Jump to content

Labeling Candles with Self Trimming Wicks


Recommended Posts

I didn't have good luck not trimming in the Madison jar :(

It burned very nice without any trimming of the wick until the 3rd burn. The wick was pretty long but lit it up anyway. Had a flame way above the glass that wouldn't settle down. Trimmed the wick and its burning pretty again. I did measure the piece of wick trimmed off. It was one black mark on the tape measure after the 1/4" mark still with its slight curl so was actually a little longer than that.

EL ME, 3" Madison, .8 oz FO of CC Winter Woodland Whisper.

Maybe if you wick down you won't have to trim. That's what I've noticed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 96
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • 3 weeks later...
OK. I'll try that on the next one I make up. These are burned far enough where I probably won't get a real test out of them.

Thanks HS

I forgot to say that even in they're longer than 1/4" you don't need to trim because they curl over, which makes them shorter in terms of height even if they're longer. How did your testing go, Jeannie?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forgot to say that even in they're longer than 1/4" you don't need to trim because they curl over, which makes them shorter in terms of height even if they're longer. How did your testing go, Jeannie?

It didn't work out for me through all burns. By the 3rd burn I had to put it out, let cool, trim wick and relight and then it was alright. The flame was too high. It could of been the container(s) I used causing it. Used 3" Madison and 3 5/8" apothecary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It didn't work out for me through all burns. By the 3rd burn I had to put it out, let cool, trim wick and relight and then it was alright. The flame was too high. It could of been the container(s) I used causing it. Used 3" Madison and 3 5/8" apothecary.

Interesting! So, maybe the burning instructions for self-trimming wicks should be, "If the flame gets to high and smokey, extinguish candle and trim wick to 1/4", then relight"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting! So, maybe the burning instructions for self-trimming wicks should be, "If the flame gets to high and smokey, extinguish candle and trim wick to 1/4", then relight"?

That is some awfully subjective language to put on a label.

I would err on the side of common language that is readily accepted and supported in legal situations. If it is generally acceptable in the trade to instruct the user to trim a wick prior to lighting to a measurable length, why challenge that with questionable instructions on your labeling?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is some awfully subjective language to put on a label.

I would err on the side of common language that is readily accepted and supported in legal situations. If it is generally acceptable in the trade to instruct the user to trim a wick prior to lighting to a measurable length, why challenge that with questionable instructions on your labeling?

I can't tell customers to trim the HTP wicks on my candles because they burn so much better when they're not trimmed, and trimming might even cause them to drown like with the Slatkin candles. They only might need to be trimmed occasionally, and only IF the flame gets too big.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't tell customers to trim the HTP wicks on my candles because they burn so much better when they're not trimmed, and trimming might even cause them to drown like with the Slatkin candles. They only might need to be trimmed occasionally, and only IF the flame gets too big.

The reality is that most people don't or won't read your label. The point is labeling should be done as consistently with the generally accepted norm to protect you should something happen triggering legal intervention. Deviation from industry accepted warning labels is a big opening for legal challenge indicating you may not be in conformance with generally acceptable manufacturing principles with regard to your product.

How would you defend your product against liability charges to a litigator using your current approach and label suggestion? Any subjective language is a big target. The investigator will for certain audit for due diligence. What would they find? You are already keeping tediously detailed notes on your testing that would prove statistically significant right? Are you finding anomalies that may be embarrassing in an investigation? Slatkin has formal staff to complete testing in labs, resources to make nuisance cases go away, and a staff litigators.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reality is that most people don't or won't read your label. The point is labeling should be done as consistently with the generally accepted norm to protect you should something happen triggering legal intervention. Deviation from industry accepted warning labels is a big opening for legal challenge indicating you may not be in conformance with generally acceptable manufacturing principles with regard to your product.

How would you defend your product against liability charges to a litigator using your current approach and label suggestion? Any subjective language is a big target. The investigator will for certain audit for due diligence. What would they find? aYou are already keeping tediously detailed notes on your testing that would prove statistically significant right? Are you finding anomlies that may be embarrassing in an investigation? Slatkin has formal staff to complete testing in labs, resources to make nuisance cases go away, and a staff litigators.

If it's a self-trimming wick that doesn't burn properly if they constantly trim it to 1/4", I can't tell them to do that; hence, this thread is asking the question: how to label candles with self-trimming wicks? I'm going to ask the National Candle Association what they recommend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reality is that most people don't or won't read your label. The point is labeling should be done as consistently with the generally accepted norm to protect you should something happen triggering legal intervention. Deviation from industry accepted warning labels is a big opening for legal challenge indicating you may not be in conformance with generally acceptable manufacturing principles with regard to your product.

How would you defend your product against liability charges to a litigator using your current approach and label suggestion? Any subjective language is a big target. The investigator will for certain audit for due diligence. What would they find? You are already keeping tediously detailed notes on your testing that would prove statistically significant right? Are you finding anomalies that may be embarrassing in an investigation? Slatkin has formal staff to complete testing in labs, resources to make nuisance cases go away, and a staff litigators.

P.S. Also, I want to know what the Slatkin candle warning label says, since you're not supposed to trim the wicks on those.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's a self-trimming wick that doesn't burn properly if they constantly trim it to 1/4", I can't tell them to do that; hence, this thread is asking the question: how to label candles with self-trimming wicks? I'm going to ask the National Candle Association what they recommend.

Good idea HS. Go by what they recommend on an example of a non cut & dried situation

It could be in your wax they don't need trimming but in another they do. We know waxes and FOs can greatly affect how a wick acts where maybe the warning labels and/or directions need to be directed toward your specific system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Horsescents - what this is, is a product engineering issue. You cannot label away product non-conformance, especially in light of 5 pages of admission of product behavior that can be considered defective by the common consumer. Use common man law, otherwise known as "Reasonable Person Law". How would your peers judge you on the product?

Imagine this... a customer purchases such a non-conforming candle listening partially to your instructions. Customer gifts the candle to another party. Party burns candle as one would a commonly commercially developed candle and is dissatisfied. Customer will not buy again. Giftee will not buy again and may in fact do worse by recommending to others that they not buy.

Such a scenario was written by you several posts ago. How long will that Slatkin candle remain on the market in its current form if public perception is that the candle is inferior because it does not perform the way the mass candle buying public is trained a candle should perform. Changing consumer perception is a very difficult endeavor. You yourself would be disappointed in the candle system in question in this thread if you were not studied in the candle science and accepting of nonconformance. Someone buying the candle in this thread on Etsy, for instance, may leave negative feedback on Etsy or worse, mention the candle on a public forum such as this. Is your reputation not worth avoiding tarnish by better engineering the product before it goes to market?

Think like a business if you are indeed planning to become a business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Horsescents - what this is, is a product engineering issue. You cannot label away product non-conformance, especially in light of 5 pages of admission of product behavior that can be considered defective by the common consumer. Use common man law, otherwise known as "Reasonable Person Law". How would your peers judge you on the product?

Imagine this... a customer purchases such a non-conforming candle listening partially to your instructions. Customer gifts the candle to another party. Party burns candle as one would a commonly commercially developed candle and is dissatisfied. Customer will not buy again. Giftee will not buy again and may in fact do worse by recommending to others that they not buy.

Such a scenario was written by you several posts ago. How long will that Slatkin candle remain on the market in its current form if public perception is that the candle is inferior because it does not perform the way the mass candle buying public is trained a candle should perform. Changing consumer perception is a very difficult endeavor. You yourself would be disappointed in the candle system in question in this thread if you were not studied in the candle science and accepting of nonconformance. Someone buying the candle in this thread on Etsy, for instance, may leave negative feedback on Etsy or worse, mention the candle on a public forum such as this. Is your reputation not worth avoiding tarnish by better engineering the product before it goes to market?

Think like a business if you are indeed planning to become a business.

Stella, is that you? :laugh2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The warning label on Slatkin candles say to trim to 1/4 inch. I have found no downside to wick trimming and will always suggest it to people who purchase my candles. My warning label says to trim as well.

Interesting. Thanks, rj. I'll let you know what the National Candle Association says.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No. Just someone with years of experience and the sense to share it.

Oh, hi, Stella. Well, I'm looking forward to hearing back from the NCA about the warning lables, since they are not only knowledgeable, they know how to share their knowledge without being condescending.

Edited by HorsescentS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My name is not stella. Just because someone disagrees or brings up real reasons to consider improving your product does not make them condescending.

I spent my career in an industry where people died from willful avoidance of due diligence. It sticks with you when you see what a little circumvention of procedure causes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My name is not stella. Just because someone disagrees or brings up real reasons to consider improving your product does not make them condescending.

I spent my career in an industry where people died from willful avoidance of due diligence. It sticks with you when you see what a little circumvention of procedure causes.

It's your tone, dear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's your tone, dear.

Perhaps it's how you are inferring the words that you don't wish to read - they are contrary to your beliefs or experience. So be it.

I am reading condescension in your tone. I may be wrong. But no need to be defensive. This is still a learning community.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps it's how you are inferring the words that you don't wish to read - they are contrary to your beliefs or experience. So be it.

I am reading condescension in your tone. I may be wrong. But no need to be defensive. This is still a learning community.

I know I'm not alone in pointing out to you that your forum posts have been getting increasingly more condescending and abrasive, like someone who is coming down with a bad case of Stella-itis. I think it's called "Self-appointed Authority Syndrome." I don't play that. If you want to share your knowledge, fine, but find a less offensive way to say it or bug off.

Edited by HorsescentS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know I'm not alone in pointing out to you that your forum posts have been getting increasingly more condescending and abrasive, like someone who is coming down with a bad case of Stella-itis. I think it's called "Self-appointed Authority Syndrome." I don't play that. If you want to share your knowledge, fine, but find a less offensive way to say it or bug off.

If a writing style offends you, then just don't read my posts. Problem solved. Or use the ignore feature. Easy peasy. I've found many of your posts equally unsavory at times, but choose not to violate TOU and keep quiet.

Such a shame - so many very knowledgeable people have been turned off of sharing years worth of accumulated knowledge, experience and business savvy by bullies. The true gems of advice are in the archives. Information there can be taken to the bank. Not so much in recent posts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If a writing style offends you, then just don't read my posts. Problem solved. Or use the ignore feature. Easy peasy. I've found many of your posts equally unsavory at times, but choose not to violate TOU and keep quiet.

Such a shame - so many very knowledgeable people have been turned off of sharing years worth of accumulated knowledge, experience and business savvy by bullies. The true gems of advice are in the archives. Information there can be taken to the bank. Not so much in recent posts.

When a person, like yourself (and Stella), feels compelled to spank people who don't agree with them lockstep, that's a serious personality problem which will cause you a lot of unnecessary grief.

The reason Stella is no longer here is the majority got fed up with her behavior and stood up to her, and nobody wants to see that situation repeated.

The rest of us have been getting along fine with each other all this time, with no fights, and it's been great to have peace here...until you started this cr@p.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's quite insulting to the rest of us TT. If you're speaking of Stella, she might have been kind to you, but not to some of us. You obviously weren't on the receiving end of her disgusting behavior that was allowed to reign here until she was smacked down by Allan & Vicky in a post.

I do believe you have experience, but hers was in googling & C-3 & Palm.

She was a true southern bully, dispensing her nastiness coated with sugar. I know of several bullies but she was the biggest. How many were turned off by her? Quite a few!

We are all learning together & it's wonderful to be able to share with out fear of being slyly or openly attacked. True gems, how dare you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...