You can buy the wicks you need for your craft candles, but you can also make them yourself. Those treated with borax are the most common, but with a few basic materials you can also make them out of wood or furniture.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Borax Treated Wicks
Step 1. Heat the water
Pour one cup (250ml) into a skillet or saucepan and let it simmer, without bringing it to a complete boil.
Step 2. Dissolve the salt and borax
Pour the boiling water into a glass bowl and add one tablespoon (15ml) of salt and three tablespoons (45ml) of borax, stirring to dissolve.
- You will need this solution to treat the base material for the wick. A treatment with borax can make the candle light more vivid and lasting and reduce the amount of ash and smoke produced while the candle burns.
- Keep this substance away from children and animals, as it can have a toxic effect if ingested or inhaled.
Step 3. Soak the twine in the solution
Take a small piece of butcher's twine and dip it in the borax solution, leaving it there for 24 hours.
- Make sure that the length of the string is greater than the height of the container you are going to use for your candle. If you still don't know what the height will be, you can use up to 30.5cm of twine and cut it later.
- Butcher's twine is a great base material for wicks, although just about any thick cotton thread can work for the case. You can use embroidery floss, rolled-up bits of cotton cloth, or a clean shoelace from which you removed the plastic end.
- If you soak the twine for 24 hours, you will get a better result. Technically, you could remove it from the solution after 20 minutes, but the result won't be the same.
Step 4. Dry it
Remove it from the solution using tweezers, then hang it up and let it dry for two or three days.
- The twine must be completely dry before proceeding further.
- Use a clothespin (or other type) to hang it in a cool, dry place, placing it on top of aluminum foil to catch any drops.
Step 5. Melt the wax
Break 60 to 125 ml of candle wax into small pieces and melt it in a double boiler.
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If you don't have a suitable pot, you can use a clean tin can and a small pot.
- Heat some water (between 2, 5 and 5 cm) in a saucepan, allowing it to simmer without reaching a complete boil.
- Place the can in the boiling water and wait another minute for it to heat up before adding the wax.
- Melted wax can cause severe burns, therefore it is advisable to handle it with care throughout the process.
Step 6. Carefully dip the borax pretreated twine into the melted wax, covering as much surface as possible
Theoretically, you could use the borax treated twine directly without wetting it in melted wax. However, the wax will make it stronger and easier to handle and help make the end catch fire more easily
Step 7. Dry it
Hang it up as previously described and let it dry until the wax solidifies, that is, for a few minutes.
As before, place aluminum foil under the string to catch any drops
Step 8. Repeat the operation
Soak it and let it dry a few more times to form a thick layer of wax.
- Ideally, the twine should be stiff, while maintaining some flexibility.
- In case you don't have enough wax to dip the wick again, you can lay it on aluminum foil and gently pour the rest of the wax over it. Then let it dry on the paper instead of hanging it up again.
Step 9. Use the wick as you like
Once dry, it is ready to be placed inside a candle.
Method 2 of 3: Wooden Wicks
Step 1. Cut some balsa wood sticks
Use scissors to cut them 2.5 cm longer than the height of the container you intend to use for the candle.
- Use the classic balsa strips that you can find at any craft store. They should be between 1.25 and 3.75 cm wide.
- If you still don't know which container you will use or the width of the future candle, cut it to a variable length between 15, 25 and 30.5 cm. You can then trim away any excess, so don't worry about overflowing.
Step 2. Soak the balsa wood in the olive oil
Place the stick on a flat plate and pour enough olive oil at room temperature over it to cover it completely.
- Although wood itself is flammable, coating it with olive oil will allow it to ignite faster and evenly. This type of oil burns evenly and is therefore an excellent choice for candles.
- Let the wood soak in oil for at least 20 minutes. If you wish, you can wait for an hour, so that the wood absorbs more oil and burns with an even more intense flame.
Step 3. Dry them from the oil
Remove the stick and use clean paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Instead of scrubbing the stick, you can place it on a plate covered with paper towels and let it dry for a few minutes.
- The stick should eventually feel moist and oily to the touch, but it shouldn't leave any oil on your hands when you use it.
Step 4. Attach a wick clip to the base of the stick
Open one and gently push one end of the stick into the hole.
Push it as far as possible into the paper clip: it will serve to keep it stationary during the making of the candle
Step 5. Use the wick as you wish
From this moment it is ready to be used to create a candle.
The treated balsa sticks are easy to use and burn well. Using them in place of cotton wicks will produce a woody fragrance and a pleasant crackle as the candle burns
Method 3 of 3: Movable Wicks
Step 1. Melt the wax in a double boiler
Chop 60 to 125ml of wax or paraffin into small pieces and place it in the top of the pot, then heat the wax until it melts.
- You can use new wax or recycled pieces from old candles. Break it into small pieces so that it melts faster.
- If you don't have a bain-marie pot, place an iron tin or aluminum bowl inside a sturdy pot filled with 2.5 to 5 cm of water. The water should only be inside the pot, not the tin container.
- Simmer the water, but don't bring it to a complete boil. As the wax melts, move on to the next step.
Step 2. Roll one end of a pure cotton pipe cleaner around a pen or pencil
When you have completed the round and slightly overlapped the first layer, roll it up so that it is perpendicular to the pen.
- After rolling it up, remove the pen.
- The use of pure cotton pipe cleaners is strongly recommended - those made of synthetic fibers may not burn as well or safely.
Step 3. Shorten it
Use diagonal cutting pliers to shorten the longer end of the pipe cleaner. The final length of the wick - above its circular base - should only be approximately 1.25 cm.
- After you cut it, use pliers to gently bend the vertical part of the wick towards the center of the base. This part must remain vertical, but it must be properly balanced.
- In case it is too heavy or unbalanced, the weight distribution would not be homogeneous and the wick could fall, instead of remaining vertical.
Step 4. Dip the wick into the melted wax
Grab it with a pair of long tweezers and gently dip it, letting it soak for a few seconds.
- Act with caution. Melted wax can cause severe burns if you spill a few drops on yourself.
- Make sure the wick is completely immersed in the wax. Do not let go of the tweezers, otherwise it would become difficult to fish it out.
Step 5. Dry it
Remove it from the wax, place it on aluminum foil and wait a few minutes for the wax to dry and solidify.
- Place it on its circular base while it dries.
- The wick is ready when the hard wax layer has cooled down enough to handle.
Step 6. Repeat the process as desired
Repeat the soaking and drying operation up to three times, letting the wax harden between layers.
A thick, consistent layer of wax must form on the outside of the wick, as it will allow it to ignite faster and burn longer
Step 7. Use the wick as you like
When it has completely dried after the last layer of wax, it is ready to be used in a candle.
