Henryk

Perfect Blend and Parasoy are both paraffin/soy blends. Perfect Blend has more soy in it than the Parasoy. Perfect Blend burns cleaner, but Parasoy is easier to use because of the paraffin. It takes a couple wick sizes down than soy alone. Its a bit more sensitive to wick size as opposed to regular soy so it can smoke if you are using too big of wicks. Parasoy is roughly 50/50. Perfect Blend has a lot more soy - but the specifics aren't published AFAIK. Either the PB or PS will take color easier than the KY125 or KY115 and will set up smoother due to the paraffin. You can counteract some of this by using a universal soy additive - and initially buy pouring cool. KY125 is a soy wax with a bit of cottonseed in it as a stabilizer (makes it a little easier to burn). Melt point is 125F. KY115 is primarily sold as a "blending wax" to the KY125 in order to make the KY125 a little easier to burn in the winter months without changing your wicking. (Though some do use the 115 straight). KY115 is a straight soy wax. Melt point is 115F. (Obviously). For the latter two soys, many people use 115/125 as a 50/50, I'm working on it as a 25/75% blend - just during the cold months, but may experiment with just the 115 alone. The KY125 frosts less than others soys IMO but more so that the advanced soys, but adding the 115 to the 125 has a tendency to make the KY125 frost a little more than the 125 alone in the few tests I have done so far. (I used to use KY125 way back when and am just getting back to using it now). HTH

I've always liked this one - its a bit on the extreme prim side though http://www.traditions-in-thyme.com/images/crowwarmer3.JPG --- oops sorry, you said electric - guess you aren't interested in any of those hole-punched tin ones you see around then?

Maybe its the 223 that is helping - I had just a sample of that and it was a pretty soft wax ... It does sound like you are on the right track as far as your testing goes - personally I would prefer a little hangup as opposed to too hot a jar - that would scare me. I hope someone can help you more ...

When people talk of blending BW with paraffin its for pillars. (I know the soy folks will "blend" it with container soy, but its really just as an additive - like 2 to 5% - not a real "blend" per se). Since BW requires a hotter wick I'm not surprised your glass is getting hotter. I am surprised that your wax is not pulling away so much that your melt pool wax is not spilling in between the sides of the glass and the unmelted wax - but that could be do to the percentage and/or the type of container paraffin you are using. Personally, I have never heard of anyone using BW as an blend with paraffin for containers (for pillars, yes). I can tell you that the few experiences with straight BW containers have always left a shell - on purpose - for safety reasons according to the makers. If it were me and I was set on using BW for containers with paraffin, I would use it as an additive only - not as a blending ingredient to create a new container wax blend. JMO.

It sounds like you used dyed wax in the mold at one time - depending on the silicone, many molds will hold at least some color, and if you then pour another much lighter color - especially white - you will obviously see some color transfer occur. I can even tell it when using non-dyed yellow beeswax, and then pour non-dyed white beeswax pillar in the same molds. First, contact the maker of the mold and asked them what is the highest temperature you can use with their particular mold material - this is just to be safe. Then pour at least two non-dyed candles using a cheap votive or pillar paraffin at a high temperature - say 185 or 190F. Pouring wax at that high of a temp in silicone molds will mean the candles coming out will probably have some white frosting - if you can see it - so don't worry about that for this process. This may pull out the "staining" on the mold. You should see the second one come out much whiter that the first. HTH - this has worked for me in the past.

Don't ya just hate when you JUST put an order in from a place three days ago and find out there is ONE more thing you need from them ! Thanks everyone for the help on this one - appreciate it.

OK, hopefully you jar gurus can tell me something - on the whole, are Anchor jars thinner than Libby? Because I just got 1/2 dozen of these and they seem thinner than I would have expected - and unfortunately the lids aren't fitting as well as I would have imagined. HOWEVER, I've never used these lid types before (always had the filament type). These ones just sort of slide over top of the neck and sit there - no plastic filament - so it could be just the way they are. (I would never pick one of these jars up by the lid, where as the filament ones, though I wouldn't advise it, you may be able to get away with it - though again, I realize one shouldn't do that). Hope this makes sense. Thanks!

:tiptoe: Hey - then I got mine just in time -- Halloween.

Hey thanks Top - any suggestions for a decent one and a supplier? I think some of them are two parts if I remember right - I'd prefer a one step. Thanks too Scented - unfortunately Peaks is way too far from me so ... but its good to know.

Actually I just joined you on the tin vote. I've been having trouble with some odd patterning on many of my seamless - just on the bottoms (tops of candles) for some reason. I've got tired of it and went with the tins. (I'm scared of them though - REALLY sharp!)

I've got the color fading inhibitor from candlechem - I was going to use it for the first time tonight but already had my wax melted - I read it has to be melted first and here's the odd thing - to me anyway - I think the package said the meltpoint was like 230 or 260F or something ! (Sorry - don't have it in front of me - but the MP was really high - higher than what I've seen for any additive I've used). Does this sound right? Is there other additives that prevent fading but melt at lower temps - like say between 160 to 190F? TIA

I was just concerned with the quality of the jar - are they thick enough for the heat generated if wicked properly? Thanks.

You wouldn't want to use BW for containers - though you will find some do. The meltpoint is too high for a container candle, plus it seperates from the glass. You would have to wick it hot - and your glass would get too hot as I see it. The ones I've seen leave a shell - wasteful for such an expensive wax IMO. As far as throw - I've never scented my BW candles so I really don't know - burned on its own its own light scent.

Here's some good reading for you. The additive you choose to get rid of it will cause different appearances in your wax. For instance, vybar will most definately make your wax much more opaque. There are three types, the one you want, if you choose to use it, is Vybar 103. You can get it any many suppliers - for instance, candlechem.com, candlewic.com, bittercreek.net http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4295&highlight=4045EP

Wick was too large - so it consumed the wax too fast straight down as it burned. Wick was too small - so it wasn't large enough for the diameter candle you made. You burned in multiple sessions - each too short in time.

First off, vybar does nothing in soy. Also, container soy is made to adhere to glass (though you will usually get wetspots anyway), so you will have an issue with getting it out of your molds. Finally, more than a few % of BW in container soy will greatly increase your chances of having the soy crack. So, its really just not worth it. My advice would be to simply buy a pillar soy wax instead of trying to make a product do what it was not designed to do. HTH!

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/StoreCategory.aspx?CategoryID=884&CategoryName=+Primative+Metal+Lid+%26+Jars I was curious as to the quality, etc. TIA (They look the same as these http://shop.candlesandsupplies.com/candles/category.asp?catalog_name=Candles&category_name=Primitive+Metal+Lid+Apothecary+Jars+(Standard)&Page=1 but I'm not sure if they are or not).

Sure they make soy/paraffin blends - for both free-standing and container candles. IGI makes a good one I like - 6028. I've tried a lot of them - the soy/paraffin blends are actually softer. If by "strong" you mean "less soft", Candlewic's CSP-1 is pretty tough - I think there is some palm in it, but it is an all "natural" wax. You can use any candle dye in soy - chips, liquid, flake, etc. The container soy blends seem to sometimes set up a little weird at times if you use a ton of liquid dye in them - I think its the solvents. You can get soy-based dye chips - but they only come in basic colors - and IMO it doesn't really matter. You may want to try liquids in pillars because if your non-liquid dye isn't completely dissolved you WILL see it on the TOPS of your candles (the bottom of the mold where the undissolved dye matter will settle). HTH

Myrrh is orange/amber to brown, while high-end Frankincense is light lemon-yellow. I've always thought royal purple would be a good color for it if you wanted to get away from the earth tones.

Actually stearic will not stop mottling until its used up to around 10% or greater - partially because the wax starts becoming really opaque also. Around 5% will actually HELP unmolding also. I can tell you from experience that the type of mottle you get is VERY dependant on the FO used. You can keep everything the same as far as percentages go, but just switch FOs and you can come out with some VERY different mottling - patches, snowflakes, all-over - etc. One pic is here http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27261&highlight=major .

IGI 6028 is one of my favorite pillar waxes. The looks of it are a paraffin but with vybar added - very opaque, but the soy in it makes it look MUCH creamier. Very nice looking IMO. Funny thing - never had much luck with soy/paraffin container blends, but this votive/pillar blend is really nice. I posted a pic once at http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7046 (to append to the post in that thread, I've found braids work best for pillars with this wax - DON'T use LX's if you try it). HTH

And if you want - you can always add a percentage (25 or 50%) of a lower melt point soy to your regular soy. I'm experimenting with this with KY125 now - they also sell at 115F melt point soy to blend into a user's regular soy just for the reason you are stating - mainly to get better, and more similar burns as before, during the cold months. Of course, then you have an issue if you send a candle to someone in a warmer climate - but at least you can get attempt to get it to burn like your test burns in your location.

I just wanted to thank EVERYONE who responded - I really do appreciate it.

Depends on how much wider you roll it really. I would call candlewic and ask them what the wick was they included. If it worked in your taper than just go up a size for 2", etc. then test. Oh - and don't use a full sheet for a test - what are they like 8x16" or something - cut it in half - that way you'll get two testers for same amount of sheeting. You'll know if your wick is burning right or wrong with a 4" tall candle. (What I did for the pic below). Roll them really tight and you can pretty much get away with using the same wick in rolled that you can with poured BW candles - at least that has been my experience.

Maybe you are right - because I did pull out a couple really thick Kerr jars I had and there were seams on those too - but not nearly as obvious. (Glass on them is MUCH thicker though than what I have recently got). I don't have any experience with rusty lids - just the candle pans, etc. but I did get some apothecary lids that were "real" rust so I just assumed some place would sell the ones for the mason/jelly jars also. Thanks very much also for the heads up on the rust paint kit I'm thinking that may come in handy for many things.