Candle Making Wax Secrets Revealed

Candles are one of those overlooked items that have been a key component of human society since the beginning of time. Very few things have had such a widespread impact that has touched so many civilized societies throughout the ages. In the beginning candles were a practical and vital source of light. They illuminated the world. It is difficult to pinpoint their exact time and place of development but there is evidence the early Egyptians devised some of the first primitive forms of candles. The ancient Chinese also have valid claims crediting them for early development of the device.

The majority of the early candles were made with tallow (sometimes called suet). Tallow is actually nothing more than animal fat which was readily available in the old world being derived mostly from sheep and cattle. Tallow works well as the main candle ingredient but it has two unpleasant disadvantages. When it burns it gives off an unpleasant odor and it smokes.

Today candles have evolved from a vital necessity in the pre-electric light era to a wildly popular item for the home, ceremonies and other special occasions. Ever since the first candle was invented chandlers have been striving to improve the product. The biggest improvements have come with development of better waxes.

The first improvement came with the discovery of beeswax as a viable alternative to tallow for making candles. It was developed in the middle ages as a way to overcome the odor and smoke issues of tallow based candles. Beeswax candles are clean burning and they emit a naturally fresh aroma. The one disadvantage of this type wax is its high cost. It requires more preparation than tallow and it is not as available as tallow. For this reason it was only available to the rich in its early days. Today the same type beeswax is used by candle makers.

Spermaceti wax is a derivative of the oil found the head cavities of whales. This was an excellent candle wax that was widely used until the whales became over harvested and the supply began to dwindle. This type wax is not available today.

Palm wax is another natural product made from a renewable source that produces and excellent candle and it is available for use today. It is also clean burning with a pleasant aroma. There is a little controversy attached to its use today because some claim that it's use is harming the rain forests. It is feared that widespread use of palm oil will encourage more destruction of the rain forests as more palm plantations are established.

The next type wax to evolve into popular use is paraffin wax. Paraffin is a derivative of petroleum and was discovered in the nineteenth century. It was first extracted from coal and later from crude oil. Paraffin itself was too soft for candles but when stearic acid is added it becomes an excellent wax for candles. It is economical, clean burning and popular with candle makers.

Soy wax is a relative newcomer to the candle world. It is a domestically produced wax that is available, economical and does not harm the rain forests. Soy candles are clean burning and the emit an extremely pleasing natural fragrance. It is very popular with candle makers because it melts quickly and makes the production process easier and faster. On top of all its other good points it is generally cheaper than paraffin wax.

Gel wax is a recent addition to the candle makers tool kit. It requires different molding techniques and it's main distinguishing characteristic is that it is clear. This feature offers unique design possibilities.

One the most exciting things about making candles today is the wide array of waxes available to the crafter. So go out and make some candles with your favorite wax.

By: Peggy Devereaux

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Peggy Devereaux is an expert candle maker. For more great information about www.candlemakeranswers.com/candle-making-wax”>candle making wax, visit www.candlemakeranswers.com