Arch Rock

When I first started out, I chopped up wax, weighed it on an ounce/pound weigher and ended up that the Presto could hold 11 pounds of my wax. Now I eye-ball it because my wax comes in 10-11 pound slabs. You'll get the hang of it. No need to weigh the melted wax. It weighs the same as the wax before it's melted as far as I know, or maybe I need to go back to science class. Electric griddles are also great for warming pots and jars. Best wishes.

I'm not using that wax or those fragrances, but I'm finding that CDs are so limited. I've fallen back in love with LXs. When a CD 12 is too hot in my paraffin blend, an LX18 burns beautifully. Hope this helps.

As much as I love CW fragrances overall, I do think they're way off with the corresponding names they choose. Do you think the Black Tea, Almond would be good as Almond Biscotti? Thanks!

Don't apologize Sandy! Got the same alert but not necessarily jumping. It would take me a lot to test newbies with them although the Autumn Spice looks like it could be renamed for a year-round scent.

I like Amber Pine

Depends on what your presentation/label looks like. I would call this Victorian Christmas, Santa's Sleigh, or Christmas Eve. Sounds fantastic!

Thinking of changing distributors. Paramold in NY used to give me super customer service but now it seems I've dropped off their radar. I suspect that CW's CBL 129 is the same mix so why not order (and pick up) from them? 2 cents cheaper, actually. Every penny counts.

Love it. Thanks.

Great thread everyone. Thanks!

Hi Dee and Kat - Just like any other supplier, there are keepers and duds and so much depends on the wax itself. I use a paraffin container blend. Keeper so far: Sugar Cookie Signature - hands-down THE best Cherry Champagne and Merlot Red Wine by request from a gift shop client Cinnamon Buns - Good for now Cinnamon - Good Not overly impressed with: Amish Harvest - very light Asian Sandalwood and Ancient Incense are too perfumey Cranberry Woods - Too light Home Sweet Home Cinnamon - Too light Iced Cranberry - Very fruity. Might keep it and rename it Fruit Basket or something Twisted Peppermint - Fuel smell but it was my fault for over-wicking the tester. Will probably test again. Winter Dessert - Light but complex. Middle notes of powder with top notes of cherry. Will probably come back to this. Just ordered new samples of: Baby Powder Vanilla Ice Cream Lavender & Sage Pumpkin Cheesecake Bourbon Barrel Frosted Carrot Cake Apple Jack 'n Peel Pumpkin Perfect Pumpkin Pecan Waffles Vanilla Buttercream Crunch Sugar & Spice Brown Sugar & Fig Hope that helps.

Baby Kale? HAhahaha.

My order from Fragrance Buddy has shipped within 8 hours. And for free, I might add. Hoo-ra!

BC's Turkish Hazelnut Cafe will blow your head off at 3%. It's not straight capp but I bet it would mix well with peppermint.

If my head was screwed on, I'd be dangerous. I have completely failed to consider THE biggest variable of all - I changed jars. I switched from a 16 oz Country Comfort to a 16 oz. straight-sided. Duh. That pinch in the neck of the comfort jar was keeping hot wicks contained. The straight sides are increasing air flow and requiring me to wick down or change wicks altogether. Thanks for letting me think out loud.

Nice work Bambi.

Thanks, guys. I'm really struggling with wick selection which was a minor irritant 15 years ago when I was in business but now I'd rather chew on broken glass. I did have an Aha! moment over the weekend. My "new" line has no color additives. I'm beginning to suspect that the reason why every wick I've tried is burning too hot is that I'm not using color this time around. Do you think liquid dyes might slow down absorption and consumption rates? Is this the culprit?

Totally agree that the pic provided is absolutely unacceptable. My experience has been that few people trim the way they should between burnings and yet connoisseurs are willing to do so if they're properly educated. Thinking of putting a "care and keeping of your new candle" sticker on the inside of the lid (with warning to remove before replacing lid of course!). I hear you about the cons of delving into untreated wicks. I'm hoping the CDNs will help me dial-in better and prove that my blend may have more veggies than paraffin. Like dress sizes, I wish CDs came in size 13, 15, and 17! I need to wick my Premiers much lower and you are 100% right on the cottonwoods. I'm getting over the weird fraying too. This unusual presentation might become a conversation-starter. People love new stuff as long as it works! Just FYI, if you happen to use Lonestar's Mandarin-Cranberry, a Cottonwood 40 is drowning at 6% which I did not expect. Back to the drawing board. Once again, thank you for this board and your acumen.

TT - Thanks for responding. You know, I can't help wondering if it's the wax used in priming the wicks (CDs, LXs, Premieres). If I light the initial burn, I get a high flame, flickering, and soot swirls for about one minute (this is as long as I can tolerate it). I blow it out, trim the head, and re-light and it burns beautifully, even on the half-poured jars. So, what does that tell us? Is the soot coming from the initial lighting really just the wick burning up itself before it starts siphoning up the fuel around it? If so, maybe my wax needs untreated wicks? Also, my paraffin blend may have more natural waxes in it than I realize. I have a call into the manufacturer to determine the ratios. I just ordered some CDNs to see if this might help too. Just started testing the cottonwoods. I'll let you know. Thanks so much for your support.

"Every expert was once a novice." Keep your chin up. When I start over-thinking things I go back to basics.

Yes, TT. Your advice regarding mid-point burn has made me start testing with a half-full jar. Results vary. More wicking headaches.

I do believe they are one and the same.

Guys, am I just being a total perfectionist? What's your tolerance for putting up with the flickering and smoke spirals during a first lighting, until the wick reaches full combustion? Am I expecting too much? Most of them calm down after a few minutes and no one has complained but I sure could use some feedback about how normal this is. Thanks.

I would try some CDs - looks like a CD-12 or 14. The Premier cotton cores can handle large FO loads too. I feel your pain.

Sounds like just a bad apple in the bunch (the employee). Maybe bring it to Betty's attention?

Hi all - After a 15 year hiatus, I'm back with a vengeance. What is it with candle-making? I think it's in our veins! Here are some preliminary fragrance reviews as well as some new-found wicking knowledge. I use a paraffin-based container blend from Koster Keunin and use 6-8% F.O. load. Bittercreek: Apple Jack 'n Peel - An old standard but have triedCD-16, LX-22, RRD 37, LX-18 and WI-765 and still can't get this to burn properly. Not ready to give up. Brown Sugar Nutmeg - 6% throws fabulously with a CD-14 but is sooty. Re-testing with WI-755 and an HTP-105. Butter Cream Crunch (Wick Your Wax) - They've changed something since BC bought WYW. I used to use 3% and it would kick butt, but now it's struggling. I added some BC Maple Butter and it improved but not what it used to be. HTP-105 drags. Re-testing with a WI-755 and a Cottonwood. Christmas Tree - (French) - Good throw but sort of one-dimensional with not many bottom notes. HTP-105 did well at 6%. Cinnamon Buns - (French) - Not a good HT - maybe just my nose. Chemical smell. Ginger Maple (Wick Your Wax) - This rocks at 3% but it's an unusual scent, big on the ginger. CD-14 performed well, but sooty until it reached combustion. Re-testing with WI-755 and Cottonwood. Buttery Gingerbread (Wick Your Wax) - Very disappointed. Not what it used to be. A waste of funds at $34/lb. Hayride (Bubbles 'n Lights) - Very nice at 6%. CD-14 too much and CD-12 is not enough. Re-testing but will keep the scent. This sold well years ago. Home Sweet Home - BC is always out of stock so shopping elsewhere Jack Frost - BC out of stock - shopping elsewhere Perfect Pumpkin (Wick Your Wax) - Once again, not what it used to be. Ended up mixing with BC Pumpkin Spice and still not satisfied. I'm a pumpkin snob and thanks to the board's reviews all the way back to 2013, I'm going to test other suppliers like CW. Spiced Cranberry - Used to use a CD-16 with this and it was a top seller but now I can't stand the soot and flickering from the CD. How did I sell these things!? Re-testing with WI-765 and Cottonwood. This is a tough one. Turkish Cafe - Excellent at 6%. WI-765 was too much so bumping down to WI-760 but still curing. Nature's Garden: Acorn Harvest - Excellent and unusual. 6% load but struggling to find the right wick. CD-16 good but sooty. Trying HTP-126, WI-760 and Cottonwood. Bayberry - This rocks at 6% but still struggling with wick selection. I am on the 11th test of this. Definitely a candidate for Cottonwood. It's so good I'm not giving up. Coconut Cream - Best seller years ago,. LX-18 worked well at 6% but sooty until reached combustion. Still testing. Sugar Cookie - Very nice. Did well with an LX_18 at 6% but not nearly as kick-butt as Fragrance Buddy. Lonestar: Overall, disappointed. They were my go-to for Apple Pie and Creamy Vanilla, but that's about it. Hot Apple Pie - Ended up mixing with BC's Apple Pie just to get a kick. Struggling with proper wicking. Waiting to test HTP-126, WI-760, and Cottonwood. CD-16 good but sooty. Creamy Vanilla - Still the best but also wicking troubles. Jack Frost - Because BC was out of stock - no way. Yuck. Sugared Cronut - This is really nice at 6%. I'm renaming it French Toast, to give you an idea of how it smells HT. Vanilla Cotton - Also really nice at 6% but struggled with a CD-14 and an LX-22. Another candidate for Cottonwood or WI-760. All the Cranberries stink. (no CT or HT) Candlewic: Frozen Pine - Excellent at 6% Snickerdoodle - Good, but nothing like Fragrance Buddy's Sugar Cookie. I'm looking for one, single cookie-like fragrance so will need to cut CW in favor of FB. Fillmore (Tru-Scent) Cedar Garland - Excellent at 6%. Great downy base notes. Fragrance Buddy: Sugar Cookie Signature - PHENOMENAL Home Sweet Home/Cinnamon - Not getting a good hot throw from this and I wick all my testers with a hefty CD-14 because I just want a big melt pool and then dial-in wicks after the initial test. A CD-14 with a 2" melt pool gave off nothing so I'm scrapping. Merlot Red Wine - This is a keeper. Cherry Champagne - YES Pear Champagne - YES I can't wait to test more from FB. I don't know where they came from, but they're rocking me so far. Rustic Escentuals: Wine by Candlelight - Excellent. Cuban Tobacco - Very disappointed as this smelled incredible OOB. Did nothing in wax. Hope this helps everyone. I am currently fascinated by the Cottonwood wicks but have only burned them in non-fragranced wax to get a feel for how they perform. I ordered them because I have some very stubborn FOs I love but can't stand the CD smoke and flickering. Also impressed with Premier wicks. Huge consumption rates without the soot. Please feel free to ask for updates as I continue to test if you're paraffin-based.