fingernailing. WHY

[Scented]

I used that combo just recently with no sign of fingernailing.

Nobody really seems to understand this phenomenon.

Maybe it's a climate thing. Who knows.

[tucker]

Many thanks to all that responded. "it's as clear as mud now". You know what! I really don't give a damn at this point in time. I get them, winter, summer, spring and fall in all of my pre blends (I don't add anything to them). So far every thing burns well and looks almost good so to heck with it, to be honest, "I think a few fingernails look sorta kool"

[candlesprite7]

Ever wonder why fingernailing only occurs with paraffin pillar waxes? No one ever mentions fingernailing with container or soy waxes. Just curious.

Maybe it's too soft?

[topofmurrayhill]

Ever wonder why fingernailing only occurs with paraffin pillar waxes? No one ever mentions fingernailing with container or soy waxes. Just curious.

The way it fractures is related to the crystal structure of paraffin, so it's unique to that substance. Also doesn't occur with Jello.

[Gypsyjen]

The way it fractures is related to the crystal structure of paraffin, so it's unique to that substance. Also doesn't occur with Jello.

I'm glad no one gets fingernails in their Jello :lipsrseal

[candlesprite7]

I'm glad no one gets fingernails in their Jello :lipsrseal

Ewwwwww!!!!

[Candle Kitty]

I really hate this subject, always get a bazillion different ideas and no answers. Not saying we're all stupid or those that offer suggestions are know-it-all's, there's just too many variables in my opinion when it comes to this phenomenon.

I WILL say though, that through my experiences, I'm convinced the problem is humidity. Case in point, my issue with it. During the last few dry weeks here in KC when I was downstairs pouring and after I got my Presto, my candles were turning out gorgeous with each invert of the mold, even if I do say so myself, absolutely NO fingernailing whatsoever, not even a glimpse of a half-moon. When I was in the apartment, I was a kitchen chandler and unfortunately, experienced it constantly with the double boiler method during the wet springs and falls here. Another unfortunate thing I've seen since I moved into the house I'm living in now, my basement leaks during rainstorms.

Couple that with the fact that I'm directly under the kitchen and right next to the bathroom plumbing, I started slowly seeing the fingernailing the more we moved into the wet falls we have. I wasn't upset, actually continued to pour as I always did, just to see if it would get worse as the wet cold weather set in and sure enough, it did. I had two beautiful burgundy candles I made as a matching set for my bathroom (the original ones were tunneling down, had to wick up) and left them downstairs for a few days to cure (that and I was dog tired after pouring those two, they were the last ones to make that day) and the first day they spent in the bathroom, after I got out of a warm shower, I started spotting fingernailing in the one closest to the shower.

This may very well end up being a phenomenon that everything that's been mentioned (moisture, air, gas, humidity, can't think of the others I've seen) is the root cause. One person gets rid of it by heating up the wax to above 200* for half an hour or amazingly enough, a double boiler chandler suddenly stops having the issue because they finally bought a Presto. I find it funny that this could end up being something that I say over and over again, a matter of personal preference i.e. how one person handles their wax versus another person.