Labeling Candles with Self Trimming Wicks

[Jeana]

Ok we are all told from the beginning of candle making to trim our wicks to 1/4" before lighting and told to inform all our customers the same. We even put this on our burning instructions. Recently I started testing and using self trimming wicks that actually work. Even when the wick looks longer than 1/4" they still perform far better if you don't trim them.

So my question is, how should this be labeled. I'm a little nervous to actually make a claim that they never need to be trimmed, but if people follow the 1/4" rule the candle won't do very well. They will appear to be under wicked.

I know I'm not the only one to use self trimming wicks so I'm curious how others are handling this.

It actually makes me feel more safe this way because the majority of candle users don't trim their wicks anyway, I'm just thinking of the ones that do.

[HorseScentS]

Great question! I have the same situation with HTP wicks, and I have wondered the same thing.

[David Fields]

Great question. We have been using HTP wicks for I guess 6 or 8 years, maybe longer. Love them. We don't give customers instructions in advance of burning. It has not been a problem for us. Ever so often a customer will ask about trimming; then we explain the do's and don't's. We also get questions about put candles in the freezer. smile. And finally, we have had a very few customers who said they trimmed the wick, and now the candle won't burn well. In those few (2 or 3 out of thousands and thousands of candles) we either explained how to fix the candle so that it would burn, or we just replaced it. We have found that customers don't read instructions provided.

[Jeana]

Well if it helps you guys, I've been labeling mine so far "If needed trim wicks to 3/8" inch before lighting." As I said before 1/4" is way too short to start with these wicks. But what an odd measurement to say to trim to, and it rarely needs it.

So you both don't give any burning instructions? That seems like a liability issue.

I am using HTP wicks also.

At first I was thinking what is wrong with these wicks. LOL I started testing with HTP wicks many years ago and gave up on them because I was trimming them and everything seemed under wicked. Now I love them. It is really hard to get used to not trimming the candle or lighting a longer looking wick.

[HorseScentS]

Great question. We have been using HTP wicks for I guess 6 or 8 years, maybe longer. Love them. We don't give customers instructions in advance of burning. It has not been a problem for us. Ever so often a customer will ask about trimming; then we explain the do's and don't's. We also get questions about put candles in the freezer. smile. And finally, we have had a very few customers who said they trimmed the wick, and now the candle won't burn well. In those few (2 or 3 out of thousands and thousands of candles) we either explained how to fix the candle so that it would burn, or we just replaced it. We have found that customers don't read instructions provided.

Awesome! Thank you!

[Old Crab]

Wow!

I wish I knew this... Now I need to go back and retest them.

I liked how they burned, no smoke, etc. but it always seemed like they weren't up to the job.

[bells4shells]

I'm glad something was said. I've been trimming my HTP wicks in the testers I have now. Next round I'm going to skip that step and see how they fare. Interesting.

[ChandlerWicks]

This could be the reason the smaller sized HTP wicks always tunnel for me. Thanks!

[jeanie353]

Count me in on another who was having trouble with HTPs tunneling when according to size they shouldn't have been. I trimmed the wicks.

Thank you for that info.

[HorseScentS]

I'm glad something was said. I've been trimming my HTP wicks in the testers I have now. Next round I'm going to skip that step and see how they fare. Interesting.

You will love how they work when you don't trim them. Even if they're a bit too long when you light them, they adjust to the correct size while burning. And they need to be a bit long because they curl which makes them shorter. If my HTP's get a big flame when I power burn, I know it's because I need to wick down, not because they need to be trimmed.

[rjdaines]

I always trim my HTP wick to to 1/4 inch and have never had a problem at any time during the life of a candle. I would still tell customers to trim to be on the safer side of things. When sizing wicks I try to shoot for near full melt pool in as many hours as the container's diameter. The first and second burn are usually short of this but one has to consider the heating of the container after the halfway point. I guess I could do a few test burns without trimming but it would still bother me not to recommend that practice.

Edited October 6, 2012 by rjdaines

[HorseScentS]

I always trim my HTP wick to to 1/4 inch and have never had a problem at any time during the life of a candle. I would still tell customers to trim to be on the safer side of things. When sizing wicks I try to shoot for near full melt pool in as many hours as the container's diameter. The first and second burn are usually short of this but one has to consider the heating of the container after the halfway point. I guess I could do a few test burns without trimming but it would still bother me not to recommend that practice.

My HTP's work well whether I trim or don't trim, but I think they work a bit better when I don't. Since most customers don't trim, I'm testing without trimming most of the time.

[Jeana]

I agree Horsescents. You HAVE to test candles without trimming the wicks or you aren't putting out a safe product. The majority of customers don't trim and don't even think to.

This is how I figured out the HTPs burn better without trimming. I stopped trimming in anticipation that customers won't trim. I wanted to see how they would burn. I noticed the wicks never got longer than a certain length. That's when I checked the spec sheet for them and realized they are classified as a self trimming wick.

I also wanted to point out that I'm doing power burns of 10 hours at a time and they still don't get too large. Or the melt pool too deep. Even when the room is in the 90's

Edited October 6, 2012 by Jeana

[HorseScentS]

I agree Horsescents. You HAVE to test candles without trimming the wicks or you aren't putting out a safe product. The majority of customers don't trim and don't even think to.

This is how I figured out the HTPs burn better without trimming. I stopped trimming in anticipation that customers won't trim. I wanted to see how they would burn. I noticed the wicks never got longer than a certain length. That's when I checked the spec sheet for them and realized they are classified as a self trimming wick.

I also wanted to point out that I'm doing power burns of 10 hours at a time and they still don't get too large. Or the melt pool too deep. Even when the room is in the 90's

Me too, I often burn 10 hours or more. I just do it like a customer and light the candle when I'm home, then blow it out before I leave the house. I never even heard about wick trimming before I started learning how to make candles, never trimmed wick in my life. And I always thought the proper way to burn my Febreeze candles was to light them in the evening and let them burn overnight until the next day to really freshen my house! lol

[beans]

Just pulled out some of my htp's. Love my eco's but they need to be trimmed. Testing right now with the htp's instead. Going to see if they work for me. Thanks for this thread.

[ChandlerWicks]

Ok, don't know why, but my HTPs need trimmed after each burn. If I don't, flame stretches. I'm testing 3 jars exactly the same except for wick size. HTP 93, 104, 105. 3" wide jar. 4627, 7% FO.

[rjdaines]

I trim my HTP wicks, produces a nice flame that lasts many hours.

[HorseScentS]

Ok, don't know why, but my HTPs need trimmed after each burn. If I don't, flame stretches. I'm testing 3 jars exactly the same except for wick size. HTP 93, 104, 105. 3" wide jar. 4627, 7% FO.

How tall is the jar? Also, how many days do you wait before test burning? Because I've found that I have to wait at least 48 hours for the super-soft 4627 to harden up completely or the wicks perform totally different and I can't get accurate results.

I use HTP's in 4627, and I only have the flame stretching when it's overwicked. For example: Peak's Peppermint Kiss, 1.3 oz FO to 14.7 oz wax, in an 8 oz jewel cut jelly jar, and I had it wicked with 83 HTP, which worked fine as long as I trimmed the wick; although it did melt the wax a bit too fast so I thought I should wick down to an HTP 73. But when I power burned and it got down to the bottom, the flame stretched up tall and thin so it really exacerbated the fact that it was overwicked. In other words, if I had followed the rules and only burned the candle for 2-1/2 hrs at a time and trimmed the HTP before each lighting, I could have gotten away with overwicking with the HTP 83. But, if I had used an HTP 73 instead, I wouldn't have had a problem even when power burning and not trimming the wick at all. ( Also, I think I need to reduce my FO load on that scent, just for future reference, because the mint was a bit too strong.)

2nd example: 1.2 oz CS Hazelnut Coffee FO in 14.8 oz 4627 wax, in a pint regular mouth Ball jar. I used an HTP 93 wick and never trimmed it, the flame never got too big, never stretched even when it got to the bottom of the jar, and I power burned the heck out of it. But, it left a thin film of wax on the jar, which doesn't look pretty, so next time I'll try the equivalent sized CD wick because they burn just a bit hotter. I can't go up to an HTP 104 because the flame is way too big and smokes like crazy, so that combination would be overwicked with the HTP 104.

Edited October 8, 2012 by HorsescentS

[ChandlerWicks]

3 1/2" tall by 3" wide. 48 hrs, maybe the temp difference? It's cold outside & I keep it cool in the house. No sooting or smoking, I'm on the 4th 3 hour burn for all 3 jars. Except for each needing a trim, burns are good. HTP104 is doing the best.

Thanks RJ!

[HorseScentS]

3 1/2" tall by 3" wide. 48 hrs, maybe the temp difference? It's cold outside & I keep it cool in the house. No sooting or smoking, I'm on the 4th 3 hour burn for all 3 jars. Except for each needing a trim, burns are good. HTP104 is doing the best.

Thanks RJ!

Interesting. Do your jars have a lip or a neck?

So when you say "each needing a trim," what makes you think they need a trim? are they smoking? I ask because when I don't trim the wicks they are longer than 1/4" ,and that's not too long because they curl so the extra length works out right.

Edited October 8, 2012 by HorsescentS

[ChandlerWicks]

Straight sided, like a Status without the base. As soon as I light each wick, the flame starts stretching immediately. Trim & burns great. Mine don't curl at all. Do you dye your candles? This is strange! I did try a HTP83 to begin with in the test, but it tunneled so badly I pulled. The MP was only quarter sized after 3 hours.

[HorseScentS]

Straight sided, like a Status without the base. As soon as I light each wick, the flame starts stretching immediately. Trim & burns great. Mine don't curl at all. Do you dye your candles? This is strange! I did try a HTP83 to begin with in the test, but it tunneled so badly I pulled. The MP was only quarter sized after 3 hours.

No, I'm not dying mine, are you?

The other jar I've tested that worked really well is the Libbey Elemental jar with HTP 83. It's almost 3" dia, like 2.875". It's got a very slight bit of lip/neck on it.

HTP wicks have to curl, that's what they're designed to do. Are you sure your supplier sent you HTPs?

So, if you wick down one wick size it tunnels? How full are you filling the jars? If I go past the official fill line my HTP wicks don't like it.

Edited October 9, 2012 by HorsescentS

[ChandlerWicks]

Yep, they're CSs HTPs. I'm thinking I might have used too much dye. There's no way the HTP83 would have made it. I think fill line is ok. I'll try to remember in the A.M. to take pics when I light them again.

[HorseScentS]

Yep, they're CSs HTPs. I'm thinking I might have used too much dye. There's no way the HTP83 would have made it. I think fill line is ok. I'll try to remember in the A.M. to take pics when I light them again.

I'd love to see your pics. I wonder if the dye is an issue. I'm not using dye in mine right now because the HTP's seemed more affected by dye than my zincs did, and also because I, and some family members, like the look of white wax.

Edited October 9, 2012 by HorsescentS

[HorseScentS]

Yep, they're CSs HTPs. I'm thinking I might have used too much dye. There's no way the HTP83 would have made it. I think fill line is ok. I'll try to remember in the A.M. to take pics when I light them again.

P.S. Also, I'm really curious about those wicks because there's no way an HTP wick won't curl over when burning, since that's what they're designed to do. I've been sent the wrong FO by mistake before, so I'm really wondering if CS sent you a different kind of wick and mislabeled them as HTP.