Candle Mould - Fine curly candle 25cm

01 · THE WICK

In a slim candle it is the critical part

In a narrow candle the wick matters more than in any other: too thick and the flame eats the edge and the candle drips; too thin and it drowns in its own wax. For this mould the reference is a number 2 wick.

Cut it longer than the mould, centre it and leave it taut — a stick laid across the top will do — then close the mould with elastic bands around it.

02 · THE TEMPERATURE

65-70 °C, no more, no less

Beeswax melts between 61 and 65 °C, so below that it is not fully liquid and will not fill the relief. Pour at 65-70 °C, slowly, so it reaches every hollow of the ribbing without dragging air in.

And a warning about the shape: a 25 cm ribbed candle is a complicated figure. Spraying the inside of the mould with silicone release spray before pouring is what stops you leaving half a rib behind when you unmould.

03 · THE COOLING

And the dip that appears on top

Setting time depends on the volume; a slim candle sets fairly quickly. As it cools the wax contracts and usually sinks around the wick at the top: top it up with a little wax from the same batch and the base comes out flat.

Then pull on the elastics, open the mould and ease the candle out.

04 · THE FINISH

Two cuts and it is done

Remove the stick and trim the wick leaving one centimetre at the top. At the bottom, trim the base flat with a knife so it stands, and so the end of the wick can be dipped in warm wax.

The mould is silicone and can be reused indefinitely in practice: what ruins it is not use, it is forcing the candle out.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

It is the mould, and nothing else: