Looking for advice on wicking a tough scent

[Rob Space]

I've been trying to wick a couple new candles for awhile now, and I'm not having much success.  Both are 50/50 464 and igi 4627.  I'm using 1.6 fragrance load per lb on each.  One candle is 1 oz sweet vanilla tobacco by truscents, .4 oz burberry from southern scentsations and .22 oz gunpowder from texas candle supply.  The other candle is .8 oz guns of the west from texas candle supply, .1 oz leather from lonestar candle, .4 oz pinon from wellington and .3 oz red cedar from southern scentsations.  I use 9 oz straight sided 70-400 jars.  I've tried every wick possible, and both candles have the same results for the most part.  The only scents I've never used are the ones from texas candle supply.  All the others I use all the time with no issues.  Every wick I try ends up with a tiny flame that is almost drowning out, but stays lit.  CD 20 has been the closest.  A couple wicks have given good melt pools, but the flame is just so small.  It seems crazy to have a cd 20 in a 9 oz jar, but I'm still learning, so maybe it's not too crazy?  Any thoughts on some things to try?  Maybe adjusting the wax ratio?  Any help would be rad!  The green candle in the pics is one with a good wick.  I've tried cd 8, 10, 14, 16, 18, 20.  htp 93 and 104.  51-32-18 zinc and 60-44-18 zinc.  RRD 40 and RRD 47.  uc 2.592, uc 2.775, uc 2.9 and uc 3.1.  None were ideal.

[TallTayl]

I would dial back on the scent. A few of those in the blend are wick cloggers. 
 

I would also give ECO a try before giving up the ghost.  And CDN. CDN has a treatment to help with corrosive blends. 
 

cd 20 is a huge wick for that size jar.
 

In the pic a few have deep deep melt pools. 

[Rob Space]

Definitely a couple with too deep melt pools!  The first burn test looked good on the cd16, 18 and 20 surprisingly, but on the 2nd test 5 hours later, none of them looked good.  The only eco wick I had was an eco 14, and it was way too big!  I'll have to look into the cdn wicks.  Appreciate the feedback! 

[NightLight]

Dial back on scent, or if you have troublesome fo’s tame them with well behave fo.

sofor example cut the fragrance with 1/3 or 1/2. You can often keep the the same scent composition but have a way better burning candle. I had a couple stinker fragrances and discovered this is a great way to get them to work.

 

Did you try LX, UC wicks? Get some samples. The CD wicks should work though. First cut back on scent, work only with undyed wax.

 

[Rob Space]

I'll try dialing the scent back.  I've tried lx, uc and cd wicks.. all with the same results for the most part.  I was thinking about changing the wax ratio of 50/50 464 and 4627, to maybe 30/70 464 and 4627.  Not sure if that will help, but worth a shot.  I listed all the wicks I've tried so far up top.. which is pretty much every wick minus the eco.  I did try an eco 14, but it was way too big. 

[Rob Space]

Also, thank you guys for the knowledge!  I really appreciate it!!

[NightLight]

Ok sorry missed that. I would reduce the fragrance and see if that helps, then blend that troublesome ones 50/50.

keep fragrance load no more that 7 percent. Also 464 and 4627 may not be happy with each other. You could get samples try 415 with 4627. 415 soy is good blender with less additives that 464. I always keep some around.

UC should have worked, I find them hotter than CD, but you may have to wick up way more than you expect for decent burn with certain scents. I have a couple fos that either go way up or down, so don’t discount hotter.

from your picture looks like you could wick hotter. Do you have anymore uc, or lx. Try LX 24 or 26. Uc and cd go up 22,24.

[Rob Space]

I'll definitely try a few more wicks.  The uc 2.775 was probably the best so far that I've tried.  CD 18 was 2nd, but the flames on both eventually were pretty small.  The melt pool was about perfect for the time frames on both wicks, and the flame didn't go out, it was just really small.  I use 50/50 464 and 4627 with all of the candles I make with really no issues, so I guess I'm lucky there!  Also, I just realized I haven't tried lx wicks!  I thought the zinc core 51-32-18 from candlesandsupplies.com were lx for some reason.. I guess I was wrong!  I'll order some now!

[NightLight]

Ok if the wicks don’t works those fragrances, then I would change the fragrance. LX wicks work well with 464, don’t be afraid to try larger wick. Start 22 - 26

[Rob Space]

Thank you for the help!

[BusyBee]

By looking at pictures of your candles, I am assuming big size wicks are your problem.

 

Whenever you have deep melt pool and big flame, then that is the sign of many problems.  Waxes will expand and rise when they are melted, and that would cause the wick to drown in deep melt pool.  The flame of your green one is big.  So, you might want to cut it down on wick sizes or maybe try different wicks altogether.  It's not going to be easy to maintain shallow melt pool through out the life of candle, but that is what we are aiming to achieve.

*Below is 464.  

[Rob Space]

I've tried every wick from too small to too large.  I've got a few more to try still.  The green candle actually has the perfect wick, it just might be a deceiving pic.. hard to get pics for some reason, but the flame height and melt pool and scent throw have been exactly what I was looking for.  As far as the 2 scents in question though, I haven't seen a difference between too small and too big, other than the melt pool.  Some end up too deep, and the flame is tiny.. not drowning out, but tiny.  The wicks that are too small don't have a good melt pool at all, obviously, and they end up drowning out.  Both have scents from a newer company that aren't in any other of my candles.  I absolutely love the scents though!  I'm starting to think they might just be too problematic though.  

[Rob Space]

Also, thanks for the info BusyBee!  Any thoughts on some wicks I should look at?  I'm going to be trying lx next

[BenderSF]

@Rob Space, yeah, definitely try LX.  I also use 4627 + 464 a lot, from a 1:1 ratio up to mostly-4627-and-just-a-touch-of-464.  I've been happiest with LX.  (Once it gets to be more 464 than 4627 I switch to CDs.)  I haven't had a chance to try that wax/wick with 9oz straight-sided jars yet, but I have good luck with LX 16 in tins and tumblers with a similar diameter.  (When I get around to testing the 9oz SS jars, I'll start with LX 16 and LX 14 since the slight neck and higher sides of the SS jars may mean I can wick down a bit.)

 

Having said that, take that all with a grain of salt because when I find a troublesome fragrance I usually end up giving up in frustration.  😆

Edited August 9, 2021 by BenderSF
typo

[BusyBee]

If that is not the case, then let's try second thing that I have noticed.  Do you trim your wick using wick trimmer in the picture?  If so, have you ever had any problem with it before?  It's hard to tell by looking at your picture since it's not clear, but you might be having problem due to that wick trimmer.  Sometimes dull blade will damage end of wick which cause wick clogging.  You might want to try to trim the wick with sharp scissors. 

 

I can suggest you wick recommendation for 464.  But I have no clue for the 50/50 464/4627 mixture since I have no experience with that.  I just know the 464 becomes totally different wax even if it is added with just small portion of other wax.

[Rob Space]

I usually use sharp scissors, but I thought I'd get fancy and pull that wick trimmer out the other day for some reason.  

[BusyBee]

Sorry!  Then it must be the FOs that are causing the clogging problem.  If dialing back on FO does not work, then you can also try the wick with more external capillary action.  Helix & Paper wick in South Korea would be be ones with most external capillary action.  Or you can put any two wicks together like picture below.  When you put two wicks like that, the gab between the wicks will create external capillary action which will help fuel delivery.  First method would be easy to try.  Just stick in two wicks of half the size of your normal.  

 

 

This is Helix.  Helix is two Aroma Lite twisted into one wick.  Wick near the flame will splits out which will create gab within the wick.  *I like play with name brand candles by changing their wicks like the one below.

 

This is Paper wick from South Korea.  It has coating on exterior which improves exterior capillary action.  This one is almost impossible to get during Pandemic.  Good luck with your experiment!

[Rob Space]

@BusyBeehow cool!  I had no idea that was even something you could do!  Now I have to play with that just for fun. Thank you!

[BusyBee]

I don't know.  I have tried to find wick that would work in my thick & heavy mixture, and above are the results.  Try to stick in one more small wick into one of your existing candle first.  It should give you idea how it is going to burn before you make any new one for full test.  It might work or it might not.  So, try it just for fun.  Good luck!