee also offers a printable wicking chart located here. It is important as part of this testing process to keep detailed notes and physical samples that you can use for future reference. As you gain more experience in candle making and become more familiar with wicking types and sizes, this testing process will become easier.Here are a few indicators of improper wicking:
Over-wicked Candle (wicking is too large): Flame is very tall
Flame flickers constantly
Burns very quickly
Can see black smoke coming from the flame
Mushrooming - carbon ball that forms at the top of the wick
Melt pool is deeper than 1/2 inch
If it is a container candle, the container becomes very hotUnder-wicked Candle (wicking is too small): *Flame is very small
*Tunneling - wick burns just down the middle
*Doesn't burn all the way to the edge
*Wick extinguishes before all the wax is burned
A properly wicked candle will have the following optimal burning characteristics:
*Flame will be an appropriate size
*Flame won't flicker
*Melt pool will extend all the way to the edge if it is a container candle
*Melt pool will extend to within 1/4 inch of the edge of a pillar candle
*Wick will burn cleanly without any mushrooming
We hope this information helps you find the best wick to suit your candle making needs. Have fun and don’t let your candle burn at both ends
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