Wick Pins (votive and pillar)

Q:What are wick pins?

A:Wick pins are used to leave a hole in pillar candles. When the candle is cool and dry, remove it and thread your wick through the holes. Sometimes you will need to widen the hole a little bit. This can be done by shaving the inside hole to widen it a little at a time to help accommodate the wick.

The advantage to using wick pins is that you don't have to worry about centering the wick and keeping it straight during the cooling process. But you DO have to thread the wick through the hole after the pillar is cool. You'll want to prime your wick to enable you to thread it through the hole.

You use wick pins (in pillars by) attaching some plumber's putty or mold sealer to the inside of the disk of the wick pin (around the pin), thread the pin through the wick hole in the bottom of the mold and press firmly to seal. You can cover it with tape to seal it more or let it stand as is, as long as you have sealed off any potential leaks.

People also use pillar wick pins the same as votive pins, by dropping them inside the mold.

Q: What are votive wick pins?

A: Short pins similar to wick pins and used to form a wick hole to thread wicking through once the candle is cool and has been removed from the mold.

To use a votive wick pin you just it in the empty votive cup.

Q: I can't get my votive pins out. I put them in the fridge, but they won't come out. What do I do?

A: Let the votive come back down to room temperature and try to remove them again. They should slide right out.

Q: Can I use a wick pin with a container candle?

A: You shouldn't as you won't be able to remove it to wick the jar.