Solving the Problem of a smokey burn with beeswax candles

**Chef Isaac** · 12-28-2009, 06:02 AM

A friend got some of our tealights a week or so ago and tested them out. Here is what he said:

"I picked up some beeswax tea lights from you at the Capitol Hill farmer's market (Seattle), and you asked me to let you know how long the burned.

I was burning two of them for 170 minutes, before I blew them out. I can't be sure, but I'd guess there is another hour left in them.

There was one surprise though, which is that they generate a lot of smoke. I wasn't noticing, but them my wife came home, and she couldn't believe how smokey it was in the house. So you may want to work on that part of it. I hope it helps!"

What causes the smokey burn?

**beedeetee** · 12-28-2009, 06:57 AM

We burn a lot of beeswax candles and have never noticed any smoke...except when the candle is blown out. Then the wick usually smokes for a little bit and you can smell smoke.

It wouldn't cause the house to "be smokey", although if he just blew them out when she got home she could have smelled it. Burn a couple yourself and see what happens.

**BEES4U** · 12-28-2009, 09:29 AM

12/28/09

FYI:
I bought some local bees wax candles and I knew that they were not 100% beeswax when they burned.
The maker had added paraffin to them to stretch his bees wax.
I did a micro melting point to prove the point.
Are you using capping wax for your candles?
Are you using dark wax?
The dark wax can make a big difference.
Ernie

**honeyshack** · 12-28-2009, 09:34 AM

Ask your friend if they were smoky from the burn, or if it happened when they got blown out. Big difference here.
I was burning 6 pillars to test my my home. Blew them out at the same time and wow the smoke in the living room. However, during the burns, a very clean burn.

Smokey burn means the candle wick is too large, it just can not get enough wax to burn in the wick. OR, wick to large, and wax not clean enough, burning the impurities.
A candle that does not keep it's flame after a bit of burning either has a wick that is too small, or too much impurities and it clogs the wick.

The best thing Chef, is to test your candles. Make some and test. Use different wicks. IE pour 4-6 tea lights with different wicks, mark each tealight cup with the wick number and then burn. Record the time burning, the smoke, the to weak of flame etc. Realize that each extraction of wax yeilds different properties, and such might not use the same wick. This is the nature of natural candles.

Test, test and test again....log your tests and the the wicks that work with each candle so that when you get back to the candles at a later date, you know what you are doing...

**Chef Isaac** · 12-28-2009, 09:36 AM

Ernie: You said "I did a micro melting point to prove the point."

how do you do that?

No cappings or dark wax. I should ask him if we blew it out or not. Good point Honey.

**GaSteve** · 12-28-2009, 11:22 AM

As stated, wicks can smoke a lot when blown out. I always recommend that folks put the candle out by pushing the wick into the puddle with knife blade or something non-flammable. There is absolutely no smoke. You just have to remember to pull the wick out of the puddle before the wax hardens.