The Pros and Cons of Wicks

[jfear]

Hello Everyone! I haven't been very active here lately because I've been testing like a crazy person the last few months in prep for the Fall Season! I can't believe it's almost here!

 

I value all of your opinions and I wanted to take the time to hear about the wicks we all use and our love/hate relationships with them.

 

After months of testing with some new jars, I have found that HTP works best with my wax blend, 4786/4627. HTP has the best throw for me, a consistent flame size and no carbon build-up. Although these are amazing attributes, there are two things I genuinely dislike about them; one being the uneven melt pool due to the wick curling. I do twist the wick, but find there's still some uneven hang going on. The other thing I dislike is the afterglow; it seems to glow and smoke for a good 10-15 seconds after extinguishing. Which seems like a lifetime! Nonetheless, I will be using the HTPs because of those stellar throws!

 

Any other HTP users have the same likes and dislikes? Do your customers seem to like the HTPs? With candles in general, do you think customers care more about the throw than the slight jar hang? 

 

Anyway, I know there is no perfect wick, but I love to hear about your wick selections and why you use them.

Edited August 18, 2016 by jfear

[Chefmom]

A good way to off set the curl of the wick is to set the wick slightly off center, so once it's burning...it's technically centered.  I use HTP wicks exclusively in unscented multi wick candle bowls because the curl of the wick can be pointed into the corner of a square candle bowl and get little to no hang up. 

 

...about the after glow you mentioned.  Do you blow out the candle or do you dip the wick in the melt pool?  If you take something like a skewer or a bent paperclip etc and push at the base of the wick, where the black soot just starts....push the wick over so the flame is extinguished in the melt pool. You get zero smoke and the tiny bit of wax coating helps relight the wick next time. 

Edited August 19, 2016 by Chefmom

[Trappeur]

Those have always been my choice of wicks also when using c3 but changed over when I went to 464 wax.  Cd's have a curl also.  But it is something I just have accepted the uneven meltpool.  But it is only in the beginning as it catches up as the candle burns down.  I have heard of what Chefmom said about off centering the wick, but just never did it because as the candle got to midway point burning and then further down the jar gets hotter and I just didn't want 1 side burning more hot.  That's just my way of thinking.

 

I do what Chefmom does when extinquishing the candle by pushing the wick into the wax and you have no after glow.  Also when  you do that you don't have a brittle wick that sends little charred pieces off the wick into the wax when you light the candle.

 

Trappeur

[jfear]

On August 20, 2016 at 5:49 AM, Trappeur said:

Those have always been my choice of wicks also when using c3 but changed over when I went to 464 wax.  Cd's have a curl also.  But it is something I just have accepted the uneven meltpool.  But it is only in the beginning as it catches up as the candle burns down.  I have heard of what Chefmom said about off centering the wick, but just never did it because as the candle got to midway point burning and then further down the jar gets hotter and I just didn't want 1 side burning more hot.  That's just my way of thinking.

 

I do what Chefmom does when extinquishing the candle by pushing the wick into the wax and you have no after glow.  Also when  you do that you don't have a brittle wick that sends little charred pieces off the wick into the wax when you light the candle.

 

Trappeur

 

Yes, HTPs have treated me so well that I'm learning to deal with the initial hang, because it does always catch up! 

 

I have a question I would very much value your opinion on. I find that there is a large difference between the 93 and the 104 HTP. I am wicking a 3 inch diameter tumbler with 4786 and 5% fo.

 

The 93 has a beautifully tame flame but even after 3 hours I still don't get a full melt. The 104 reaches a gorgeous full melt by 2.5 hours yet the flame gets too large for my comfort zone. I find that the 104 with all variables gets wispy and a bit too large for my comfort zone. I can't imagine double wicking a tumbler but I am getting desperate!

 

I really want to use HTP but I'm not sure what's worse, a really slow melt pool or a tall wispy flame! Do you have any suggestions? Thank you in advance.