Wick Guides - How Important Are They?

[KatieN]

Hello!  I have a couple of questions that I hope some of you experienced candle-makers can answer for me:

 

(1)  Do wicks from different supply companies vary in size, even when they're in the same series?  For example, is it possible that a Premier 740 from Aztec could burn stronger/hotter than a Premier 740 from Flaming Candle?  Or do all wicks in a series (no matter where they're from) burn the same?

 

(2)  I am trying to wick 9 oz straight-sided jars (2.75 in diameter) using Problend 600 wax with 10% fragrance load using Premier wicks.  I have found that Premier 740 works the best for me from Aztec.  I get a full melt pool in 2.5 - 3 hours with a steady flame that is not too high with minimum mushrooming even after a 4 hour burn.  The HT is good enough and fills a medium-sized room.  BUT, I  looked at Flaming Candle's wick guide and found that "technically," a Premier 740 is supposed to be too low of a wick for my jars.  Their guide recommends a Premier 750 or 755 for the size jar I am using.  I did test a 750 and 755, but they both were overwicked to me when the candle had burned 1/3rd down the jar.  Big flames, huge mushrooms, deep pools, and wisps of smoke.  But still, I want the perfect candles, and I am not confident enough yet to really go against wick guides.  Should I not pay too much attention to them, though, or should I consider wicking up like the guide suggests?  Has anyone else found that they end up wicking WAAAAAAY off from what a wick guide suggests?

 

Hope somebody can help me! 

 

 

[ErronB]

1 hour ago, KatieN said:

Hello!  I have a couple of questions that I hope some of you experienced candle-makers can answer for me:

 

(1)  Do wicks from different supply companies vary in size, even when they're in the same series?  For example, is it possible that a Premier 740 from Aztec could burn stronger/hotter than a Premier 740 from Flaming Candle?  Or do all wicks in a series (no matter where they're from) burn the same?

 

(2)  I am trying to wick 9 oz straight-sided jars (2.75 in diameter) using Problend 600 wax with 10% fragrance load using Premier wicks.  I have found that Premier 740 works the best for me from Aztec.  I get a full melt pool in 2.5 - 3 hours with a steady flame that is not too high with minimum mushrooming even after a 4 hour burn.  The HT is good enough and fills a medium-sized room.  BUT, I  looked at Flaming Candle's wick guide and found that "technically," a Premier 740 is supposed to be too low of a wick for my jars.  Their guide recommends a Premier 750 or 755 for the size jar I am using.  I did test a 750 and 755, but they both were overwicked to me when the candle had burned 1/3rd down the jar.  Big flames, huge mushrooms, deep pools, and wisps of smoke.  But still, I want the perfect candles, and I am not confident enough yet to really go against wick guides.  Should I not pay too much attention to them, though, or should I consider wicking up like the guide suggests?  Has anyone else found that they end up wicking WAAAAAAY off from what a wick guide suggests?

 

Hope somebody can help me! 

 

 

 

1) Same wicks vary from different suppliers usually because they are primed with different wax coatings. Treehugger vendors usually have theirs primed with soy, others paraffin. 

 

2) Wick guides are just for ballpark reference starting out, and most (not all) are very overwicked, different fragrances can use completely different sized wicks so really it's all a matter of spending the time doing the testing. The worst that comes to mind is Candle Science, if I did a triple wick candle with their recommendations it would set my house on fire.

 

Problend 600 is pretty good for wicking it's not a complete headache like 6006, but when you're loading it with 10% fragrance load you're going to have issues with smoking and soot burning nearer the bottom. 

[Marisa11]

I was under the impression that candle suppliers received their wicks from the manufacturers that make them at large quantities to then distribute them at affordable prices for candle makers. Wick it I believe provides the Premier 700 series to suppliers so I thought they  should all be the same. Same with some waxes unless its a supplies companies own proprietary blend like the waxes from Natures Garden. 

 

For example CalWax is a wax manufacturer that sells to candle suppliers like wooden wick, Swans, Candlewic, and soon to be NorthWood. These suppliers/ distributors purchase large amounts of the wax to then distribute to consumers who may not have the financial means to meet the min MOQ/MOA direct from the manufacturer.  Similar to IGI waxes.

 

Am I mistaken? This had also crossed my mind when I had orders CD wicks from 2 different suppliers and I did not notice a difference aesthetically. 

[TallTayl]

Wick guides are not a good reference for all waxes.  Take them with a grain of salt, other than to learn the sizing numbers. If you read the fine print, the wick core material  is usually tested in a simple paraffin with no other adds. Anything added to the wax, including dyes, fragrance and even the container used change the wick required in your final candle system. 
 

your wax will likely contain additives to Make it perform in a different way that has been deemed desirable by their market. For instance, glass adhesion and amount of fragrance the wax can hold are often tops on the list, both of which require additives that change the wick sizing required. Usually this means several sizes within that wick guide, if not a different wick series altogether. Example, zinc core may be suitable for most paraffin containers, but will never burn the same in soy or beeswax. 

as for differences between retailers, this is a common thing given the wick material is manufactured the same way, but is treated very differently along the manufacturing process at the factories that make the final wick assemblies. Cd wick starts with Heniz Jansen technical braiding. Then it is chemically treated, wax primed and tabbed depending on the end use. https://www.precisionwicking.com/heinz-jansen/
 

every retailer can order the wax priming and tabbing they wish to sell. Check out custom wick configurations like at candlewic.com for an idea of common Customizations. Wax priming is a BIG variable in my experience. 

 

 Sometimes it works out that two retailers end up similar enough to be interchangeable. Sometimes they are not. I tend to stick with a single retailer buying a large quantity if it is something I know I will need ongoing to limit the variables in an already complex candle system.