Colonial Candle Making Process
Candle making dates back thousands of years and has been a part of various cultures throughout history. It wasn’t until the 1600’s when colonists in America began utilizing candle making techniques to produce these household essential items. During this time, candle production was labor-intensive and often considered an art. Here is an overview of the colonial candle making process:
Ingredients
Colonial candle makers used simple ingredients to produce candles. The primary ingredients used included tallow (animal fat) and beeswax, although modern candle producers have access to a range of ingredients and additives to produce candles of better quality. The tallow and beeswax were melted in large iron pots, before the wicks were added.
Collections
Colonial candle makers had to collect the fat and wax from various resources. As cows and other farm animals were common during this era, tallow was readily accessible. Beeswax was available from local beekeepers and also from wild hives.
Process
The Colonial candle makers then followed the following process to make their candles:
- Melting: the tallow and beeswax were melted in large iron pots over a fire.
- Adding Wicks: the wicks were added to the large iron pail, which were made from large, loose fibers.
- Pouring: the molten wax/tallow mixture was then poured in to containers to cool, forming the candles.
- Stamping: the wicks were stamped to ensure they stayed upright while the candles cooled.
- Finishing: the finished candles were removed from the molds, trimmed and polished.
Quality
The quality of the Colonial candles varied due to the limited resources available. The lack of quality control measures often resulted in undesirable consistency and color. Candles made from tallow particularly had an unpleasant smell when burning. As a result of this, Beeswax was the preferred candle material.
Conclusion
Candle making during the Colonial period was a labor-intensive process, mostly using simple ingredients to make the candles. Due to the lack of quality control measures, the quality of the finished candles was often inadequate. Although the colonial candle makers did not have the same resources as their modern day counterparts, candle making during this era was an art.
Welcome to my candle making blog! In this blog, I will be sharing my tips and tricks for making candles. I will also be sharing some of my favorite recipes.
