candles-msg - 9/29/19 Candle snuffers, making candles, wax, tallow. Period references. NOTE: See also the files: candlesticks-msg, lighting-msg, lamps-msg, flt-wick-lmps-art, torches-msg, firestarting-msg, Med-Lighting-lnks. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ To: Mark Harris From: Dennis Sherman RE:Candlemaking Perfume isn't something I've done much research on - I know essential oils were distilled from plants and flowers quite early, but I have no idea if they were used in candles. Tallow candles should not go rancid - the process of boiling down the fat into tallow is to remove all the proteinous matter that can rot. That's why I want to do it outdoors - I'm not thrilled (and neither is my wife) with the idea of a big pot of animal fat boiling and being skimmed indoors. Several sources suggest that the candles should be stored in a cool place for several months before they are used, which is supposed to make them last longer. Early lighthouses used oil lamps. Whale oil was the common fuel starting in the 18th C., I believe. All my sources agree the best tallow candles were made from a mix of sheep and ox fat. Lesser quality candles were made from ox (or cattle) alone, and at least two specifically say not to use pig, as it smokes and smells. Crisco is a vegetable fat, chemically treated to be solid, I think. If you try it (and I wouldn't hold my breath for success) let me know how it turns out. Several sources do talk about vegetable tallow from different plants (bayberry, a new world plant, is the most common example in this country), so I suppose the Crisco might work. There really isn't a straight wick - either twisted or plaited (braided). None of the fibres that might be used as wick material would stay together if they weren't twisted. Take a look at how thread is made - they don't call it "spun" for no reason! I don't recall beeswax having any particular smell the few times I've burned beeswax candles. I know the wax goes through several steps of purification before it is sold. Burning honey, on the other hand, has the caramelizing smell of burning sugar, as anyone who has had a boilover while making mead can tell you :-) Thanks for the questions and comments - I can see where the article will be all the better for it. Robyyan Torr d'Elandris Dennis R. Sherman Kapellenberg, Windmaster's Hill Chapel Hill, NC Atlantia drs at uncvx1.bitnet drs at uncvx1.oit.unc.edu RE>Tallow Greetings to Lord Stefan li Rous. I would guess the best bet for a wick would be to use commercially made wicking, which can be found at hobby stores. If you want something a little less sophisticated, cotton "candlewicking" embroidery thread has been readily available in needlework supply stores for some years now, owing to a revival of embroidery in that medium. I don't know what was used in period. Linen thread, perhaps? I've heard down the years that tallow candles, as a rule, are less desirable than paraffin or beeswax because they are smokier and they smell. I'm thinking of trying a blend of tallow and beeswax to see if the latter cuts down on these problems. Paraffin is cleanest burning, to my mind, but definitely modern. I'd love to have beeswax candles, but today, as in the middle ages, they are too costly for everyday use. If I can answer any other questions for you, please let me know. Yours in service, Dunstana Talana the Violet Northkeep, Ansteorra aka Jennifer Carlson Tulsa, Oklahoma JLC at vax2.utulsa.edu From: JLC at vax2.utulsa.EDU (JENNIFER CARLSON) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: RE: Tallow Date: 15 Jul 1993 11:45:13 -0400 Organization: The Internet Richard du Geusclin asked how to go about getting tallow and making candles. I've only used tallow for making soap, but the process of rendering the tallow is the same: Go to a butcher or a grocery store that has a real meat counter and ask for several pounds of beef fat scraps. The butcher may look at you funny. Say what you want the fat for, and the funny look usually goes away. Make sure it is understood that you only want BEEF fat. Pork fat makes LARD, which has a different consistency than tallow. Phone the butcher first, since meat cutters usually throw out all the scaps after the morning cuttings. Some places do not charge for fat scraps. If you're charged more than a nickle a pound you're being ripped off. 5 to 10 pounds of fat is a good amount to start with. Rinse it off with cool water, trim all the meat scraps off (use the meat to make broth or feed it to your dog - it will be fresh and will have been refrigerated). Chop the fat up into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the better it will render, but it is tiring after a while, so I usually cut the pieces about the size of my thumb. Fill a large pot - I use a stock pot or a canning pot - 1/3 to 1/2 full of fat and up to about an inch from the top with water. Put it on the stove over medium heat. Rendering tallow can be a rather smelly business, so turn on the fan in your stove hood, open a window, put a fan in the kitchen, or something. Bring the fat and water up to a low boil, and keep it there for a couple of hours, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Skim off any foam or blood that may rise up. Be sure to add more water as it cooks down. Be patient. As the tallow and water cooks out of them, what's left of the pieces of fat will shrink up into ugly little greyish things called "cracklings." Take the pot off the heat and remove the cracklings with a slotted spoon or a seive. If you really want to, you can render them again to get the last bit of tallow out of them. I usually just throw them out. Strain the liquid - carefully! - through a few layers of cheescloth into a large mixing bowl and let stand to cool. After a couple of hours put it in the refrigerator to chill. Once it's chilled take it out and remove the white stuff on top: this is tallow. The water underneath will be grayish and nasty, and a layer of gelatin may cling to the bottom of the tallow. Discard the water and the gelatin, and scrape the bottom of the tallow cake clean. If the tallow is fully rendered, it will be firm, uniform in color, and smooth in texture. If, at room temperature, it is yellowish, semi-liquid, grainy, or oily looking, put it in a pot with an equal amount of water, bring to a boil, strain into a bowl, and cool again, and discard the water and impurities that settle to the bottom. You may need to do this two or three times to get all of the impurities out. Wrap the finished cake of tallow in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. It will keep fresh for a couple of months. I do not know if there are any special tricks for making molded candles from tallow. I can only suggest the old "dip" method, wherein you dip a length of wicking into melted tallow (the tallow will turn yellow when it melts, by the way), pull it out and let the tallow harden, dip it again to add another coat, pull it out, etc., until you reach the desired thickness of candle. Good luck with the candles, and let me know how they turn out! Yours in service, Dunstana Talana the Violet Northkeep, Ansteorra aka Jennifer Carlson Tulsa, Oklahoma JLC at vax2.utulsa.edu From: sherman at trln.lib.unc.edu (dennis r. sherman) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: RE: Tallow Date: 15 Jul 1993 18:20:49 GMT Organization: Triangle Research Libraries Network Greetings to the Rialto from Robyyan. Dunstana writes, in answer to Richard du Guesclin's question about tallow: >Go to a butcher or a grocery store that has a real meat counter and ask for >several pounds of beef fat scraps. The butcher may look at you funny. Say >what you want the fat for, and the funny look usually goes away. Make sure it >is understood that you only want BEEF fat. Pork fat makes LARD, which has a Actually, if you want the absolute highest quality tallow, ask for MUTTON fat. At least for the purpose of candlemaking, I don't know about soap. All my lighting history sources that discuss tallow agree the best tallow is mutton, followed by beef. And they say to absolutely avoid pork, as it will smoke and smell. The rest of Dunstana's description of processing tallow is quite good, except I'd emphasize the probable need to boil, strain, and cool more than once. -- Robyyan Torr d'Elandris Kapellenberg, Windmaster's Hill Atlantia Dennis R. Sherman Triangle Research Libraries Network dennis_sherman at unc.edu Univ. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill From: Ursula Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: RE: Tallow Date: 15 Jul 1993 21:17:14 GMT Organization: Whitehead Institute My two bits' worth on tallow: I cook it in one pass -- cook it for 3-4 hours, and mash it up with a potato masher every so often. Cook it until you mostly have clear, bubbling fat, and brown crispies. All the water will have boiled away by this point, so put it through a strainer (use a spoon to squish the last bit of fat out). Then pour it into a (bread) loaf pan that has 1/2 inch of hot water in it. Cool to room temp, then cool in the fridge. Then pop it out (with the help of running _cold_ water), and voila! A brick of tallow. Note: the 1/2 inch of hot water ensures that the brown crispies that went through the sieve will drop through into the water, leaving your tallow very clean. Note: don't bother with the slimy fat from your butcher, use only the hard, solid stuff. Note: Call the meat department of your favorite supermarket -- they'll generally collect what you ask for, and it's more likely to be free. Note: Store the tallow in the freezer. So...... How does one make candles out of the tallow? (I know how to make soap). Ursula jmiller at genome.wi.mit.edu From: LIBLBM at orion.DEpaul.EDU (MURPHY LORI) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: RE: SCA Digest V6 #556 Date: 15 Jul 1993 18:28:19 -0400 Organization: The Internet I have done some work with tallow (beef fat). In order to start from scratch (since tallow isn't readily available), you'll need to find beef fat. In central Indiana, my former home, one could obtain it easily from a local slaughterhouse. Kidney fat is the choice fat. It has a lower amount of unwanted body parts. However you get it, you'll then need to render it. To do that, simply trim away any non fat and heat it up in a large container with half water and half fat. It will take some time but you will eventually have three layers: fat, water, and chunks of fat that will not render. The chunks will float so you can skim those off (cracklin's for you farm folks). Let the whole thing cool into stratified layers. Your clean tallow will be mostly white, just slice the sediment away and toss it, leaving you with clean tallow. Pork fat is sometimes available in the grocery store. You won't want to use it for candles, it doesn't burn as well and smells worse. You shouldn't use it for soaps either. If you keep the wick of a tallow canle trimmed it won't smoke as much and you'll have less smell, they still smell a bit. You'll just have a house/camp/tent that smells a little like a greasy spoon. Hope this helps. If you need more, respond. I have more information. Yours, Seamus Date:30 Jul 1993 RE>Tallow, soap & lye Ha! I'll bet you thought I'd forgotten about you! No, I just got busy towards the end of the week. Slimy versus hard fat: Well, some fat is hard, like suet, and fat from some places (like just under the skin) is sort of slippery and slimy. The second kind doesn't really contain very much actual fat, and isn't very useful for making tallow. The meat department won't save very much of it for you, either, because it's difficult to cut off. Don't worry about it. It's not bad, just not very useful. How to make soap: Get the following little tome: Soap: Making It, Enjoying It, by Ann Bramson. 1975. Workman Publishing Company, New York. ISBN# 0-911104-57-7. $5.95. I've tried the Castile Soap recipe from this book, and it works beautifully. In fact, I don't buy soap anymore (that bit about homemade soap being caustic is bunk if get the proportions right). It's also the recipe that's most likely to be period. Equipment: POT: Get a dedicated soap-making pot: Stainless steel or cast iron is okay, but I prefer enamel. Make sure there are NO dings or nicks -- the enamel must be perfect (I bought a brand new one at Bradlees (that's Target to you)). If the enamel is chipped, the lye will eat through it. You can't use an aluminum pot for the same reason -- the lye will eat aluminum even faster. ONE-GALLON PLASTIC MILK JUG (with cap): For mixing up the lye. LYE: Use Red Devil brand lye, which is found next to the Drano in your supermarket. It's the only brand I know of that's 100% lye. Drano has other stuff in it, so don't use that. SPOON: Also get a dedicated wooden spoon. The lye really soaks into the wood, so don't think of using it for food afterwards. THERMOMETER: It should be fairly responsive (i.e., not a fever thermometer), and register up to about 110F. MOLD: Ideally, a disposable styrofoam cooler, not too large. 12-15" by 6-8" is fine. Line it with a new garbage bag, trying to minimize the wrinkles. The recipe: CASTILE SOAP: 26 oz. Olive oil 60 oz. Tallow 11 oz. Lye 32 oz. Water NOTE: all of the above amounts are in DRY WEIGHT measure, NOT fluid ounces! A food scale works great. 1: Put some very cold water in your sink. 2: Put the milk jug on the scale, and zero it. Add 32 ounces of water. 3: Measure out 11 oz. of lye onto a piece of sturdy paper. Hold the jug in the sink of cold water, and carefully add the lye. Cap it loosely, and swirl it in the cold water. It will get quite hot. Be careful not to burn yourself, and not to splash lye on you. Rinse immediately if you do. Wear clothes you don't care about. Cool the lye to 95-98 degrees F, making sure it's completely dissolved. 4: Fill the sink with water that's 95-98F. 5: Melt the tallow & olive oil together in your dedicated pot. It will almost certainly shoot over 98F, so cool it in the sink. 6: When the fats are between 95 and 98F, start stirring (leave the pot in the water in the sink). Slowly drizzle in the lye, stirring constantly. When all the lye is in, check the temp. If it isn't between 95 and 98, get it there by adjusting the temp of the sink water. 7: When the soap mixture is the right temp, remove it from the sink, and stir constantly for 1-2 hours (yes, you read that right). It will take longer on a hot day, less on a cool day, but you can bet on at least an hour. Be sure to stir stuff up from the bottom, and out from the middle and corners. Eventually, it will change color, and become whitish. You're getting there. When it traces, it's ready to pour into the mold. By "traces", I mean that when you pick up some of the mixture on the spoon, and pour it out over the surface, it leaves a little trail behind that actually stays there on the surface. Your "Joy of Cooking" has a good definition in the Candymaking section. 8: Pour the mixture into the mold(s). I usually stir it up a little more vigorously right before I pour it, because I've always ended up with a couple of little lye droplets in the middle of the soap cake. Oh well. 9: Cover it up with the styrofoam lid or a folded up blanket to kep the heat in. The reaction is slightly exothermic, and will continue for a couple of days, and will slow after that. Don't even peek for 24 hours. 10: After 48 hours, carefully remove the cake from the mold (if it's too soft to do this, wait another day). Cut it up into bars, and let them cure for 4 weeks. The saponification reaction should be pretty much done by then. Keep track of tha bars that were on the outside of the big block. These will have a white layer of sodium hydroxide of them, which should be trimmed off with a knife and thrown away. Trimming, shaping, and carving can be done any time the consistency seems right, but don't use the stuff before it's aged 4 weeks. Note: Fragrent oils can be stirred in right before pouring into the mold. Do not use anything water based. The lye will destroy it. How to make your own lye (I have not tried this): Pack hardwood ashes in a barrel that has holes drilled in the bottom. Run water through the barrel, catch the water when it runs out the bottom. Stir it up. Put an uncooked egg in it. If it floats, dilute it by adding more water. If it sinks, run the proto-lye through the ashes again to make it more concentrated. Enjoy! Ursula von Moechwald a.k.a. Joyce Miller jmiller at genome.wi.mit.edu From: Jennifer Geard (6/13/94) To: Mark Harris Mail*LinkÆ SMTP RE>Royal Whims Greetings to Stefan li Rous; > Just what is the difference between candle snuffers and candle > extinguishers? I can see them applying to the same thing. The first thing to remember is that you had to trim wicks to keep them burning brightly -- modern wicks are a post-period (I think) invention in which one of the strands of wick is pulled tighter than the other strands when they're plaited together, so that when it burns it pulls the top of the wick into the flame where it is burnt away. Cunning invention, since before it was developed the wicks would just get longer and longer and the flame got floppier and smokier and less efficient. (Have you ever played with the settings on a bunsen burner? It's that sort of principle.) Snuffers are shaped like scissors, and trim the wick. They can also be used to put the candle out. Extinguishers are generally shaped like witches' hats and simply put the candle out. These days you'll often find extinguishers called snuffers, and the phrase "to snuff a candle" means "to put it out" to most people. One of those pieces of trivia... Anyway, how are things going in Texas? Payn -- ==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\==/==\== Jennifer Geard bloodthorn at sloth.equinox.gen.nz Christchurch, New Zealand From: ekenny at gandalf.ca (Erin Kenny GMSI) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle making recipe wanted Date: 8 Dec 1994 10:16:53 -0500 Organization: Gandalf Data Ltd. crouchet at eden.com (james crouchet) writes: >Opus T. Penguin (rhkaloge at mtu.edu) wrote: >: Does anyone have a recipe for candle wax? I remember that it is more >: than just melted parafin, but I can't remember what else. Borox comes >: to mind, don't know why. Any recipe will do - I want to figure out >: how to do it befor I try doing it in period. >Actually, I have a period recipe that is much easier. >Use the following: >Bees' wax >Wick >This will produce a good smelling, long, clean, bright burning candle >that stays reasonably firm without the need to add stiffener. >Remember that modern parafin is produced from oil (as in Texas Tea, black >gold, etc.). It is too soft for candles so you must add stiffener like >poly-styrine or the like or they will wilt at temps over 80F and melt >around 100 (like in your car). Of course, between the parafin and the >plastic you get a flame that is much more orange (not as bright) and much >smokier -- especially if you get too much plastic in it. That's before >adding dye and/or scent... >There may be more additives, formulas, etc. to address some of these >problems (I'm no expert), but why not go with a period recipe when it is so simple and has so many advantages? Parafin is actually very easy to work with, and I have never had to use any additives. HOWEVER, it is made from REFINED oil, and was not used in period. To make period candles, beeswax (mmmm, smells wonderful) and tallow (you know, fat, ick, stinks ) were both used. Beeswax cannot be easily used in moulds because it binds itself to them, but is easily used for dipping or pouring. Tallow is much cheaper, leading to chandlers laws being passed regulating the percentage of a candle which could be tallow. Tallow mixed with beeswax provides a nice happy medium. This makes the candle stronger, and the beeswax disguises the smell of the tallow. Also, buying "wicking" is not necessary. It can be expensive, and I find the metal cored ones silly and annoying. Use fine cotton twine ( not too thick -- it should look like wicks ). What ever you do, don't use a wick based on animal hair (dog fur, wool, human hair) -- it doesn't burn well, and it will make you think that tallow smells good. Colouring and perfumes are of course optional. Claricia (who knows it's hot work, but LOVES the smell of melting wax) From: connect at aol.com (CONNECT) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle making recipe wanted Date: 8 Dec 1994 21:20:30 -0500 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) In article <3c7815$fgp at charm.gandalf.ca>, ekenny at gandalf.ca (Erin Kenny GMSI) writes: >Beeswax cannot be easily used in moulds because it binds itself to them, Not so. I have only made beeswax candles, and I've used both plastic and metal molds. Rosalyn MacGregor of Glen Orchy or Pattie Rayl of Cynnabar From: - Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle making recipe wanted Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 10:31:56 -0600 Organization: Adhesive Media, Inc. On 8 Dec 1994, Erin Kenny GMSI wrote: [...much deleted...] > > Parafin is actually very easy to work with, and I have never had to use > any additives. HOWEVER, it is made from REFINED oil, and was not used in > period. I suppose I can only go on my own experiences. I live in central Texas. I have made parafin candles and they wilted (meaning they bent over to form an upside down U shape) in the sun. Candles left in a shoebox in the top of a closet turned into a puddle. Candles left in a closed car for an hour (while I set up camp) melted all over my feast basket. I tried this a couple of times with the same result. I used Gulf Wax, commonly available in grocery stores here. The only additive was a small amount of dye (the kind that comes in small cubes of wax). I got a book on candlemaking from my local hobby-lobby and discovered stiffener and the problem was solved. YMMV. By the way, some of the stuff sold as "candle wax" of "candle making wax" already has stiffener added. Could this be what you got? Also, if you live in Canada or Minnesota or someplace really cold (like the office I work in) you may not have such problems. Here 85F is considered a comfy temp. Summer days (summer is May thru September) are usually in the mid 90s with 100+ not uncommon. 'Course, I still prefer bees' wax, which makes beautiful dip and molded candles in my kitchen. I have used only flexable rubber molds so far. If you have problems with molds, check the temperature of your wax. You want the bees' wax just a few degrees above melting so it will not melt the mold. If you have problems with the wax solidifying too soon, raise the temperature about 2 degrees F (or 1 degree C) at a time. The wax is, of course, completely reusable. Good luck (and good smelling candles)! +--------------------------------+-------------------------+ | Savian Jerome Dore de Valence | crouchet at eden.com | +--------------------------------+-------------------------+ | Bryn Gwlad, Ansteorra | Austin, Texas | +--------------------------------+-------------------------+ From: sherman at trln.lib.unc.edu (dennis r. sherman) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle making recipe wanted Date: 7 Dec 1994 14:03:45 GMT Organization: Triangle Research Libraries Network Greetings to the Rialto from Robyyan. Angus (rhkaloge at mtu.edu (Opus T. Penguin)) writes: >Does anyone have a recipe for candle wax? I remember that it is more >than just melted parafin, but I can't remember what else. Borox comes >to mind, don't know why. Any recipe will do - I want to figure out >how to do it befor I try doing it in period. Plain, simple paraffin will work just fine for modern candlemaking. The "borox" you're thinking of is probably the pickling solution of boric acid often used on modern candle wicks -- but plain cotton string of an appropriate diameter for the size candle you're making will work. Or if you're doing moden candles anyway, head down to a craft store and buy braided candle wicking. You might also be thinking of the chemical wax hardeners sometimes added to candle wax to make them last longer. Again, not necessary, but if you want to use it, ask at the craft store. When you're ready to try historical methods, you'll want to use beeswax if you're making rich people's candles, tallow if not. (Tallow is purified animal fat -- best is from mutton, next is cow or ox. *Don't* use lard!) And if you want to be entirely correct, use a wick of twisted cotton. Braided candle wicks weren't invented until 1827. For more than you probably want to know about candles, candlesticks, lamps, lanterns, and lighting in general, see the Compleat Anachronist from July '93 (I don't recall the number, sorry) on exactly that topic. If you're seriously interested in lighting, the bibliography alone is worth it. Disclaimer: I'm prejudiced, I wrote it... :-) -- Robyyan Torr d'Elandris Kapellenberg, Windmaster's Hill Atlantia Dennis R. Sherman Triangle Research Libraries Network dennis_sherman at unc.edu Univ. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill From: connect at aol.com (CONNECT) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle making recipe wanted Date: 11 Dec 1994 23:20:25 -0500 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Bob.Upson at f333.n142.z1.fidonet.org (Bob Upson) writes: >>Bees' wax >>Wick >Nice if you can get it... Too, damn expensive for me... :( Another not so: I get beeswax for $2.50/pound directly from a bee keeper here in Ann Arbor. He's already melted and formed it into chunks for me too, so all I have to do is melt it. You can make quite a number of candles from just a relatively small amount of beeswax. Rosalyn MacGregor of Glen Orchy Pattie Rayl of Cynnabar Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: reply to candle making r From: david.razler at compudata.com (David Razler) Date: Sun, 11 Dec 1994 01:23:00 -0500 Organization: Compu-Data BBS -=- Turnersville, NJ -=- 609-232-1245 Aleksandr the Traveller sends greetings to Lord Ruedy MacChristian, whose e-mail address is too long for WaveRider: M'Lord: This morning we lit the period tallow/beeswax time candle you sold me two wars ago. Despite the tallow, the aroma was of honey and a delightful addition to my table at our Mistletoe Revel. Also, despite hours of burning, it seems I still have a time candle. The Pringle's Can size is not just dramatic, it seems to act more like a one-notch-per-day candle than a one-notch-per-hour. I am absolutely NOT complaining. Aleksandr [david.razler at compudata.com] From: curt.owings-christian at syncomm.com (CURT OWINGS-CHRISTIAN) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: reply to candle making recipe wanted Date: Fri, 09 Dec 94 01:35:00 -0400 Organization: Synergy Online, Parsippany, NJ (201) 331-1797 Angus This is Ruedy MacChristian from MAGICANDLE(an expert). I believe that the recipe that you want is 67% paraffin to 33% stearic acid. Or 2/3 by weight paraffin to 1/3 by weight of stearic acid. Stearic acid is chemically reduced animal fat. It can be purchesed in any craft shop that sells candlemaking supplies. I believe we are the cheapest arround. $2.00 a pound plus shipping. email me at curt.owings-christian at syncomm.com if you are interested. The borax was used to treat the wick. DO NOT just use cotton sting it smokes!!!!!! I can provide you with a method of making your own wicks. I also have information about period candles and period candlemaking. Savian Poly-styrine is currently being investigated because when it is burned it seams to give off carcinogens. Be careful. A much easier meathod of cleaning beeswax comb is to boil it in water. When it is all mealted strain it out with a metal strainer to remove the dead bees and other large durbis. Let it boil in the water for 15 minutes. Turn it off and let it troughly harden. Remove it from the pan and scrape the junk off the top and bottom of your cake. Running it under hot water will soften it up for eaiser removal. Boil it in water again for 15 minutes and repeat the above steps. I have a pamplet about period candlemaking for those who are interested. History, beeswax and tallow are included. Send your request via email. Robyyan Although plain cotton string is closer to period than the candle wick there are problems that develope. It usually smokes and needed to be snuffed(trimmed so that the flame does not get too large). The wax hardeners like stearic acid ARE needed if you do not want your candle to melt. I disagree that mutton tallow is the best. I maintain that beef is better. Although sheep tallow is slightly harder it has a slight smell to it whereas beef(If properly processed) does not. The Complete Anachronist of July 93 only had one and a half pages on the how to of candlemaking. It was more a scolarly work than an instruction manual. I have also a phamplet about basic candlemaking if any are interested. It is a how to manual. I would like to get in touch with you though so we can discuss the translations of the waxchandlers charters of England. REMEMBER people this is my mundane job. I am a candlemaker in mundania. I have only completed one quarter of my research project but I have plenty of information. Lord Ruedy MacChristian Magicandle P.O. Box 5904 Parsippany, NJ 07054-6904 (201)887-1779 From: cipherjock at aol.com (CipherJock) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: CRAFT: Re: Candle making recipe wanted Date: 12 Dec 1994 16:40:27 -0500 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) In article , steve.mercer at network.com (Steve E. Mercer) writes: I also like making candles with the canning paraffin - but I add a Tbs of fried bacon grease per cup of wax. Wonderful smell and looks period !!! Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle making recipe From: david.razler at compudata.com (David Razler) Date: Wed, 14 Dec 1994 01:13:00 -0500 Organization: Compu-Data BBS -=- Turnersville, NJ -=- 609-232-1245 C >In article , C >Bob.Upson at f333.n142.z1.fidonet.org (Bob Upson) writes: >>Bees' wax >>Wick >Nice if you can get it... Too, damn expensive for me... :( C >Another not so: I get beeswax for $2.50/pound directly from a bee keeper C >here in Ann Arbor. He's already melted and formed it into chunks for me C >too, so all I have to do is melt it. You can make quite a number of C >candles from just a relatively small amount of beeswax. C >Rosalyn MacGregor of Glen Orchy C >Pattie Rayl of Cynnabar I agree wholeheartedly with Lady Rosalyn. There are plenty of beekeepers out there (check under "honey" in your phone book if it doesn't list beekeepers) and will generally not only sell you beeswax at the price they charge any other person who comes to their yard, but will also sell you fine honey at prices much cheaper than Golden Blossom(tm) and often better, because they can offer it by the kind of flower the nectar came from. And yes, blueberry honey tastes different from orange blossom honey or clover honey. Pick your favorite. Aleksandr the Traveller [david.razler at compudata.com] From: lorina.stephens at ambassador.com (Lorina Stephens) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: candles Date: Tue, 13 Dec 1994 11:56:49 GMT Organization: AMBASSADOR BOARD (519) 925-2642 V.32 Sorry to disagree with you about beeswax and moulds. I deal with a very reputable, award winning bee keeper who makes the most exquisite candles. He uses a mould all the time for some of this candles. Simply uses olive oil or some for of vegetable oil for a resist. No problem. He does the same thing to make cakes of wax by using a plain ordinary muffin tin coated with PAM. Leonora daLiliaceae Subject: Re: Candle making recipe Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: kwilliam at kbbs.com Date: Sat, 24 Dec 94 16:40:46 EST Organization: KBBS - Internet & Files via Satellite *Can you recommend a source for tallow? Just go to your local supermarket butcher department and ask them for some beef fat, preferably from the area around the kidneys of the cow. You might get some strange looks, and a question about what you're going to do, but hey, education is what we're all about, right? :) I once asked my local supermarket for a pound of suet (different stuff). The butcher's apprentice had to ask his supervisor what I was talking about....ah, the days of home-made plum pudding are rare indeed. They gave me a hand-cut piece of suet trimmings, wrapped and everything, for free as they considered it offal. ciorstan macAmhlaidh, CHA, AoA Barony of Lyondemere Kingdom of Caid From: kwilliam at kbbs.com (1/3/95) To: markh at sphinx RE>Candle making recipe Actually, my experiences with tallow and sources thereof are in regards to soapmaking rather than candlemaking. Tallow is an essential part of a soapmaker's work as well. I can refer you to two books on finding tallow and preparing it, however since these are soapmaker's references rather than candler's, they're going to lead you to a specific area then leave you dangling, so to speak. Soap, making it, enjoying it; Ann Bramson ISBN 0-911104-57-7, Workman Publishing Company. The Art of Soapmaking, Merilyn Mohr; ISBN 0-920656-03 X The second book goes into far more detail. Tallow is rendered beef fat, lard is pork fat. Sheep fat, according to Mohr, makes a brittle product so tallow is preferred over the other two. Tallow has to be rendered before use either for soap or candles, which means it's melted and purified by straining. Both books give detailed instructions on rendering your own tallow. Your're on your own from there.... :) I've never made candles other than with paraffin and beeswax. I've always read that tallow-dips are smoky and usually a tad smelly-- hence the preference for expensive (in period beeswax was a scarcer source than tallow) wax. Paraffin is a petroleum by-product and hence is definitely OOP. I certainly hope this helps! I live in West Los Angeles, so I got quite a strange look when I asked for suet that one time! ciorstan ====================================================================== From: ejcampbe at unity.ncsu.edu (Eric Jon Campbell) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candlemaking and such Date: 8 Feb 1995 20:29:11 GMT Organization: College of Textiles, North Carolina State University In article <3halsh$fn4 at newsbf02.news.aol.com>, connect at aol.com (CONNECT) writes: |>Brigit Kaitlyn of Kells (Kelly Nunn) asks about buying beeswax. |> |>Do yourself a big favor and buy it directly from any beekeepers you may |>have in your area. (Buying it from candle suppliers is pretty expensive.) |> AGREED on the buying it from the aviaries ok from my modest knowledge on candlemaking there are three basic components to period candlemaking *a "rake" to hang the candle wicks off of I have seen a period(not a refab) versiono which was a large hoop that hung from the ceiling. The wicks were hung off of dowels that protruded radially from the hoop. *A dippper that enabled the chandler to pour the wax or tallow over the threads *a large wax melting pan Very wide about four feet across this vaguely resembles a VERY large wok. the heated wax was kept in this The dip method that everyone is familiar with is VERY inefficient since one would need to have several gallons of wax heated in a pot and the chandler would not be able to use all of the wax The wicks on the hoop successively have wa poured over them creating layer after layer The drippings are caught by the pan (the hoop nees to be a little narrower than the pan) when As the candles are rotated around they are allowed to cool so by the time the chandler has done all of the other candles the candles the wax on the candles that have done a full rotation are hard enough to accept another layer DANGER : THIS MUST BE DONE IN A WELL VENTILATED PLACE OR YOU MAY GET A FIRE OR EXPLOSION FROM GAS BUILDUP a double boiler usually keeps the wax from getting way too hot I hope this has been some help please check out our mosaic page at http://www2.ncsu.edu/eos/users/s/sfcallic/Library.html or email me at ejcampbe at eos.ncsu.edu if you have any questions within a month there will be a more informative page on this In Service Xavier From: CAR at ECL.PSU.EDU (Claire A Rutiser) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: candle making Date: 9 Feb 1995 01:11:02 GMT Organization: Penn State Engineering Computer Lab I have two comments on the recent candle-making discussions. 1) To get a _really_ cheap source of wax, save up the stubs of your old candles. Get your friends to do this too. These can all be recycled, and you get a lot of interesting colors. Don't worry about the wicks or any other debris present- it will end up at the bottom (see part 2) Yes, beeswax is nicer, but free wax is good enough for me. 2) Wax floats on water. You can dip candles using just a pound or so of wax, and you don't need to look for a tall and skinny vessel and a double boiler setup. Just get a big enameled canning pot (20+ quarts?) fill it up with water most of the way, and put the wax in when it starts to get warm. You can put almost 100% of the wax onto you candles. Safetly Info: 1) run the exhaust fan on your stovetop, wax fumes are not good to breathe. 2) don't cook in the wax pot. -Ragnhild the monier shire of Nithgaard, Aethelmearc, kingdom of the east CAR at ecl.psu.edu Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: aw504 at FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Peter Thorn) Subject: Re: Candle wicks Organization: The National Capital FreeNet Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 01:46:30 GMT In a previous posting, Opus T. Penguin (rhkaloge at mtu.edu) writes: > I thought I was almost ready to make my first attempt at candle > making this weekend when I noticed something - I forgot a wick. > Can anyone recomend something that makes a good wick, or how to > make one? Right now, I'm not to worried about it being period, > I just want to get off the ground here. If you are not concerned about "period" wicks then you should be able to purchase candlewicking at any craft store. It's essentially a wire (of magnesium, I believe) in a woven cotton cover. I have found that store-bought candlewicking works best when waxed. The end that sticks out of the candle doesn't seem to burn properly unless it is waxed. Unfortunately, I cannot suggest any period wick materials. I suppose rushes (you know, like for rush-lights) might be one possibility, but I really don't know. -- CAVEAT LECTOR ******************************** NEMO NISI FORTIS SUPEREST Peter Thorn, The OwlsBurrow aw504 at freenet.carleton.ca From: zarquon at cutlass.pgh.pa.us (Michael Greenstein) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle wicks Date: 7 Apr 1995 06:50:41 GMT Organization: Pittsburgh Community Network Opus T. Penguin (rhkaloge at mtu.edu) wrote: : I thought I was almost ready to make my first attempt at candle : making this weekend when I noticed something - I forgot a wick. : Can anyone recomend something that makes a good wick, or how to : make one? Right now, I'm not to worried about it being period, : I just want to get off the ground here. Try unravelling pure cotton string until you have only a few strands to a bundle, and braiding three bundles together. The tighter the braid, the slower your candle will burn. There is a way to improve your wick by treating it with a solution of salt and borax, and sealing the result in hard wax before pouring the candle, but for the details you would probably better served to either contact the Chandlers Guild directly, or do a little basic research. - Michael Lackbitter Barony Marche of the Debatable Lands (for now) Principality of Aethelmearc From: hallock at banyan.com (Sue Hallock) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Candle wicks Date: Fri, 14 Apr 1995 13:21:47 Organization: Banyan Systems Inc. aw504 at FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Peter Thorn) writes: >If you are not concerned about "period" wicks then you should be able to >purchase candlewicking at any craft store. It's essentially a wire (of >magnesium, I believe) in a woven cotton cover. You can also buy commercial wicks without the metal core. They burn slightly faster and if you are making poured candles (as opposed to dipped) you need to weight the end of the wick with something so that it the wick is straight. Modern wicks (should be able to get them at any large craft store) are pretty much the same as period wicks. They are made of braided cotton threads -- only difference is la machine made these. ---------------------------------------------------- Sue Hallock, Tech Writer, Banyan Systems email: hallock at banyan.com From: mwolfe at nwlink.COM (Michael Wolfe) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: RE: Candlemaking... Date: 26 Sep 1995 14:37:12 -0400 Organization: The Internet Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 00:47:58 GMT From: Rhianwen Organization: The Computer Den, Inc. Evanston WY Subject: Candlemaking... I've recently found a local supplier of raw beeswax, and am having great success making molded, honey-scented candles. I would, however like to try making hand-dipped tapers, but have no idea what kind of equipment, etc. I'd need, or how to make them. Could someone please help me out? Thank you! Rhianwen Morgaine ferch Aelhaearn Principality of Artemisia Kingdom of Atenveldt Greetings from Rauthulfr; In Madrone there is a company who has everything a person needs to hand-dip candles. (Actually the only thing you will HAVE to buy since you have the wax is square brade wick.) Pourette 1418 NW 53rd. ST Seattle, WA 98107 1 (800) 888-WICK There are three considerations in hand dipping. The size of the candles you intend to make will determine the size of the wax you will use. The temperature of the wax you will be dipping at. And the amount of time you leave the candles in the wax, as well as time hanging between dipping. (If the candle is dipped too often or left in the wax too long, it will begin to melt rather than build up!) The temperature to shoot for is about 150-160 F. The equipment needed is: A large pot with water (a double boiler will work) A small pot with wax in it which is warmed in the large pot with water Square braided wick. this is the stuff which looks like string, it is not the wick with the lead which is used for molded candles. a hanger to hang the candles as they cool a surface to roll the candles on to shape them during the dripping process. Dip the wick first to load it with wax, then straighten it and hang it to dry. A good way to do this is to bend clothes hanger into a "U" shape and hang an equal amount of wick down either side. This will let you dip two candles at once. Allow the candles to hang long enough begin to harden. After a while some long really flexible candles will begin to form. periodically place them on a hard flat surface and roll them with the flat of your hands to help shape them. If you give the folks at Pourette a call they have good directions on the process, if you cannot find them at a craft-shop near home. (Rauthulfr Runameistari) [insert really catchy tag-line here] Canton of Wyebridge, Barony of Madrone, Kingdom of An Tir From: david_key at vnet.ibm.com (Dave Key) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: History of Candlemaking Date: 13 Sep 1996 07:51:57 GMT Organization: IBM UK Laboratories Ltd. In <199609130555.PAA28612 at avalon>, splaing at mr.qld.GOV.AU (S Laing) writes: >I am attempting to obtain a book/books on the subject of the History of >Candlemaking (esp. molded candles) for a friend's Christmas gift. Can't really help much ... but there is an English Law (Henry VI I think) which deals with deceipts in the manufacturing of wax candles & figures ... so they do appear to have been fairly popular as religious items in c15th England. Cheers, Dave From: shermand at mindspring.com (Dennis R. Sherman) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: History of Candlemaking Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 00:59:47 GMT Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Marion FoxPaws wrote: >I am attempting to obtain a book/books on the subject of the History of >Candlemaking (esp. molded candles) for a friend's Christmas gift. >Would anyone be able to advise me on available titles (including Author & ISBN)? Sure. As of about two years ago, when I wrote a Compleat Anachronist about lighting, lamps, lanterns, candles, and candleholders, there were no books on the history of candlemaking. Many books about candlemaking have a few paragraphs of history, but no more. There is a four volume history of one of the London candlemaking guilds (there's two -- one for wax candles, one for tallow candles), but that probably isn't what you want, and I doubt you could find if for sale. I'm not flexing my ego here, but your best bet might well be to order the Compleat Anachronist. At the very least, you'll find a lengthy bibliography which might give you more ideas. Just be warned that few of the sources I used are currently in print. There's a candlemaker who is sometimes here on the Rialto, who might have other suggestions. Ruedy MacChristian -- if you're here, speak up! Robyyan Torr d'Elandris Dennis R. Sherman Kapellenberg, Windmaster's Hill, Atlantia Chapel Hill, NC robyyan at mindspring.com dennis.sherman at mindspring.com http://www.unc.edu/~sherman/robyyan.html http://www.unc.edu/~sherman/ From: mark Hendershott Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Tallow Candles Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 15:39:54 -0800 Organization: Oregon Public Networking Tristan Meisters wrote: > Hello All! I am not really too sure if this is an apropriate question for > this forum but I will give it a try anyway . I have read that it has only > been in the last century that wax candles have been widely used so I > thought that this question may be of some interest to this forum . I have > a fair amount of beef and pork fat in my freezer (from the fall > butchering), and I wanted to put it to use , so I thought that I might > make so tallow candles . However , I can not find any instructions on > doing this anywhere . Do you just have to melt it down in the oven and > then pour it into your dishes , or is there more to it than that ? Also , > does one add anything to the fat , or is it just straight fat ? Any > instruction in this area would be most appreciated . Thanks in advance . > > cheers Tristan > -- > Tristan Meisters > Email rmeister at MTS.Net Tallow reportedly STINKS. Beeswax was an important part of our trade as in the Hansa. Mostly out of Russia and Eastern Europe to the West. I believe it went mostly, if not exclusively to the church and upperclass. The poor folks used tallow, oil or went to bed early. Simon von der Eisenhandlung From: mdskamaya at aol.com (MDSKAMAYA) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Tallow Candles Date: 23 Dec 1996 18:20:00 GMT Well Tristan, you hit the nail on the head. Rendering fat into tallow is a nasty smelly job, but rather easy. First it helps if the fat is ground. This will make the fat melt down quicker. Put the fat into a large pot and melt slowly over a low heat. As the fat melts, the little bits of meat, and tissue will cook and become visible. Once all the fat has been reduced and simmered, pour through a fine strainer to collect all the bits of meat. Put the melted fat into an open container and allow to cool in the refrigirator for a day or so. As the tallow sets up water will seperate out, and you will be left with a flat piece of tallow floating on a layer of water. This block of tallow can be broken ip and re-melted to make candels. I would suggest using beef fat, as pork makes a softer tallow. Tallow candles actualy burn rather poorly. They are smoky and messy. Bees wax or other additives can be included to improve the burn time and cut down on the smoke. Good Luck - Marcus From: Andrew Tye Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Tallow Candles Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 16:33:07 -0800 Organization: Oregon Public Networking On Mon, 23 Dec 1996, Tristan Meisters wrote: > I thought that I might make so tallow candles . However , I can not find > any instructions on doing this anywhere . Do you just have to melt it > down in the oven and then pour it into your dishes , or is there more to > it than that ? Also, does one add anything to the fat , or is it just > straight fat ? Any instruction in this area would be most appreciated . Ivar here. The best capsule history & how-to I have found in regard to pre-industrial lighting is an article in "The Book of Buckskinnig IV" published by Muzzleloader Magazine. (These books are compliations of how-to articles from said magazine. I have found them carried by Tandy Leather and most black powder bookstore/sutlers.) Unfortunately, my copy is currently loaned out so I cannot give you the author or provenance. However, I can say I found the article pretty thourough for fourty illustrated pages. It covers rushlights, mediterranean clay oil lamps, grease lights, candles, (both dipped & cast - using tallow, beeswax, bayberry wax, & parafin wax), twisted & braided wicks, additives, and much more about lamp improvements in the 19th C. What I have found it most useful for is making candles. The author provides good information on techniques, temperatures, and benefits & disadvantages of different fats, waxes, & methods. Using it, I've experimented with several methods and eventually settled on casting a 50/40/10 beeswax/parafin/steric acid (tallow derivitive) 6" candle. When aged at least 6 months, these will burn for about 10 hours. Making candles has become my standard winter evening activity. I hope this is of some use. Ivar Hakonarson Adiantum, An Tir. From: david.razler at worldnet.att.net (David M. Razler) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Tallow Candles Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 01:08:49 GMT Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services mark Hendershott wrote: | Tallow reportedly STINKS. Beeswax was an important part of our trade as | in the Hansa. Mostly out of Russia and Eastern Europe to the West. I | believe it went mostly, if not exclusively to the church and | upperclass. The poor folks used tallow, oil or went to bed early. I know that tallow candles *reportedly* stink. But I also know that a mixture of 50-50 raw beeswax and tallow makes a wonderful candle that smells like honey and burns slowly and has only one minor problem. I have a three-year-old reproduction period time candle (made for me by the good folks of Magicandle during their first Pennsic) of those materials. It is an awful time candle, in that while marked in hours, it would be more appropriately marked in days. But it is a delight to break out and burn at an event. The minor problem is my fear of tallow, or more accurately, tallow turned rancid. The candle may have only lasted this long because I keep it refrigerated when not in use. On beeswax: purified beeswax is light yellow and, while still sticky and easy to work, bears no scent or flavor remenicent of its origin. Crude beeswax, dark gold in color, still contains sufficient propilisis to make it smell wonderful when used in a candle. I suspect that all traces of honey are washed away during production. On animal fat with paraffin: I once purchased some inexpensive imported scented candles which burned with a rank odor - turns out they were made of this mixture. I have no idea how old they were when purchased. dmr David M. Razler david.razler at worldnet.att.net From: William Osterheim Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Tallow Candles Date: 25 Dec 1996 11:39:39 GMT Beef tallow is supposed to work well, but stay away from the pork! It is much too soft and smells bad when burned. Sheep is supposed to be best. There is a small booklet callec "Makin' Candles" sold by Jas. Towsend & Son, INc. 133 North First Street PO Box 415 Pierceton, IN 46562 (219) 594-5852 It is a small book, but with the information you should need. They also have a few other things good for our period, such as horn combs and some feast gear, though they are mostlygeared toward 1700-1800s era. Polydore Pike From: Tim Beck Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: medieval candles--?? Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1997 06:21:59 GMT > And I have a candle mold that does not come apart. It makes four tapered > candles at a time, arranged 2 x 2. My mother has a similar mold, that > makes eight candles at a time, arranged 2 x 4. In both cases, the molds ------------------snip----------------- A good single shot mold is a Pringle's (R) can. You make a nice big candle once or twice (if you buy two cans) and you don't have the investment factor that you have with a mold. Another thought, soapstone would be nice to experiment with for molds but it runs about $2./lb and you would need about 10lbs. Timothy From: Katherine Penney Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: medieval candles--?? Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1997 13:40:21 -0800 Tim Beck wrote: > A good single shot mold is a Pringle's (R) can. You make a nice big candle >once or twice (if you buy two cans) and you don't have the investment factor >that you have with a mold. Another thought, soapstone would be nice to >experiment with for molds but it runs about $2./lb and tou would need about >10lbs. > > Timothy Shhh! That's a secret!!! I've also used the PLASTIC frozen orange juice containers, they have a neat bezel on the top... Constance From: tigranes at aol.com (Tigranes) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: medieval candles--?? Date: 4 Feb 1997 03:08:54 GMT Greetings, One of the best articles on period lighting is in the Book of Buckskinning IV, "Lighting the Primitive Camp" by George D. Glenn. It has info on oil and grease lamps, and candles and candlemaking. Excellent source sited. I have a tin mold, and use it often. I use 100% beeswax and I have a devil of a time getting these buggers out. I talked to a beekeeper about it and she told me it's a common problem with beeswax. Her recommendation: clean the mold thoroughly with mineral spirits (paint thinner) then lube with a little dishwashing liquid before pouring your wax. I use a 20 gauge shotgun cleaning wad to clean the mold chambers, and lemon Joy to lube. This has worked for me. Wicks in period were made of twisted fibers, whereas today's wicks are braided. Modern wick need much less attention while burning. Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 17:57:23 -0400 From: renfrow at skylands.net (Cindy Renfrow) Subject: SC - tallow candles - OT >From Plat's Delights for Ladies, 1609: 39. A Delicate Candle for a Ladies Table. Cause your duch Candles to bee dipped in Virgin wax, so as their last coat may bee meerly wax: and by this meanes you may carry them in your hand without melting, and the sent of the tallow will not break thorow to giue offence: but if you would haue them to resemble yellow wax-candles, then first let the tallow be coloured with Turmerick boyled therein, and strained: and after your Candles haue beene dipped therein to a sufficient greatnesse, let them take their last coat from yellow wax: this may be done in a great round Cane of tinplate, hauing a bottome, and being somewhat deeper than the length of your candles: and as the waxe spendeth, you may still supply it with more. Cindy/Sincgiefu renfrow at skylands.net Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 18:04:07 -0400 From: rmhowe To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re: period candle making Wax Unrefined - - - $5.00 / pound, ($4.00 / pound, over 3 pounds) Refined - - - $5.50 / pound, ($4.25 / pound, over 3 pounds) To place an order or ask questions, write us at cstlmark at fred.net or call us toll free at (888) 335-6464 http://www.Castlemark-Honey.com/Prices.html ............. Off their webpage. Magnus, unassociated in anyway with this business. Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 20:40:07 -0500 From: Jeane Watson To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re: period candle making Kristi Kelly wrote: > I am looking for period candle making tips. We have a copy of the > Creative Anacronist, but we wonder if anyone has any tips for us? > > Also, if anyone has a good source for beeswax? > > Elspeth of Wye If you live in the US, a very good source for beeswax is through the your local Agricultural Extension Office (look in the yellow pages under city/county government). If not in the US, there is probably some organization that is similar. The Ag Exchange office keeps a list of local beekeepers because local farmers request them all the time. They should have many people for you to contact. Another good source is through a local university that has an Agriculture College. Most likely the school will have beehives and oftentimes will sell off the wax (usually uncleaned) for little or no cost. I was lucky to find a beekeeper who was very friendly and wanted to share much information about the beekeeping trade and even let me "suit-up" and tour his hives. He kept his hives most for farmer utility and honey and didn't want to mess with the wax cleaning. So he sold his wax dirt cheap. You will find that beeswax prices will vary upon the color, and whether or not it is cleaned. I found beeswax locally for around $1.50 - $2.00 per pound uncleaned. The cost for pre-cleaned was about $2.50-3.50 per pound. Keep in mind that hives are only cleaned certain times of the year usually. So don't be too disappointed if you have to wait a little while. If economics are a concern, purchase the unclean beeswax and clean it yourself. It can be a little messy, but is very easy. Make sure you have some newsprint on your countertops and a dropcloth on the floor because you will "drip". The best way to clean beeswax is to melt the beeswax in small amounts over a double boiler (do not place your pot directly on the heat as beeswax is more sensitive to heat). To heat the wax, I use an old coffee can or pot that I do not plan to use for cooking. Strain the wax in stages. The first stage is to strain the wax through a wire mesh colinder to remove any large bee body parts (and there will be many). Second, reheat the wax and strain through the wire mesh lined with several layers of cheesecloth. After the second straining your wax should look pretty good. If it still looks a little gritty, reheat the wax and strain a third time. If you do not plan to make your candles right away, you can pour the clean wax into to cake pans, pie pans, or bread pans lined with clear plastic wrap. Allow to cool completely overnight or several hours. Once cooled, you can remove your "blocks" and store in a cool dry place. The wax is very fragrant, so I like to store my wax in the pantry. I will allow others to instruct on period techniques in candlemaking as I am not well versed in this area. To make candles for myself, I basically use the methods in modern candlemaking books. THL Constanza C.X. de Valencia Kingdom of Meridies/Shire Glaedenfeld Nashville, TN Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 10:37:38 -0500 From: "I. Marc Carlson" To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re: period candle making <"Gina L. Hill" > >Please do let us all know how this turns out! I have read *not good* >things about tallow candles...drip terribly, smell, melt very easily, >and so on...so'll I'll be curious to know how it goes. Good luck! Some of the problems with them are cleared up if you make the candle in something, like a cup. As for the smell and the smoking, that's just the price they payed for burning tallow :) Marc/Diarmaid Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 00:17:23 +0200 From: Christer.Romson at abc.se (Pia Romson) To: SCA-ARTS at UKANS.EDU Subject: Re: period candle making >Gabrielle of Long-windedness wrote:reetings, >---Basically you just roll the wax around the wick. > I know peopel who dip their own candles but I think they're nuts and it >seems to require a lot of stuff -- With all due respect, my Lady, if your going to roll wax-candles you can as well buy modern white candles as they look much more period. The normal candle used by the burgeois was a white candle made of sheep- (or some other animal I suppose) tallow. The dipped wax-candles was as I understand very expensive and was used almost only by the church. The peasants had no candles at all, they used tar-sticks. Sheets of beeswax is a totaly modern thing. And it's not that hard dipping your own candles. See my other article for instructions and try it with candle-grease first. And yes, tallow-candles -do- drip a bit but not that much more than a wax-candle. Ylva Ersdotter/Nordmark Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 14:43:21 -0500 From: "I. Marc Carlson" To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re:Tallow making??? <"Gina L. Hill" > >Can you possibly tell us how to arrive at tallow, as and end product? >I presume that one must render the animal fat or lard in usual manner... >by boiling in water, etc....much as one would for a confit of goose/duck/pork, >or what have you...but, is there some special "other step" involved?? >If not, don't you really just wind up with rendered lard? >I'm curious...I may wish to try this at sometime. >Perhaps you know of some reference material? Any help would be >appreciated. When I render tallow, I first boil the fat for an undetermined period of time (usually until the odor changes). Strain out the solid bits. Let it settle and solidify. Once it's cooled (I've been known to refrigerate it to keep it hard enough for this), I pop out the tallow, scrape the gray/ brown junk from the bottom side. Change out the water, toss in the tallow again, and reboil it again, repeating it as long as it takes to get all the water-soluable fats and crap to dissolve out of the tallow (*USUALLY* three boilings does it for me). When it's done, pack it in a jar. Properly rendered beef fat looks like solid milk, and won't go rancid (although it will be a bit smelly for those who are sensitive to such things - hence, my wife prefers me to keep the stuff refrigerated). Some people tell me that you should boil a bit of rosemary into the tallow as you are rendering it to keep it from going bad, but I have never found this necessary. Tallow can be used for candles, soap-making, lubricating small tool parts, stuffing leather to make it water resistant, cooking, and so on. Small note. When boiling the stuff, don't turn your back on it. It can boil over with little (although sufficient if you aren't being a careless twit) warning and set fire to your stove... (been there, done that :) ) Marc/Diarmaid Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 18:19:37 +0000 From: Karen at stierbach.atlantia.sca.org (Larsdatter, Karen ) To: rmhowe , sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re: period candle making Magnus writes: > Everything I have ever read suggests that overheated wax is > somewhat explosive. Imagine having hot globs stuck to your skin. Use > a double boiler, or low heat it under a lamp in a bowl, and roll it > flat then roll it around your wick. Yes, candles can be made that > way. And it doesn't look modern. I used to pack molds for rtv > castings with wax heated under a 100 volt lamp. It will heat the wax > fairly quickly. The difference here is that you are not building up > hot gases _under the wax_. Don't ever heat in a plain pan for this > reason. The setup I've been happiest with for home candle-dipping (this is with just beeswax, no tallow): tall metal pitcher, in which the wax is placed. Special wax thermometer, which tells me when it's the right temperature for dipping candles as opposed to pouring the wax for molds. (The temperature ought to be a bit lower for dipping than for pouring.) The thermometer attaches via a clip to the inside of the pitcher; it doesn't touch the side, and just goes into the wax enough that the tip is submerged. Entire rig placed inside a big pot of water, which is heated on the stove. Not so much water that the wax-pitcher will float, but not so little that it'll all just boil off. > I am not sure what you would lubricate your poured molds with. > I do know that those folks who make clay pipes use banana oil. > Nothing else seems to work for the authors I've read. I am under the > impression that molds were rather late or after period, at least the > ones that are made of tin and poured, but whatever works for you. The earliest candle-molds were wooden; from what I've read, they were invented in France in the 15th century. > All the primitive demos I have seen have the wicks being dipped into > melted wax. Then redipped after they cool. Usually done with a > number of wicks on a stick at once. I prefer to do mine one-at-a-time (but then and again, it'd be hard to put a whole lot of wicks inside the wax pitcher at the same time). Because I do the wicks folded in half (so as to get two candles connected by the wick), I can then hang them on a rod to cool between dippings. Hmm ... maybe I'll suggest that we do a candle-dipping night at one of the upcoming Needlework Nights ... it's so lovely when the house smells like beeswax! :) Karen Larsdatter Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 22:24:01 -0500 From: "Malcolm Hostetler" To: Subject: Re: period candle making I'm generally a lurker but since your talking about my favorite subject I'll jump in. I've listed below some of the source material on period candle making I've read and used in A&S competitions and can describe some of the processes I've experimented with for making wax and tallow candles. Let me apologize for the length in advance, sorry. Also if anybody is interested in alternative lighting to candles and lamps email me and I'll go through some of the experiments I've done along that direction. M. Ilin “Turning night into day, the story of lighting”, Philadelphia J. B. Lippincott Company, London, 1936. Joseph F. Butler “Candleholders in America 1650-1900, A comprehensive collection of American and European Candle Fixtures used in America”, Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, 1967 Donald M. Bailey “Greek and Roman Pottery Lamps”, The Trustees of the British Museum, 1963 F. W. Robins “The story of the lamp (and the candle)”, Oxford University Press, London New York Toronto, 1939. Dennis R. Sherman “Domestic Lighting: Candles, Lamps, and Torches in History”, The Complot Anachronist #68, Society for Creative Anachronism, July, 1993. If you can find a copy of the "The story of the lamp..." I recommend it highly. I've not had great luck finding extant source material so I'm always asking for more if somebody knows of any please please please let me know. Beeswax Candles: Basically beeswax was to sticky to mold and to expensive to dip. While we can get good quality beeswax fairly cheap in large quantity today no such period resource existed, particularly in early period. Pure wax candles were definitely reserved for high nobility and prominent church functions. More common was a mix of wax and tallow. There is still a church edict, I believe passed in the late 1300's, in force mandating the percentage of beeswax on certain church alters and holidays. Molded candles originated somewhere in France in the late 1400's and even then were used almost exclusively for tallow. The most common method, which is still used today, of making beeswax candles is pouring. In essence you have a copper melting/catch pan at the edge of a large raised vertical wheel on which your wicks are hung (see diagram below). The wicks were predipped, straightened, and hung on the wheel with loops on both ends of the wick. As you turn the wheel the wicks pass over the copper pan and can be flipped (this makes an even thickness instead of the tapering you get with dipped candles) and then wax is ladled over it. By the time it comes around again the wax is sufficiently hardened to flip and pour again. I've tried this process many times and while initially tricky it does work quite well. I use extra large/wide popcorn bins in a double boiler configuration with a simple wooden hanging stand/brace over the top and a portable electric burner (carefully marked so I know what temp I want) underneath. With only a pound of wax and some careful pouring I can easily make a candle 14 -16 inches tall. With several pounds of wax I can make a whole row of them. Side View _________ - wheel candle - [ | pan - (___) | Tallow Candles: I've also done several experiments with tallow so please allow me to debunk some myths. First, rendered tallow does not stink. In fact it's nearly odorless, even after being left out in the open for a long time. The stench most people associate with tallow is the unrendered kind (i.e. the rotting meat fat in the bowl waiting to become tallow). I have some rendered tallow I made for an A&S entry last year that's been sitting out in my kitchen since then and it smells just fine, if at all. Second, it only smokes so much if you aren't trimming the wick properly. Tallow burns faster than wax and is more prone to poor wick control, if you find it smoking reduce the amount of wick showing. This is a skill we've lost after the advent of braided wicking in the late 1700's (I'll save that for a different thread though ;-) ). Third it makes a fantastic fuel source! I have made several simple unglazed pottery oil lamps modeled after an extant 16C Scottish bowl lamp, used linen or cotton wicking, and they work great. I've had less success with using it for candles though. Somebody made the observation that it's like finely rendered lard and they weren't far off. I've tried sheep and beef fat both alone and mixed. The sheep fat makes a slightly stiffer tallow but it doesn't burn as nicely, vice versa the beef fat, so I recommend a mix. After having made some 40-50 lbs. of the stuff in a variety of ways and methods I've yet to find one using pure tallow that sets up properly for dipping. There is something I'm missing and I have no idea what. I'm going to try adding some lime (the chemical kind, not the green fruit) in small quantities this weekend to a batch and see if that assists the hardening. Sand and pot ash are mentioned as ways to stiffen the tallow but I've only ended up with sandy goo and grey gunk when I've tried them. Otherwise unless you live in a fairly cold climate tallow is essentially useless for candlemaking, it simply won't harden sufficiently. What does work is a beeswax and tallow mix using at least 1 part beeswax to 4 parts tallow. Obviously for this process the dipping method is easier, especially if your mass producing. I have a picture of some Welsh Women dipping tallow candles and there are easily 3-4 dozen dipping rods hanging behind them probably with a dozen candles on each rod. It's post period but I can't image the technology or practice was far off period means. Once again sorry for the length and if anybody can refer me to more period references I'm always looking and I'd be very grateful! Bran the Dark Barony of Mag Mor Calontir Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 19:56:33 -0700 From: Ted Hewitt To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re: period candle making If you want to have the look of hand dipped candles for far less work, just dip store-bought candles and thicken them up a bit by dipping them in hot wax colored to your preference. Not period, but you can achieve a good effect. Edwin. Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 19:54:51 -0700 From: Ted Hewitt To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu Subject: Re: period candle making >Please do let us all know how this turns out! I have read *not good* >things about tallow candles...drip terribly, smell, melt very easily, >and so on...so'll I'll be curious to know how it goes. Good luck! >-Eleanor of Leycestershyre I would be interested to see if some of the wax hardeners would work on tallow. Definitely strain and purify the tallow before dipping or molding the candles. I once made a "bacon-fat" candle (many, many years ago at Burro Creek War). I was very proud of it, but it was sooty, smokey and smelled bad. When I wasn't looking my compatriots threw it away. They were quite self-congratulatory. Edwin. Subject: Re: Tallow Date: Thu, 06 May 99 14:34:07 MST From: "Crescentia _" To: "Mark.S Harris (rsve60)" Around the beginning of April, I posted to the ANST list for advice on a tallow project for Experimental Archaeology. You had expressed interest in hearing about my results... so here they are, considerably condensed (and yet it still manages to be lengthy). ^_^ -Crescentia ---- I think the first thing I have to do is make a disclaimer of some kind-- these opinions/hypothesis are based upon only one experiment. Follow-up experiments would be necessary to test their validity. And I plan on doing that... when I have time sometime this summer. First of all, regarding the yield question. I got about half a pound of tallow from 5 lbs' beef fat; I got 2.5 lbs' tallow from only 4.5 lbs. beef fat. The second quantity was a really nice, thick cake of tallow about 2.5 inches thick. Beneath it was a layer of gelatin. There was nothing else-- no water, no slime, no nothing. But the first quantity, the small one-- the tallow came out looking very watery. There was a thin white slime on the bottom of the tallow cake, which was only about a half-inch thick (estimated, not measured). There was absolutely no geltatin present; instead, there I had a bowlful of grayish-yellow water. When it comes to amount of time refrigerated, amount of time spent being rendered, etc, the processes were very much the same. (I had three pots going, spaced at one-hour intervals.) The only difference that I can see is that for the second pot, I was being distracted while straining out the water through the cheesecloth before refrigeration. Because of that, it took me longer to finish the process, and when I looked at the clock, I realized that if I just waited a few more minutes, I could throw the third pots' worth of liquid into the second bowl and safe on fridge space. Now, the first bowl went into the fridge almost immediately after being strained. But the second bowl sat around for quite a while before being transferred. Perhaps that has something to do with it? Secondly, regarding the smell. The tallow itself had no really offensive smell. I took it to the chemistry lab where I had a friend, and we measured out Sodium Hydroxide crystals to throw in there. (NaOH) (Yes, it was done a lot more precisely than I'm making it sound right now.) I stuck a stirring magnet in the bottom, left it one evening, and came back to collect my tallow the next afternoon. Needless to say, it *stank*. It's an incredibly difficult smell to describe-- the closest I can get to it is think back to the smell of a room which houses a herp collection, where you have jars full of isopropyl and formaldehyde preserving specimens. Not particularly pleasant! I believe that the NaOH reacts unfavorably with the tallow and creates the smell, and that it is not an intrinsic characteristic of the tallow itself. (The only other thing I added to it was water.) Now, that's a third problem. NaOH (which is the basic component of lye) and water will react with tallow and harden it-- but it will do such a good job of hardening it that the melting point will be raised too high and you won't get a useful candle at all out of it. One, the substance itself will be dry and crumbly, and two, it will require a flame hotter than you can produce to melt the thing. As an example, it took me three hours to melt a near-pound of solidified tallow in a double boiler. It took me fifteen minutes to melt a half-pound beeswax under similar conditions. Don't forget to add the oil! It will lower the melting point to reasonable temperatures. The tallow-and-NaOH will smell very badly. Time cuts down on it. For some strange reason, leaving them out overnight and letting the dew wash over them also seemed to help me. Maybe if you washed your candles...? ^_^ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 07:33:09 -0500 (CDT) From: "Pixel, Queen of Cats" To: SCA-Cooks maillist Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] oil lamps On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, Stefan li Rous wrote: > Any proof that the rich actually burned beeswax candles in their > homes? I was under the impression that most of the beeswax candles > went for use in the churches. Yes. As with many other things in period, if you could afford it, you bought it, and more importantly, flaunted it. Dyer mentions, at some point, how many pounds of wax a particular household was was using nightly (which led to a friend of mine and I trying to figure out how well-lit the hall was). I can look up the exact citation if you like--Dyer has moved back into the bookshelf where it belongs, finally, and is no longer being carted around in my briefcase. ;-) Candles in period could be tallow, beeswax, or a mixture thereof. It is interesting to note that unlike current fashion, medieval beeswax candles were apparently refined as much as possible, to make them as white as possible. Modern yellow beeswax candles are only accurate inasmuch as they are made from beeswax, but they are not refined enough for medieval tastes. Margaret FitzWilliam of Kent Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 07:28:13 +0100 From: "Melanie Wilson Belgium" To: Subject: Re: "Period" candlesticks and chandeliers > Someday, I'm going to try to make some tallow candles. Anyone can make > ones out of beeswax. :-) Tallow is pretty easy, but 100% melts like mad in even and English summer, use at least 5% beeswax. Better yet use tallow for rushlights. Mel To: Cc: From: "JulieR" Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 14:16:05 -0700 Subject: [MedEnc] RE: [STEPS] Tallow Candle "destructions"?? > Would anyone happen to have a 'recipe' for making > candles from tallow? > A friend on another (oop) list is going to be putting > her hand to this, and is unsure what additives, etc. > are necessary. I'd rather she didn't poison herself > and family (we *hate* it when that happens!!(. > Catherine Here are some basic ones, but I'm sure there are better. There was very little to be found by doing a keyword search online. --Hjordis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >From http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/1225/nchase.html TALLOW CANDLES -- For Summer Use. -- Most tallow, in summer, is more or less soft and often quite yellow, to avoid both: Take your tallow and put a little bees-wax with it, especially if your bees-wax is dark and not fit to sell; put into a suitable kettle, adding weak lye and gently boil, an hour or two each day for 2 days, stirring and skimming well; each morning cutting it out and scraping off the bottom which is soft, adding fresh lye (be sure it is not too strong) 1 or 2, or 3. gals., according to the amount of tallow. The third morning use water in which alum and saltpetre is dissolved, at the rate of 1 lb. each, for 30 lbs. of tallow ; then simmer, stir, and skim again ; let cool, and you can take it off the water for use. They may be dipped or run in moulds ; for dipping, allow two pounds for each dozen candles. Saltpetre and alum are said to harden lard for candles; but it can be placed amongst the humbugs of the day. But I will give you a plan which is a little shorter for hardening tallow . . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` http://jawbone.clarkston.wednet.edu/Websites/Parkway/Roberts/letterc.htm Candles Ingredients: Beef Tallow Wax Candle Wicking Ground beef fat can be purchased at any meat market. 1. Melt the fat over low heat 2. Strain 3. To make candles: mix 1/3 parafin to 2/3 rendered beef fat. Old fashion candle molds can be purchased at Fort Clapsop in Oregon. To pour the wax make sure it's lukewarm. To dip candles tie wick onto a pencil and dip, cool, dip, cool, until it's the size you want. Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 12:37:52 -0500 To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: candle wicks From: Philip Lewis "DragonTamer" writes: >if you consume wick at same rate as wax, you have a A candle flame is hollow, you have the wick saturated in liquid fuel (wax/tallow/etc) then a small shell of vaporized fuel, then the flame. Non braded wicks will stay relatively vertical and not burn very well since they stay in a small chimney of wax vapor. Braded wicks are what's known as "self consuming" They curl a little to push the end of the wick into the cone of flame so that it burns off at a rate regulated by the available fuel height (the pool at the bottom of the wick) and capillary action. flip Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 09:19:58 -0500 To: "SCA-Cooks maillist" Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: candle wicks From: Philip Lewis "Mark.S Harris" writes: >Someday I'm finally going to get around to making some tallow candles. not that difficult... make sure you get/use the hard suet otherwise the candles tend to be a bit soft. If you tell the butcher that the suet is not for human consumption, you'll get a much better price. (if they don't give it to you for free) Tallow doesn't really smell bad if you've cleaned the lipid carefully. Tallow tends to be alot softer than beeswax. Expect more dripage. >Would the wicks be larger or smaller? More or less tightly twisted? >Made of different size threads? you can use a thinly twisted ribbon of linen or other cloth... pith, or other natural fibers. Main thing is that it has some "body" to it so that it doesn't flop over into the pool of wax. Wick size depends on what you're trying to achieve. if you want a fast bright burning torch, use a larger wick. if you want a long steady burn, go a little smaller. For tapers, i'd just use a standard size wick. -- good luck and be safe, flip Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 13:15:11 -0500 To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org From: Philip Lewis Subject: [Sca-cooks] OT: candle wicks "DragonTamer" writes: >have you guys seen what is available in wicks these days? I mean REALLY nope... have never bought a wick... nor have i bothered to look. always have made my own. :) Get some all cotton utility twine, untwist it to get the single plys, then braid three groups of 2 plys, or 3 plys for a larger wick. If you want to cord/twist i'd go with 2 groups of 4. mind you this is going to change from spool o spool... ;) -- be safe, flip From: Robyn.Hodgkin at affa.gov.au To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 14:02:22 +1100 Subject: [Sca-cooks] Candles Stefan wrote: Okay. In period about all you had for candles were beeswax and tallow. Sometimes a mixture of both. The beeswax candles got used in the Church and perhaps some of the wealthy folks. Everyone else got stuck with the slightly more smoky and stinky tallow candles. Just to note; very very slightly more stinky and not at all smokey tallow candles. My friend Tanw heard that tallow candles were smokey and smelly. He wondered if it was really true, and in true Tanw style decided to make some to find out*. Certainly I gather that the processing of the tallow was smelly in a kind of "lamby" fashion, but I can testify from my own experience that the finished candles burnt with a good clear smokeless flame, and you could only detect a smell if you got close to it. (ie. almost burn your nose close) Tallow candles being smokey and stinky is a myth. Kiriel * that sense of curiosity is why Mr Nw (as he iis affectionately known) is now Master Nw. (pronouced sort of like Tahnoo; for short Mr Noo) Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 10:31:42 -0500 To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] OT: candle wicks From: Philip Lewis "Dan Phelps" writes: >Why untwist it? In any case why not lucette it. The idea is to braid it (yes, it's a 19th century convention, but makes for a less troublesome candle) , but if you braid three untwisted pieces of the twine, you'll get a very large wick. the twine tends to be very close to the proper number of plys by itself, so untwisting then braiding gives you a fairly "standard size" (reasonable size for tapers and small pillars) wick. I've know people to use lucette cord for wicks. I've used corded wicks, plaited ("common braid"), and round and square braids. I've never done a study as to which is best. more often than not, i just use some untreated (no salt/borax) 100% natural fiber string off the "ball" for utility (vrs "pretty") candles. -- flip To: MedievalEncampments at yahoogroups.com From: Tim Bray Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 10:17:55 -0700 Subject: Re: [MedEnc] Oil Lamps >And the prize for the worst, very worst light I've ever seen goes to a >motley collection of sheep-fat candles that I bought a few years back. >These gutter and splutter, melt and burn down 10cm in about five minutes. >Accompanied by the smell of burnt sheep, and the air full of what can only >be described as wooly soot. Now you understand why tallow candles were avoided by anyone who could afford better! 19th century literature is full of comments about how nasty tallow candles were; by that time, wax candles and coal-oil lamps were becoming more widely available, so the drawbacks of tallow were more evident. Even in the MA I think you can find complaints about the nastiness of tallow. Oil lamps were more of a high-end item in the MA, chiefly because the oil was more expensive than tallow. Petroleum oil was mostly unknown, and vegetable oils were difficult to extract. Olive oil in particular was an expensive luxury, especially outside the Mediterranean. Colin From: BiglyD at gmail.com Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: cotton candle wick Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:48:58 -0700 One needs to use correct wick size to produce candles that are smokeless and dripless. If the wick is too big, the candle will smoke. If the wick is too small, the candle will drip, and the flame may be drowned by the liquid wax. We have been a candle manufacturer since 1982, and are glad to suggest the most suitable wick for you to use. Our wick is made of 100% cotton and flat braided. We accept small order. Please visit www.supercandle.com. Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:31:00 -0400 From: Craig Daniel To: Cooks within the SCA Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] FW: Caudle spices On Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 5:55 PM, Stefan li Rous wrote: <<< Lol. I read that title as "FW: Ca N dle spices" and my first thought was Oh! so there might be some evidence that candles were actually spiced in period!" I doubt it though, since most candles would have been tallow candles and beeswax candles are nice enough smelling as is, but does anyone have evidence to the contrary? >>> Well, if the candle doesn't need a nicer scent and the usual candle-making sources (whatever those are) don't talk about it, I'm not gonna look for it in places chandlers would have checked already... but modernly, there's another context in which spices go with candles: some flavors of folk magic. In particular, I recall from an anthro project on the subject that hoodoo (a form of folk magic of African-American origin which peaked in popularity in the early 20th century) used candles anointed with various aromatic oils which often contain spices, and also reportedly draws significantly from old European grimoires, some of them period. But it also has other sources that are less well-documented, and while I've read more modern primary sources on the matter I know nothing about the grimoires. It would not surprise me at all, however, to find that they contain antecedents for this practice. They might even have it in a form that involves candles being scented. So, time for a cursory examination of that subset of the sources that's available online. Caveat the first: If the use of scented candles is found to be described in accounts of ritual magic, it doesn't necessarily mean that it was ever actually practiced - though instructional texts would tend to imply that it was. (The Malleus Maleficarum, on the other hand, is notable for containing detailed descriptions of rituals that there is no particular reason to believe ever actually occurred.) Finding such in one of those would mean, at best, that people doing highly transgressive things (like attempting to summon demons, or otherwise do things the Church would have taken issue with) had seasoned or annointed candles, which of course would *not* be good documentation for the use of such in more ordinary contexts. Still, it has a certain academic interest, so it's worth wasting some time on the search. Caveat the second: I've forgotten most of what little I knew of modern folk magic, and have never known much at all about other flavors of magic (unless you mean "magic" as in "the art magicians perform", which is not relevant to this question) from any part of history. Certainly not enough to be able to tell you without asking Wikipedia what the major period grimoires are, but some of them are apparently online. I also cannot vouch for the accuracy of the versions my quick googling turned up, or the accuracy of the dates attributed to them, though I'm generally trusting enough of Wikipedia that I'll believe it until somebody feels like going and checking more authoritative sources. Anyhow: so far as I can tell in an admittedly not-at-all-thorough search, period grimoires don't seem to contain any unambiguous references to scented candles that I have found. Neither do out-of-period ones that are even close to our timeframe. Not ruling out the possibility of others that I haven't seen doing so, or of the ones that I saw implying such in ways a simple search for "candle" didn't turn up. So, I just spent twenty minutes or so on this avenue of research and while I didn't get in near enough depth to call it a dead end, I have added almost no new evidence to the discussion. What I have found that is even close to relevant is the following: 1. While the candles themselves may be unscented, the grimoires consistently seem to use candles, incense, and even candles and incense in combination with each other. This last could be an antecedent for the use of perfumed candles in magical contexts, and I suppose it may also be a period precursor to scented candles in more familiar situations. Especially if we have evidence of it in other contexts than grimoires, which I don't know of offhand but it wouldn't surprise me. 2. There's one possible reference that might or might not come from a period source. The Key of Solomon, probably dating to the 14th or early 15th century, exists in quite a few different manuscript versions in multiple languages. There's a 19th-century English translation that I found reproduced online in an annotated form, peppered with footnotes comparing that version (translated from several manuscripts, and apparently not from the earliest ones now known) to the contents of some of the manuscript versions. In one place, a footnote quotes a 1674 manuscript as referencing "oll? cum carbonibus et speciebus odoriferis, et quatuor cereis; ad faciendum lumen et odorem". Whether the candles make scent because they are somehow scented or because beeswax is aromatic to begin with is not entirely clear to me, and the notes don't give the equivalent of this passage in most of the other versions. The only other one it mentions merely has the censers described as "cum carbonibus lauri", which cannot imply scented candles (though I imagine the charcoal is pretty fragrant), and the English version just says "with lighted charcoal and sweet odors." It would take more research than I care to do right now, by somebody consulting manuscripts that may not have their texts readily available and reading Latin more fluidly than I can, to determine whether any of the period versions of this passage mention candles and if so whether said candles might be perfumed in any way. And that's the only useful reference in that source - at no other point in the Key of Solomon is there anything that I turned up that even maybe means that the candles are scented, though they are often used in combination with things that are. It does, however, contain instructions pertaining to candles generally - they're to be made under very exact conditions, out of virgin wax, inscribed with specific symbols, and blessed with specific (Christian) prayers and pieces of scripture. Presumably, if the typical use for these candles involved any ingredients other than wax, this would be specified in the same section of the grimoire that insists that the candle wicks be made by young girls. So there may be one specific situation where your candles are scented if you're working from one specific out-of-period version, and even that is questionable (especially as doing something that you don't do in the rest of the book, like perfuming your candles, would likely be stated more explicitly!), but otherwise one presumes they are just wax and no spices. (For those that want the source: http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/ksol2.htm. Just /ksol.htm is the earlier part of the same, but doesn't contain as much on candles. The 1674 source is Aubrey Manuscript 24, which is similar to the less-precisely-dated Additional Manuscript 10862; 10862 is also 17th-century and is the one that has the laurel charcoal rather than the possibility of scented candles.) So, yeah. Candles and aromatic substances go together in at least one fringe context, but even there they almost certainly weren't actually making scented candles. - Jaume de Mon??, who is alone and bored this evening Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 07:39:52 -0400 From: Craig Daniel To: Cooks within the SCA Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] candle spices On Sun, Jul 11, 2010 at 1:22 AM, Stefan li Rous wrote: <<< I asked: Lol. ?I read that title as "FW: Ca N dle spices" and my first thought was Oh! so there might be some evidence that candles were actually spiced in period!" I doubt it though, since most candles would have been tallow candles and beeswax candles are nice enough smelling as is, but does anyone have evidence to the contrary? To which Jaume de Mon?? replied with a lot of info about aromatic candles, not specifically for creating a sweet smell. Oh! Oops. I did forget about incense. However, a quick look through what I have seems to show incense being burned by itself, as in wood splinters or by simply exposing the incense to air or by heating it in a burner, not by putting it into a candle itself, so this is s some interesting, new info. >>> When candles and incense are being burned together in some of those instructions I have no idea whether they are simply burning incense and candles next to each other or even in the same censer, or if in fact the candle is actually burning the incense. Given that in at least one case you seem to have coals, candles, and incense all in the same censer, it seems more likely that if the incense can't burn on its own (as some can't) it would be on the coals rather than being burned by the candle. At least, that's how modern incense burners for incense that isn't self-sustaining work; do we know if it was always like that? For all I know there could have been incense that you were supposed to burn by means of an open flame and that's why they have candles and incense being employed together in places. If so, I'd expect there to be documentation or at least hints of this in non-magical sources as well, though; do we have anybody that's paid enough attention to period incense to comment? <<< But I'm not sure what a "grimoire" is. >>> Basically, it's a spellbook. Belief in magic has been common for most if not all of human history, and apparently the desire to practice it was widespread enough in period Europe that there are surviving instructional texts on the matter. (How often anyone actually followed the instructions, I do not know.) - Jaume Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 07:54:50 -0500 From: "Terry Decker" To: "Cooks within the SCA" Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] candle spices <<< But I'm not sure what a "grimoire" is. Stefan >>> It's a book of spells or a textbook of magic. The usage is 18th Century and the word is French. This probably reflects the revived interest in magic and alchemy that occurred in France prior to the French Revolution. English usage doesn't really start until the 19th Century. The word likely derives from grammaire (OF) which refers to any book written in Latin. Bear From: Ian Whitchurch Subject: Re: [Lochac] light sources Date: June 1, 2014 11:04:00 PM CDT To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list" ,<< The catch from authenicity being that only the Church and very wealthy individuals/households had beeswax candles. Most everyone else had to deal with tallow candles. Not something that most people seem to want to use inside. >>> Stefan is wrong when he says beeswax candles were exceedingly expensive in period. Frankfurt in Germany in 1500 is pretty representative - and there, beeswax candles only cost five times the price of ham or gouda cheese. If you can afford meat every day, and if you like books and you like reading, you can afford the candles to read them by. For proof, go here - the University of California at Davis' global price history project. http://gpih.ucdavis.edu/Datafilelist.htm Click on 'frankfurt 1500-1800', look under Fuel, Dairy and Meat tabs. While you're there, be amazed at the price of cloth. Anton de Stoc Edited by Mark S. Harris candles-msg Page 3 of 41