What the heck is ...

[Scented]

a shaved candle? I guess this is something new out there. I went through Google trying to understand what it is and well still a bit fogged over. Anyone know?

Edited December 5, 2010 by Scented

[Bernadette]

I don't think it's new, per se. Rather, a spin on something that's been around for awhile.

Remember way back when Candle Magic sold bags of miniscule beads of colored wax? Just pour in any container you have, insert a wick, and voila! there's your candle - or that's how they advertised it.

Well, what I've seen for shaved candles is the same idea, only advertised primarily for soy wax. Bags of shredded soy wax(like large mashed potato flakes) that you can pour into any of your kitchen glass/ceramic containers that will conform to the shape. Then insert a wick and voila. I've seen "kits" of wax and wicks, and as I say, I've only seen it as soy shavings. If I can find some of the sites, I'll post a link.

How did you hear it spoken of or about?:tiptoe:

[Scented]

Was wondering if that was the case. I remember Candle Magic. There was a show today where someone was selling it, but I wasn't at the show to see what it was and the partner simply said, "I dunno what it is. I just saw the sign. You're supposed to know this stuff."

So since I dunno either, I thought I would ask lol.

[LuminousBoutique]

I saw someone on etsy selling containers of what looked like scented soy dots with a wick and i was really confused.. i thought there was no way she was selling those just like that, with a wick just flopping around... but maybe its not so uncommon after all!

[lovemylabs]

Just wondering how safe these would really be since they aren't actual filled containers (with liquid wax). There's room around all these flakes or soy dots so that when it melts, the wick seems like it would be huge. Wouldn't that create an issue for proper wicking? I guess they would test out to see which wick would work and put that with each kit. I've seen these...can't remember where, but always wondered about the wicking.

[Candybee]

I haven't tried to make any candles using dots, flakes, or shavings so I wouldn't know for sure how safe or unsafe they are. But the idea of a candle made from any of that stuff just makes me shudder. I guess I just only imagine things that could go wrong with it.

It would be interesting to hear from someone who made one or bought one and could tell us the real poop on it.

[Bernadette]

I made a several candles from the Candle Magic wax years ago. It was cool because the wax bits were the size of grains of sand, and you could layer the colors just like a sand painting. It really was an ingenious idea because the wick stayed in place just like it would in hard packed sand. Once the candle was lit, there was very little room for liquid wax to seep down, so the flame stayed constant with a perfect meltpool that formed a solid wax top(when blown out) that sealed in the "sand" design underneath.

This new gimmick for soy candles I'm not so sure about. How do you pour flakes to pack hard enough into a container to hold a wick and not have liquid wax seep down exposing a huge flame? I have no experience with soy wax though, so I suppose it's possible that the consistency of some types is such that when you pour the shaving flakes into the container, they break up into very little pieces. Still....I guess the saying is true..."people will do anything to make a buck".:tiptoe:

Edited December 5, 2010 by Bernadette

[sjconner]

A place in San Antonio (back in the 80's) used to sell shaped wax chunks (smaller than most modern tarts). You picked the scents you wanted and put them in a jar. I think they sold wicks for them but am not sure. The cold throw on those things was incredible. My Dad would never go in the store with Mom because it bothered his allergies. It would make his eyes and his nose run and run and run.

Susan