Stearic / Stearin candles

[Old Crab]

I've been testing a number of blends lately and I just can't satisfy my curiousity.

So I have been doing some research into straight paraffins and additives.

Earlier this week I was checking out stearic acid and came across a few sites selling pure stearin candles. These sites were all Scandinavian, UK, European.

There really is no help (reference material, books, formulas, etc.) that I've seen so far on making a pure stearic candle except:

1 water bath (not sure why since stearin will shrink and I've Never used a water bath for any of my molded candles. Still don't understand why you would need to.)

2 pure cotton wick - no info on type though.

3 extremely brittle - sounds like palm pillar candles :smiley2:

I understand the benefits of adding stearic to wax, I assume that here in the US we don't make pure stearic candles due to cost - and lack of knowledge??

Has anyone made a pure stearic / stearin candle?

If so would you mind sharing your results / information please.

I would really appreciate the help, either by PM or here in the forum.

I'm thinking of trying it - just for fun. Using the TP palm stearic.

I knew I should have paid more attention in chemistry class!

I have to admit I have more fun testing than I do making the buggers. Lol

Thank you

Edited March 11, 2013 by Old Crab
Edit

[Chefmom]

I have made a high percentage stearic candle with basic 140 melt point raw paraffin. I don't think it would excel as a quality scented candle, but as a basic pillar or a taper it has it's place.

It is my understanding from 1.) touching candles in the store and 2.) reading a LOT that the super cheap tapers are either a high percentage of stearic or 100%. Almost always these candles will be from China or Mexico and in my past life before candles when I burned these kinds during a power outage they burn unbelievably fast.

Cotton wick means either flat braid or square braid, and the use of a water bath is to make the cooling process even and it's a way to insulate the mold. I personally don't do it with my paraffin pillars and I have had consistent results. I think that in high production the water bath helps the paraffin or stearic to not shrink and tunnel as much, but don't quote me. I have read a LOT of old books and they recommend water baths for all paraffin candles.

After stearic was invented in the middle 1800's (don't quote me) it replaced tallow almost immediately because it burned with a bright white light instead of a dim yellow light. It didn't melt or distort in transport or storage and it was cheap, and made from tallow. It was the go to product for "white light candles". And it didn't burn with soot and smoke. All major improvements over tallow.

Gotta love those chemists from the 19th century! It is an interesting additive.

[emilyspoppy]

EDIT;

I tried deleting this post, but I wasn't able to. I was only able to edit.

Chefmon may be totally right. My knowledge of pure stearine candles comes from me secondhand. From our Parish Bishop.

I'm sorry if this adds nothing but confusion to this topic.

I'm very SORRY in ADVANCE if it does.

Pure stearine candles were a huge improvement over tallow candles. Only "Betty" or grease-type lamps or "Rush" lights were much inferior.

The biggest improvement in candles was the use of redesigned wicking from cotton and flax twisted wicks to cotton braided wick. as Chefmom pointed out there were two types of new & improved wicks; Flat braid and square braid.

By far most professional chandlers of the earlier periods (18th Century) made and sold hand-dipped tapers. Professional molds made by tinsmiths became available but it took some time for them to acquire favor by candle makers. Anyone using one can attest to how difficult they can be to wick and unmold. I have a few in my collection of antique lighting equipment. They're nice to look at but bears to wick. I actually have one that I prize quite a bit. It has the 'nasty" remains of old candles with old style wicks still inside.

Beeswax was the much preferred wax of churches and royalty or gentry. There were periods in the not too distant past, relatively speaking, that beeswax candles were off limits except to royals and churches in both Britain and Europe. As many of us know, beeswax makes a superior candle. Beeswax is still a bear to mold in metal, though.

I'm a member of an American Anglican Church. Our priest is also a bishop. He was born in England, migrated to Canada and immigrated to America. He is now an American citizen, but his wife has remained a subject of the Crown. She was born near London. They met and were married in Canada. Both are very sweet and admired within our parish.

Our bishop is also interested in the history of church candles. We have chatted on the subject several times. He buys candles for our parish from a church supply house. They sell both bleached beeswax and pure stearine. He didn't elaborate, but he told me that he buys beeswax candles, which we all pretty much know are very pricey, but he told me the price of the stearine tapers were just way too high for our poor parish to purchase.

He also told me that he felt the only benefit over beeswax with stearine was during the hottest months in church's that did not have A/C units. Stearine he felt held up better in the heat, dripped a tiny bit less and hardly ever "drooped".

The only benefit you should get out of paying so much for stearine would be for tapers or narrow pillars. I believe that both beesawax and stearine church candles sold today are made by a mold injection process. If that's not your thing I would trudge on with what you like as your favorite candle medium.

The first candles I made were sold to historical homes and living museums. Even then I cheated on the wicking. The currators and attendants were not interested in babysitting true period candles made from tallow and twine. I bought my first spool of candle wicking (flat braid #2) from the Tarpley shop on Duke of Glouchester Street in Colonial Williamsburg around 35 years ago. The shop is still there, but I don't know if they stiill sell wick.

I'm always amused by the candles used in period-based movies. Most of these movies use too many candles and of modern composition. Historically the big estates had hired snuffers always on hand to tend to the candles, even though most would have been made of beeswax. The twisted style of wicking needed constant tending regardless of wax type.

The normal home burned one tallow candle per night that lasted less than a few hours. Everyone in the household would have to share it. most of the lighting came from the glow in the fireplace. YIKES! NO PS-4's or I-PODS !!! NO CRAFT SERVER BOARD !!!!

If you want to watch a fiim that puts true period candles to work, check out "The Dutchess" with Keira Knightly and Ralph Fienes. The candles in that film almost take on the roll of a character. Someone finally got it right, at least in a Royal sense. They appear to be made of natural (unbleached) beeswax though; Proper for their status and wealth.

If you want to get some pure stearine candles to try you might want to do a web search for church supplies or beg some from a church that can afford to buy them.

Let us know if you make some or get some to test. I'm sure I'm not the only one interesed.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Heck! I may even beg the bishop to buy one for me. Once again CS has enabled me! DANG!

JMO/HTH

Dave

Edited March 11, 2013 by emilyspoppy
I WISH I COULD DELETE MY WHOLE POST!

[marcuset]

I was just wondering about stearic only candles...looking at a smaller bag of it I use for soaping. This was quite interesting

reading.

[Kaczor]

@Old Crab - I can write you how it looks in Poland. We sell both - 100% paraffin candles and 100% stearic candles. Nowdays, cost of them are almost the same, maybe stearic is a bit lower than paraffin wax. For example: Stearic ~1lb=0,65$, Paraffin ~1lb=0,78$

1. Stearic is harder so we have to use stronger wicks - that's why they burn less.

Candles form stearic have totally different look f.e http://www.e-kalia.pl/en/candles/scented-candles-in-glass/candle-in-the-glass---stearin--green-apple-3pcs.html We sell them, but it is a very small percentage compare to the rest. In my country people buy candles from paraffin or beeswax.

2. Water bath - simply, we do it to make our production faster

[emilyspoppy]

It looks like my Bishop gave me some bad candle info! Sorry, everyone!

[Old Crab]

@Old Crab - I can write you how it looks in Poland. We sell both - 100% paraffin candles and 100% stearic candles. Nowdays, cost of them are almost the same, maybe stearic is a bit lower than paraffin wax. For example: Stearic ~1lb=0,65$, Paraffin ~1lb=0,78$

1. Stearic is harder so we have to use stronger wicks - that's why they burn less.

Candles form stearic have totally different look f.e http://www.e-kalia.pl/en/candles/scented-candles-in-glass/candle-in-the-glass---stearin--green-apple-3pcs.html We sell them, but it is a very small percentage compare to the rest. In my country people buy candles from paraffin or beeswax.

2. Water bath - simply, we do it to make our production faster

Wow!

I love the green apple candles, very nice.

They remind me so much of what my palm candles look like, without the darker top.

I guess if you are using the TP palm stearic, pouring at a high temp will cause it to have patterns like palm.

Most of the stearic candles I've seen have been plain white, or solid, with a glossy type looking coat.

I hope that made sense.