Introduction
In the 1700s, candle making was an art form that required dedication and skill. Although early candles had been made from tallow”a by-product of slaughtered sheep and cattle”in the ongoing quest for a longer burning, better smelling, and brighter candle other ingredients were used.
The most popular alternative to tallow in the 1700s was called “stearin”; it originated from purified beef suet. This material provided a slower burning and cleaner smelling product. A combination of beeswax, spermaceti (from whale blubber) and other Animal fats were also used to create candles. The fragrance oil was added only seconds prior to pouring it into molds as adding too much would prevent the wax in blending together properly. The scented oils were often taken from carnations, jasmine, lavender or orange petals and could be purchased at apothecary shops.
To manufacture each candle, cotton or linen threads were soaked in melted wax before being wound around a wick-roller ” this process was usually done by hand. After being removed from the roller the molding process began by pouring hot wax into handmade paper wrappers or tin cans which had been lined with beeswax for easy removal after cooling down. Candles made following this procedure could last more than 5 hours each time they were burned – this was three times as long as traditional tallow candles!
The finished candle making products were both artistic and utilitarian works of art! Through their innovation in craftsmanship the craftsmen of the 17th century revolutionized domestic light sources allowing families to go about their daily lives even when darkness fell over many communities during winter months. As with so many other contemporary livelihoods, however, industrialization came along transforming traditional candle making into a mass fractionalized production line process using petroleum based ingredients that did not require skilled labor as demanded one hundred years before ” thus ending an age old craftwork of excellence forever!
A Brief History of Candle Making
Candles were an important source of light during the 1700s, and the craft of candle making was an ancient craft that has been around for centuries. Candle makers during this time period would typically use animal fat or beeswax combined with cotton thread or a similar material in order to make their candles. These materials would then be melted and cast in metal holders, which were commonly made of either tin or copper. They also used wicks that were created from braided or twisted fibers, such as linen. When creating candles, beekeepers often skimmed the wax off their hives and used it as one of their main materials in candle making. This had the added benefit of supporting their beekeeping venture while providing wax to produce candles. To create tallow (animal fat) based candles, they typically boiled fats over open fires and strained the fat to remove any impurities. After it cooled, they poured it into molds made by pressing thin plates of tin into clay shapes. The molds were then further decorated with stamps and other ornamentation to produce varied styles of candles depending on the buyer’s needs or desires. Once all components were assembled, these early candle makers lit them by using either grates or gridirons filled with charcoal streetlamps in order to reduce soot production from the flame when lit. The various sizes, colors, shapes and scents offered filled homes with soft light and pleasant fragrances for a few hours each night until extinguished prior to bedtime. Thus, thanks to candle makers throughout history we have enjoyed many rituals that still exist today when lighting a candle as part of our prayer(s) at church services or dinner parties in our own homes!
An Overview of Waxes Used in the Candle-Making Process
In the 1700s, wax for candle-making was either obtained from animal skin and fat or produced by boiling vegetable oils such as tallow, bayberry, beeswax, and spermaceti. Animal fats were used to produce suet and tallow candles, which were resilient and produced a bright flame. For making palm wax and beeswax candles, honeycombs from bee colonies were melted with water over a fire to create the raw material; this mixture was then filtered through wool cloth prior to being poured into molds. Olive oil was used primarily in Europe while whale oil was imported from colonial whalers in New England. Other wax sources included cedar berries and grasses such as Spanish moss.
In addition to these traditional wax materials, various additives were introduced during the 1700s to improve the performance of flame-based lighting technology. People found that adding coarse saltpeter (potassium nitrate) increased the burning time of tapers; more refined salt made flames burn brighter; powdered uranyl acetate gave a green hue when lit; antimony trioxide produced yellow luminescence; quicksilver chloride made torches glow with a purplish light. By combining these agents in different proportions, candle makers could achieve diverse effects for their products.
Crafting the Candles
In the 1700s, candles were made with tallow, which was usually rendered from beef or mutton fat. Tallow produced a low-cost and relatively clean burning substance. Animal fat was melted down in cooking pots, usually over an open flame in a fireplace or with hot coals. Beeswax could also be used to make a higher grade of expensive candles. The process involved first separating the wax from honeycombs using heat and then molding it into the desired shape.
The ingredients were then strained through a sieve into an appropriate container where they were stored until they were ready to be used. Next, the substances were heated until they reached their melting point before being poured into molds”in some cases wooden molds covered in plaster or soaked in wax to prevent sticking”for cooling and solidification. Once set, the outer layer of each candle would then be carefully peeled away from the mold after several hours cool time and snuffed”dipped in liquid fat or oil allowing excess wick to be removed”readying them for use. Hundreds of candles could be made at one time if enough molds and materials were available, making this an inexpensive way to light homes without electricity during that time period.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting 1700s Candles
1. Gather the supplies: Beeswax, string or wick, small clay pots or pans, and a source of heat (such as a fireplace)
2. Cut the beeswax into small cubes and place them in a shallow clay pot or pan.
3. Place the pot/pan over a source of low-heat, such as a fireplace, to melt the beeswax into liquid form.
4. Assemble two pieces of wick cord by tying them together at the center.
5. Place your tied cords in an upright position above the pan/pot containing melted beeswax, allowing it to fully saturate until completely submerged so that all air bubbles have escaped from each strand.
6. Carefully remove the double-twined strands from the wax. Allow them to cool slightly and cut them down to size with scissors before final cooling when you’re ready to use your finished candles.
7. After cutting your wicks, dip each one separately into your cooled wax 5-6 times apiece in order to build up enough wax around each one for proper burning later on. Be sure not to crowd too many wicks together when dipping!
8. Hold each wick in place until it has cooled down and set securely into place around its base before continuing with other dipped coils until you are satisfied with their size and shape collectively as well as individually forms of candles .
9 .Typically, most 1700s beeswax candles were placed either inside a larger clay container or hung from chandeliers or wall hooks for stability during burning where only a portion of its surface needed to be exposed for lighting purposes in order to conserve its energy usage saving both time and money whenever possible .”
Examining Historic Examples of 1700s Candles
In the 1700s, candles were usually made of tallow. Tallow is a hard fatty material obtained from suet (the fat surrounding the kidneys and loins of cows). This composite material was then melted down and combined with other ingredients, such as beeswax, resin, and a variety of plant oils. The melted mixture was then poured into molds or dipped repeatedly into cylindrical metal containers to form a candlewick. While these early candles often lasted longer than those made today, they tended to burn quicker due to inconsistencies in their production process.
The wicks of 1700s candles were placed onto a crown-tipped wood splint specifically designed for this purpose. Once attached, the splinted wick was cut off and sewn into linen casings and holdback cords for strength. To light them the ends of the cords were lit first before lighting the tips through pre-drilled holes in cardboard boxes or leather sheaths.
Traditionally homemade stearic acid candles were much brighter than vegetable oil varieties due to their one ingredient source: animal fats. However, as time progressed stearic candlemaking fell out of fashion due to rising costs and economies of scale making it more cost effective to purchase ready made version from far away trade companies that specialized in these products; indeed many experts believe this helped hasten the switch to paraffin wax candles manufacturing.
The Takeaway
In the 1700s, candles were typically made with a variety of different materials. Usually, beeswax was the most popular and widely-used material for making candles. This was often supplemented by other materials such as tallow which is rendered beef or sheep fat. People would collect wax from beehives around their homes and render the tallow from slaughterhouse waste products to use in candle making. The process of melting these waxes and rendering these fats down into suitable form for candle making was both arduous and time consuming with craftsmen and women having to use complex molds crafted from precisely cut wood to shape their creations.
As technology progressed in the 1700s, so did advances in candle-making. Towards the end of this era, more advanced processes for purifying waxes and creating specialized molds allowed for larger production rates of taller, longer burning candles than ever before seen. This included a wide range of colors and scents, as well as various sizes depending on customer needs. Candles created during this era not only illuminated homes but also acted as prevalent pieces of decoration featured in any room they were placed in due to their beautiful colors and scents they emitted throughout the home.
This legacy has inspired current designs that continue to prosper today; using modern technologies alongside centuries old techniques to create beautifully crafted candles that emulate those of days past while capitalizing on advancements made over time to ensure stability and quality control over their manufacture process. The result is an industry flourishing with new innovations while paying homage to its roots through traditional forms embedded deeply within its culture.
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.
