silverm00n Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Hey guys!I've been curing a few GB444 candles for months now, and they're exhibiting some frosting on the top. I know that soy is famous for frosting, but I hardly ever get any . Does this happen to all soys that don't get burned after awhile, or is it a some do some don't kind of thing?TY,Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Out of the box, soy waxes generally aren't stable over time. They keep changing. Exactly how they change depends on the wax, the fragrance oil, how you made them, the environmental conditions and whether the republicans or democrats are in office.For instance, when I was working with CB-135 it was easy to make perfect looking candles, but they'd start getting a powdery frost sitting around for a month or more. The wax would also swell so that a 1/4" wick would turn into 1/8" and after several months some got mostly swallowed.If I remember right, 444 is a cottonseed blend too. Those can sometimes come out more pretty when they're made. At the expense of some scent throw, it gives you a little longer to unload them (or burn them) before they go downhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iammommytwo Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I agree w/TOP, and will also add that it depends on whether or not you're holding your mouth right...lol. And TY TOP for the tidbit about the swelling- I did not know that. I wondered what happened to my tins I made last year....now I have to sell them for candlewarmers, but that is not a bad thing 'cause they work great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 EZ soy will swell over time too. Ask me how I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsbennis Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Yikes...is there any shelf life to soy candles? I currently use CB135 and have several that have been sitting around for a few months and they seem ok...gosh..there are so many variables to soy wax...I really wish I wasn't so anal about using it...I keep feeling the tug to come over to the dark side and use a blend...lol :tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverm00n Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 Tell me about it, I though the worst was over if my candle hadn't frosted after a few days. To work so hard to make it smooth and creamy, to have it get all funky after a month or so is a little disappointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I have some a year old that are fine. Now they HAVE developed some frosting, but I'm one who doesn't care about that and neither do my customers.The issue for me is burning more sluggishly in colder weather. I have two choices: Wick for summertime (which is when I sell a LOT of candles at farmer's market -- also I have a lot of website customers who live in the desert southwest where it's hot). Then the candles will burn a bit more slowly in winter and might leave a bit of hang-up on the jars.OR I can wick hotter for wintertime burning in colder climates, and risk having people's jars getting too hot and cracking in summer/warmer climates.For me, I'd rather be safe and risk having slight hang-up over letting jars get too hot with bigger wicks.Hope that made sense. Only had one cuppa Joe this a.m. Edited to add: I'm one soy chandler who doesn't mind appearance issues because I am shooting for great scent throw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverm00n Posted October 11, 2006 Author Share Posted October 11, 2006 For me, I'd rather be safe and risk having slight hang-up over letting jars get too hot with bigger wicks.I agree. I have one jar that either leaves some hang up and then catches up, or burning clean throughout but getting too hot. I rather have the hang up too, especially if it catches up in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 If it's any consolation, I make both soy candles and paraffin. In my experience, I have more trouble with my PARAFFIN candles not aging well. Although my soy candles are fine after a year, and some of my paraffin candles are fine after a year, some paraffin ones have trouble with weeping fo over a period of time. Mostly the vanilla-based fo's. Never have trouble with my soy candles weeping EVER. Well, only once, and that was when I heat-gun zapped a top. Never again. LOLI just remind customers that these are fresh, hand-poured candles and they have great scent throw. But they do not have indefinite shelf life. Think of them like high-quality food items. Gourmet, even! But they won't last forever, so enjoy them NOW. heh hehMost of us handcrafters aren't making products that can sit in a warehouse for six months then pine away on a store shelf for 5 years and still look good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrchips Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Once you've made them, it's important to store them properly too. I keep mine boxed up in a cool, dark room. They never see sunlight or much variation in temperature.Like Crafty, I've had paraffin based candles (usually containers) that have wept FO over time. The very worst FO wept onto the sides and bottom of the jar leaving brown patches.Boyd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Yikes...is there any shelf life to soy candles? I currently use CB135 and have several that have been sitting around for a few months and they seem ok...gosh..there are so many variables to soy wax...I really wish I wasn't so anal about using it...I keep feeling the tug to come over to the dark side and use a blend...lol :tiptoe:NG says their products have an indefinite shelf life. I assume that means the candles won't spoil, spontaneously combust, or implode into an alternate dimension. Anything else is possible, if not inevitable. Keep a few CB-135 candles around for longer and they will change in some way(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsbennis Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Thanks Top...that is good to know... but there are times when I wish all my wax, wicks and jars would dissapear into some kind of weird quantum nano world and come back and behave and do what I want them to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaglady Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Ack! I haven't made any candles yet, but have been accumulating all the supplies so i can make a few for Christmas gifts. Yet another variable to worry about! Diane W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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