Every person is a child at heart. What do children like? That's right, everything flapping and sparkling! After all, no holiday can be imagined without fireworks, and some people manage to make them at home.

Fortunately, this rarely happens. Much more often we buy pyrotechnics on the eve of the New Year holidays. Unfortunately, the quality of their production often leaves much to be desired. This is especially true for cheap pyrotechnics, the wicks of which are sometimes indecently short.

How to make a wick from scrap materials? Is this even real? There is practically nothing complicated about this.

The simplest option

Surely everyone in childhood dabbled with matches at least once. Do you remember how beautifully saltpeter, cleaned from them, burns? Before you make the wick, you will need to scrape it from a couple of boxes. You tamp the resulting saltpeter into juice sticks or something similar. Dense compaction is a guarantee of long burning.

Despite their primitiveness, such wicks burn very stably, and with proper sealing they are practically not afraid of getting wet. Perfect option For safe use dubious pyrotechnics!

If there is such an opportunity, then before making a wick, try to get them. They burn excellently, easily withstand even wetness, so you can make simply excellent ones from them.

There is also a method that involves using regular tape. Again, you will have to grind the sulfur from a couple of boxes of matches, and then cut a narrow strip of adhesive tape to the required length. Place it with the sticky side up and sprinkle a thin strip of match nitrate on it.

Press down this entire structure on top with the same strip of tape. The resulting ignition cord can be used even in winter conditions, since it is slightly susceptible to moisture. Since it is extremely easy to make a firecracker wick this way, it can be recommended for fireworks enthusiasts of all ages.

Attention! Strictly follow all fire safety rules, otherwise you can easily start a fire.

For city residents

If you have some poplar fluff lying around on your balcony since spring, great! All you have to do is stuff dry fluff into a rolled-up newspaper to make a pretty good wick. Needless to say, all material must be absolutely dry.

Method for young chemists

To make a reliable wick according to this recipe, you will need ordinary potassium permanganate, Moment glue or similar, and matches. A small amount of potassium permanganate and glue are taken, and then these two components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

Attention! We should not forget that Moment is not only extremely flammable, but also contains many substances harmful to your health. Be sure to ensure normal ventilation of the room when performing this type of work.

There is no need to rush; it will take at least ten minutes to completely mix the components. Since the resulting mixture is too liquid, you should wait a few minutes until the hardening process takes place.

After this time, the resulting puddle must be carefully shaped, giving it a more compact appearance. When the composition acquires the consistency of plasticine, it needs to be rolled out, giving the appearance of a sausage. Thickness doesn't matter.

How to make a wick from matches and the composition we described? It's simple: if you need a wick that burns quickly and very reliably, then a certain amount of ground match nitrate should be added to the composition before it hardens.

How it works?

Have you ever wondered why such difficulties? The fact is that the wick resulting from our actions not only burns perfectly (and at an acceptable speed), but also easily withstands the ingress of water and snow. With its help, you can easily launch fireworks from a safe distance, even installing it right in a snowdrift.

Potassium nitrate is our choice!

If you ask representatives of the older generation, they will probably tell you about all the methods of obtaining wick that were used by children in the USSR. Among the main components, it always occupied a place of honor. In those years, it was sold in all agricultural stores, so there were no problems with obtaining it.

How to use it? To begin with, saltpeter must be dissolved in ordinary water, taking one part of the active substance and three parts of liquid. The easiest way to make a wick is to soak ordinary newspaper in the resulting mixture. More precisely, you can simply dip it into the jar and immediately take it out.

After this, the paper should be thoroughly dried. Attention! Since the products from the evaporation of the working composition are not very beneficial for human health, it is advisable to do this outdoors.

How to make a wick for a firecracker from the resulting material? We roll the dried newspaper into a thin tube, tying it with thread if necessary. Only bringing it into “combat readiness” requires a certain skill.

To do this, light the very tip of the “sausage” and then knock out the flame. A smoldering flame is the goal of all ours. It can easily withstand even light moisture, and the burning speed is such that it will reliably protect you from premature activation of pyrotechnics.

By the way, before making a homemade wick, be sure to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of modern products of this kind. Almost certainly, what you see will impress you so much that you definitely won’t risk approaching the extinguished firecracker.

A more serious way

The disadvantage of the method described above is the fact that a thin newspaper is in no way suitable for the role of a fuse cord. It can quickly go out, and then suddenly burn out right before your amazed eyes. The consequences can be very sad.

Therefore, it is advisable to get high-quality cotton rope. It is also soaked in the above-described aqueous solution of saltpeter and dried thoroughly. To make the structure as reliable as possible, you can lubricate it with a mixture of potassium permanganate and Moment glue. We have already given the recipe for the “hellish composition” above.

This ignition cord will withstand even significant moisture, which will not have any effect on its ability to burn. By the way, what can you make a wick from, if you do not take into account the above methods?

And again potassium nitrate

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to abandon this substance, since only with its help can one create fairly reliable wicks. So, we take about two parts of saltpeter and one part of regular granulated sugar.

Grind all this in a porcelain mortar until a fine and homogeneous powder is formed. The resulting composition can be hammered into juice tubes (as in the method with match saltpeter).

Important Note

Before you make a wick with your own hands, do not forget about responsibility for all your subsequent actions. It is possible to launch pyrotechnics only in conditions where there is no strong side wind, outside dense urban areas. Inadmissible use similar products in hot and dry weather conditions, as well as their use by minor children.

Here's how to make a wick without using expensive tools.

Despite the abundance of electrical appliances, candles are still popular, and if you want to make a candle with your own hands, then you need to know how to make a candle wick. Candles add a special mood during the holidays, they can create a special atmosphere during a romantic dinner, and candles can also come in handy during a power outage, from which no one is immune. You can buy a candle in a store, or you can try to make it yourself - of any shape and size, with different decorative elements or flavored. But before you start making a candle, you need to make a wick.

The wick is a kind of capillary through which the molten candle mass enters the combustion zone. Each type of candle has its own wick. The texture and thickness of the wick may depend on the thickness of the candle, its material, coloring, its filling with decorative particles and much more. For example, there are candles in which only the middle burns out, while the walls remain intact, and for them their own types of wicks are used.

For each candle, the wick is selected by trial and error, and sometimes you need to try several options. It should be remembered that a wick that is too thin will constantly go out, and a thick wick will smoke and the candle will melt too much.

Usually the wick is woven from cotton threads. They can be twisted, braided and even crocheted; the optimal type of weaving is selected based on the characteristics of the candle. If the candle is made of wax, then thick, loose threads are used as a wick and they are not intertwined tightly, but for other candles, on the contrary, they are used thin threads and tight weaving to avoid soot. This is due to the viscosity of the molten candle mass: more viscous wax requires wide capillaries, and lighter paraffin, stearin and various fats need thinner capillaries, otherwise, due to an excess of flammable material, the candle will become very smoky.

Typically, wicks are impregnated with solutions containing sodium nitrate, namely:

30 gr. slaked lime, 8.5 g. sodium nitrate and 550 ml. water;
5 gr. ammonium chloride, 5 g. sodium nitrate, 10 g. borax and 5 gr. calcium chloride is dissolved in 500 ml of water.
1 gr. ammonium chloride, 1 g. sodium nitrate and 700 ml of water;

Make homemade wicks as follows: dissolve 2 tablespoons of table salt and 4 tablespoons of borax in one and a half liters warm water and dip a cotton thread or twine of the required thickness into the solution for 15 minutes. The soaked wick is hung and kept for 5 days to dry completely. Then a paperclip is attached to the wick and dipped into the melted wax 3-4 times until completely covered. After this, the wick is also hung until completely dry. Prepared wicks should be stored wrapped in newspaper.

Pyrotechnics, both large and small, have long been an integral part of almost any holiday. Moreover, we are talking not only about fireworks, but also about sparklers, firecrackers and firecrackers.

The key to safety when using pyrotechnics is, first of all, strict adherence to the operating instructions. However, there are situations when it is necessary to improvise in order for the holiday to really be a success. For example, a purchased firecracker has a too short wick, and it is dangerous to use, but you really want to. Then there is a solution: make a wick for firecrackers with your own hands.

There are several ways to do this. The difference between them lies mainly in the choice of flammable substance.

Therefore, each method has its own characteristics:

You can use insulation from wires or a pen refill that has run out of ink as a cord. We fill the wire with sulfur removed from match heads and crushed into powder. Tamp the filling thoroughly with a needle or toothpick. Be careful as friction may cause accidental fire. The denser the sulfur is packed, the longer the wick will burn.
To avoid crushing the sulfur heads, you can simply break them off carefully and place them in a row on tape. Then roll the tape into a tube so that the sulfur is inside. The more heads, the longer the cord.
An ordinary thin rope can be soaked in a solution of saltpeter, which can be purchased at a gardening store (this good fertilizer). The saltpeter will need to be dissolved in water until well saturated, and then the cord will need to be lowered there for several hours.
A flammable composition can be made from potassium permanganate and super glue. These two components must be combined and mixed well. At first, the mixture will turn out to be liquid, but over time it will thicken to the state of plasticine. Roll the resulting substance into a thin sausage. Here's the wick for you.
In summer, poplar fluff is suitable for making wicks. Collect it, remember it well and wrap it in a paper tube.

How to make a firecracker without a wick

You can make not only the wick yourself, but also the firecracker itself. There can be several filling options: sulfur from matches, saltpeter mixtures, and much more. If you understand chemistry, you can easily select suitable composition. The body is also made from scrap materials. It is possible to make it from cardboard, foil, small plastic jars... It all depends on what effect you are hoping for.

Making firecrackers without a wick is difficult, but possible. True, it’s not very clear why the wick is stopping you... And there are much more ways to do it as it should be than the other way around. But there are still such options.

Our faithful friends - matches - will come to our aid. We clean the sulfur from them; usually one whole box is enough. Then we carefully grind it into powder and pour it onto a piece of foil approximately 10x10 cm in size. Next, we cut out the side part of the box - phosphorus cherry. We clear it of any remaining paper. Cut into two or three parts and add to sulfur powder. We wrap the foil to create a small square with a flammable core inside. Ready! To make a firecracker detonate, you just need to hit it with a hammer.

Another way is to use napkins, electrical tape, caps and small pebbles to make. First you will need to delaminate the napkin. Cut the resulting thin part into eight equal squares. Grind the contents of the pistons in the center of a cut-out piece of napkin, and place pebbles on top. Wrap the resulting mixture so that the shape of the firecracker resembles a small onion. To seal, wrap the tail of the onion with electrical tape. To detonate, throw your invention against a wall or forcefully throw it onto the asphalt.

And yet, we will include in our list of recipes one on how to make a firecracker with a wick and gunpowder. Take a piece of thick cardboard and roll it into a cylinder. Choose the parameters of the piece yourself; it will serve as a body for the future firecracker; accordingly, it should not be very large.

On one side we make a plug. It can be made from plasticine or the same cardboard. If you prefer the second option, coat it well with glue so that the plug remains in place at the right time. Next we make gunpowder. It can be made from potassium nitrate, coal and sulfur. The following proportions must be observed: six parts of saltpeter, one part of coal and the same amount of sulfur. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. The quantity depends on the size of the case. We pour our gunpowder inside the case and begin making the wick. You can use any method, but we still recommend the option with a pen rod and sulfur from matches.

The length of the wick should be such that you have time to move to a safe distance. We are preparing a plug for the other side of the case. We insert it and make a hole in it that matches the diameter of the wick. If it turns out to be larger, we additionally wrap the wick with paper so that it is tightly secured in the firecracker cap and the structure itself is airtight. The firecracker is ready.

Where can I buy a firecracker wick?

If you are not eager to make firecrackers or its components yourself, then you have a direct route to a pyrotechnics store. There, experienced sellers will tell you which wick would be better suited for your product. Typically, wicks and strings (for professional fireworks) are sold in skeins, meaning either mass use for big celebrations, or cut off as much as you need.

In order not to make a mistake with the choice of wick, decide for yourself how many firecrackers will be used, and how far you will have time to move away from the moment of arson. If in doubt, it is better to ask a professional for advice. Let him give you comprehensive recommendations on exactly how many centimeters of wick you need to purchase. If you don’t want to leave home in search of the right product, online stores also have plenty to choose from. There is always a manager or administrator at your service who will give you at least detailed information about quantity, quality and cost.

If we need to explode something without getting injured, then we need to ensure the harmless detonation of the pyrotechnic charge. The most primitive method to do this is to make a wick, one that we can set on fire at a harmless distance. Here are some methods for preparing a wick.

Instructions

1. Bickford cord. We take ordinary wire insulation or several drinking straws fastened together. We fill them with crushed heads from household matches, gunpowder or other flammable mixture. This method is convenient because our wick will not be able to blow out the wind. Even if it rains, he will not be able to soak such a wick. To prevent the “filling” of the Bickford cord from burning out too quickly, it can be compacted. If we don’t have gunpowder or anything else besides matches, we can save ourselves the trouble of scraping the heads off the matches. We simply break them off, lay them out in a row and wrap them with tape.

2. Jute wick. We take a jute rope, soak it in a solution of sodium or potassium nitrate and dry it thoroughly. The wick is ready for use.

3. Stopin. To make such a wick, we also need jute rope, but old cotton rope can also be used. Soak a not too thick rope in a saltpeter solution and dry it. But that is not all. Now let’s mix organic glue with powder pulp. You should get a homogeneous thick mass. We need to stretch a rope through this mass. When everything has hardened, the wick can be used.

4. Hunting matches themselves serve as a wonderful wick. They do not go out and burn for approximately 20 seconds. But so that our charge does not detonate prematurely, it is necessary to monitor the sparks flying off the matches.

5. Poplar fluff. Extraordinary summer option wick, from the fact that poplar fluff is released in June. But making a wick out of fluff is easier than anyone and there is no need to impregnate anything. We simply collect the fluff, scoop it up and wrap it inside with a rolled up tube of newspaper or paper.

You will need

– Zippo lighter;
– newest wick;
– sharp scissors;
– screwdriver;
- tweezers or tweezers.

Instructions

1. It turns out that even famous lighter, which will burn invariably and everywhere, also needs to be taken care of. In particular, she needs to change the wick. Yes, in its advertising the Zippo company says that the wick will last forever, however, when using gasoline that is not the purest, the impurities contained in it can contribute to the burning of the wick. When ignited, the wick may spark, or may not ignite at all right away - this means that it is time to change it.

2. Try using tweezers to little by little pull the wick up (finally, on a non-burning lighter). When the wick stretches up a little, cut off the upper part with scissors - the part that protrudes above the edges of the windbreak.

3. If this procedure does not help or you decide to replace the entire zippo wick, first of all pull out the lighter insert. To do this, grab the windshield - the upper protruding part of the lighter - with one hand, and the lower part of the lighter with the other hand. Now look at the bottom of the insert. Did you see the screw head? It is he who holds the wick. Carefully unscrew the screw.

4. Now you can remove the felt pad from the insert. After this, using tweezers, remove the cotton filler and the old wick from the housing. Take the newest wick and thread it through the insert, carefully insert it from the bottom into the hole, pick it up from the top with tweezers and pull it up.

5. When inserting the cotton filler back into the body of the lighter, place the long part of the wick between its layers. Carefully trim the top of the wick flush with the edge of the windscreen.

6. Replace the felt flap and secure the structure with a screw. The screw must be tightened sufficiently in order for the lighter to fit properly into the body. Before inserting the lighter into the body, check that the flint is free in place. If necessary, insert a new flint. Assemble the lighter and check whether it opens and closes properly.

Tip 3: How to make a panel of poplar fluff with a picture of a kitten

Poplar fluff is an annual scourge of cities where poplars are planted in large numbers. During the period of his “departure” there is no escape from him anywhere! If you show your imagination, you can use poplar fluff with benefit and pleasure - for example, to make authentic panels. Soft and shaggy white fluff is beautiful natural material for creativity!

You will need

– thick dark paper – the basis of the panel; ideally, black velvet paper or cardboard, but it is also possible to use a dark blue, dark chestnut or dark green base;
– a photograph or picture of a kitten;
– Blank sheet paper and a sheet of copy paper;
– chalk or white pencil;
- scissors;
- glue stick;
– small cosmetic tweezers;
– clean and dry poplar fluff, cleared of seeds;
– frame with glass (optional).

Instructions

1. Place a carbon copy and a photograph or picture on a blank sheet of paper. Transfer the silhouettes of the kitten onto a blank sheet of paper, not forgetting about the eyes, nose, and mouth. Cut out the resulting silhouette; Use small scissors to carefully cut out the eyes. The result was a sample for the panel.

2. Place the sample on a dark base, with the support of chalk or a white pencil, outline the silhouettes of the sample, carefully draw the silhouettes of the eyes.

3. First make the kitten's eyes. Flagella made of poplar fluff are used to create silhouettes. To make them, you need to take a small ball of fluff, stretch it and roll it between your fingers until it becomes a rope. Apply a small amount of glue to the eye area and carefully apply the poplar flagellum along the silhouette. To make the pupils, roll small balls and secure them with glue inside the eye silhouettes.

4. The body and head of the kitten are made like this: the silhouettes are outlined in the necessary places with glue, and then fluff flagella are applied. Inside the silhouettes, the surface of the base is also smeared with glue, and after that, with the help of tweezers, fluff is laid out. The more fluff, the whiter and shaggier the kitten will be. The muzzle is two loose balls rolled from fluff. You can “draw” the nose by spreading the fluff to the sides reverse side tweezers or the tips of scissors. The whiskers and claws on the paws are made from flagella.

5. Last but not least, you can create a landscape: grass, clouds, etc. In order to secure the image, and also to prevent the panel from collecting dust, it is recommended to insert it into a decorative frame with glass.

Video on the topic

Note!
In a similar way, you can make an image not only of a kitten, but also of another animal: a dog, a bunny, polar bear and other white animals, and not only animals - whatever your imagination tells you!

Currently, the production of candles at home has become famous. The necessary thing for this is a wick. It can be extracted from ready-made, store-bought candles, but it is not always of great quality. Therefore, you can make the wick yourself.

You will need

Thick cotton thread (twine, rope or floss will also work) about 30 cm long
Salt – 2 tablespoons
Borax – 4 tbsp. l.
1.5 glasses of water
Soaking utensils
Utensils for melting wax
Paper clip

Instructions

1. Pour one and a half glasses of warm water into a cup or other container, dissolve 2 tbsp in it. spoons of salt and 4 tbsp. l. Boers. Soak the thread or tourniquet in this solution for 15 minutes.

2. After soaking, hang the thread on a line to dry clothes in a dry room. To ensure the thread is completely dry, let it hang for five days.

3. Melt the wax in a specially prepared container. Secure the thread with a paper clip. Dip it into melted wax 3-4 times. It is necessary that the future wick be completely covered with wax. After this, hang it again on the clothesline to dry. In a few minutes, your homemade wick will be ready.

4. To make a candle, cut the required length, not forgetting about the reserve. The finished wick can be stored rolled into a skein.

5. To create a colored fire, you can add one teaspoon of chemicals to the wick soaking mixture. Let's say, strontium chloride will give a red flame, table salt - clear yellow, borax - yellow-green, potassium nitrate - purple.

Video on the topic

Note!
When creating a wick with a colored flame, it is impossible to use several chemicals at the same time, because... this may cause a chemical reaction.

If you have oranges or lemons and indecent candles at home, then make genuine candles out of them to decorate your home and festive table. Their production will take just a little time, but the result will certainly please you.

You will need

– oranges or lemons;
– candles or paraffin;
- nylon thread.

Instructions

1. Cut the orange into two identical halves and carefully remove all the pulp with a spoon. You won’t need it much, so you can squeeze juice out of it or easily eat it. You can use not only this fruit, but also lemon, tangerine or grapefruit. The result is a half that looks like a saucer. Now take paraffin or candles, put them in a saucepan and melt them over low heat or in a water bath.

2. Make a wick from a piece of nylon thread; its length should be slightly larger than the height of your candle. You can take ready-made wicks from candles that have been melted, if they are suitable in height. Next, hold the wick in the middle of the “saucer” with one hand, and carefully pour melted paraffin into it with the other. It is necessary that a small piece of wick remains on the surface. Wait until the paraffin hardens, this usually takes a few minutes.

3. This candle looks amazing on the table and smells great. If desired, you can place a few clove stars or cinnamon slices along the edges of the peel. All that remains is to light a candle and have a romantic dinner. Do not forget to follow safety precautions when using a candle, be careful with fire.

Video on the topic

As you know, candles can be made at home. Basically they are all made from paraffin. Now I bring to your attention a water candle. Making it much faster and much easier. Go!

You will need

– water;
- sunflower oil;
– stack;
- candle;
- plastic bottle;
- stationery knife.

Instructions

1. First you need to cut out plastic bottle a circle equal to the diameter of the stack. After this, take a stationery knife and make a small hole in the middle of this circle.

2. The next step is to pull the wick out of the candle. This can also be done with the help of a stationery knife. After this, take a holed plastic circle and insert the wick into it. To do this, you can use a primitive pen rod.

3. Now pour water into the glass. After that, pour vegetable oil there. Its layer should not exceed 5 millimeters.

4. After this, we take a circle with a wick stuck into it and wipe it thoroughly so that there are no marks. Then we put it in a pile of water and vegetable oil. Your candle is ready! You can try to set it on fire. Is it burning? I think so! Good luck!

Helpful advice
The candle will stop burning when the oil runs out. If this happens, carefully pour it into the water candle, having previously pulled out a plastic circle with a wick.

Do you want to create romance in nature? But there is nothing at hand. You can create something unique from an old bowl and a candle. designer accessory, one that will delight you and your companions on a chilling evening.

You will need

– An old camping mug;
– Candlestick;
– Blue acrylic paint;
– Matches (toothpick);
– White acrylic paint;
– Transparent varnish for fixing.

Instructions

1. Take a mug, rinse, clean. Dry thoroughly. Cover with blue paint. Leave to dry for 2-3 days.

2. Using a match or toothpick, apply small white or yellow dots - these will be stars. Dry thoroughly.

3. Cover your product with clear varnish. Insert a candle inside. Ready! Enjoy the charming romantic mood while the candle wick smolders.

Gel candles add uniqueness and mystery to any interior. They will create a romantic atmosphere and serve as a nice present. Making gel candles with your own hands is very easy. If you have some imagination, they will turn out almost worse than those sold in stores. In addition, the production of candles - interesting process, to which children can also be connected.

You will need

Glass glass, small vase or flask
Decor: shells, pebbles, beads, etc.
1 tbsp. spoon of gelatin
1 tbsp. l. glycerin
1 glass of water
Mug or bowl
A saucepan with water for the steam bath
Pencil, pen or stick
Essential oil
Food coloring
Wick (you can make it independently, buy it ready-made, or extract it from an ordinary candle)

Instructions

1. Mix glycerin and gelatin in a mug or other container, pour into a glass cold water and leave for 1 hour. During this time, the gelatin will swell.

2. In a glass, the one that will later become a candle, put decorative elements, say shells. When you fill them with liquid, they may float, so you can glue them with superglue or pour a gel mixture into them and displace the air. Place the wick in the glass and secure it to a pencil or stick so that it stays level.

3. Heat the mixture in a steam bath until the gelatin grains are completely dissolved. You need to make sure that the solution does not boil.

4. After this, add a few drops to the gel mixture essential oil and dye. These ingredients are not essential and may not be used.

5. Carefully pour the mixture into a glass with decor, making sure that the wick remains in vertical arrangement. After this, you need to leave the candle for a while and let it harden.

6. Check and make sure the mixture is set. Gel candle ready with your own hands!

Video on the topic

Note!
The amount of essential oil should correspond to the size of the candle. You can add about 5 drops to a small glass.

Helpful advice
To speed up the hardening process of the candle, you can put it in the refrigerator.

The candle is one of the great inventions of mankind. For many millennia, it was necessary to somehow feed the burning lamps, pour melted fat or oil into them. Such a lamp had to be re-installed each time. It smoked strongly and the smoke was persistent bad smell. The invention of the candle eliminated all these inconveniences. Nowadays, candle making is more of a wonderful hobby - a way to realize your creative potential. One of the difficulties on the way to mastering this revived craft is precisely the manufacture of wicks.

What is it and what is it for?

Traditionally, a wick is a piece of fabric or thread of varying thickness and weave density. Its material absorbs flammable liquid and helps it rise up. From the molten liquid, even more flammable vapors spread between the fibers of the wick fabric and around it. The wick is easy to set on fire, the vapors and flammable liquid burn, illuminating the area around. But setting fire to the mass (oil or fat) in which the wick is lowered can be difficult, and sometimes impossible.

Thanks to the special design of the wick, kerosene or other highly flammable liquid (for example, alcohol) does not ignite immediately, and their combustion in more advanced burners can be controlled.

In a candle, the wick is impregnated with wax or paraffin. Thanks to the correct wick (material, density, thickness), the flame is even and illuminates the room without soot or flares. Paraffin or wax gradually melts into a liquid state, is absorbed into the fabric and feeds the flame with flammable vapors. This way the candle gradually burns out, remaining stable enough not to completely melt.

Thanks to correct selection The diameter of the candle and the thickness of the wick, as well as its exact position in the middle of the candle, result in a device for long-term and reusable use.

What are they made of?

Wicks for oil lamps were made from any absorbent fabric of plant origin. The oil or fat was placed in a shallow vessel. A twisted piece of fabric pre-soaked in the same flammable liquid was placed at its edge. For lack of anything better, these were, in general, passable lamps. However, they still had quite a lot of shortcomings. Firstly, such a bowl with a burning wick is difficult to move - it is easy to spill melted fat, and even more so oil. Secondly, the flame of such a lamp constantly smoked. And the fat also gave off a very noticeable unpleasant odor. However, just like that lighting fixtures often used by whalers in distress or Arctic explorers at the beginning of the 20th century.

For candles, wicks began to be made from specially prepared thread or twine, also having vegetable origin. Unlike oil lamp flammable material now I began to act gradually, the opportunity arose to pick up correct diameter and wick structure. In addition, the candle could now be moved, although quite carefully so as not to extinguish the flame with the flow of air.

For candles, a wooden wick is made from foundation (specially processed wax)- a splinter, simply a dried sliver. Of course, it must be prepared in a special way. The splinter must be taken well dried, then it must be impregnated with wax and only then rolled into foundation. Such a candle, if all the parameters are selected correctly, burns evenly and for quite a long time.

Modern candles can be equipped with a reusable wick. The candle and fuel material are burned, but the wick remains and can be used to make a new candle. The material for such, one might say, eternal wick is fiberglass. In this case, the spark plug has to be replaced. This approach may be justified for decorative candles having a complex shape.

Sometimes the wick of a purchased candle also needs to be replaced. One of the reasons for the emergence of such a need may be non-compliance with the wick preparation technology, first of all, its insufficient drying. It happens that this element does not quite correspond to the candle for which it was used. For example, a thread that is too thick can form a carbon ball at the end and will smoke heavily. Or it turned out to be thin, and the flame is filled with melt.

To replace the wick you need to prepare a small set of tools:

needle nose pliers;
paper napkins;
wire;
You may need a soldering iron.

Most often, you can remove the wick quite easily; you just need to hook the edge of the metal cup, which is found in many candles, or pull the protruding end of the wick. But difficulties may also arise. In this case you can use heated wire, it must be held with pliers. And heat over a flame, for example from gas stove. The wire must be immersed in the candle at the place where the wick comes out, and then pulled out. Turn the cooling wire and remove it too. A new thread can be inserted into the resulting hole. To do this, you can again use a piece of wire. The new wick needs to be glued to it. The end free from the thread must be heated again and pulled through the candle, so that the glued thread takes the desired position. Next, all that remains is to trim off the protruding ends. The wick should protrude 6–8 mm.

How to choose the thickness?

Still, the main material for wicks for centuries has been cotton or linen thread. Selection of its parameters, as practice shows, is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.

It is important to consider the thickness and structure of the thread. If it turns out to be too thin, the flame will be weak, and such a candle will give little light. A thread that is too thick will contribute to the formation of large soot and, in addition to light, will also create a lot of smoke, and the candle will burn out much faster.
The density of the material also matters. During combustion, the space between the fibers must be filled with flammable vapors; they are the ones that support the flame. So, for a wax candle you need a thread that is thicker, but less dense, compared to the wick for a paraffin or stearin candle.
The diameter of the candle can also be a significant parameter influencing the selection of the wick. It would seem that a thicker candle should be equipped with a thicker wick. However, this is not at all true. A strong flame will cause intense melting of the top layer of combustible material of the candle mass, the wick will be flooded with melt and the flame will go out.

It is, of course, possible to correctly maintain the ratio of the material and diameter of the candle with the indicators of the wick. In an industrial environment, where everything is standardized, errors are virtually eliminated. For various candles, specially prepared thread of various knitting, thickness and density is supplied. But in the case self-made you will have to go through the thorny path of trial and error.

How to make it yourself at home?

The most commonly used material for candle wicks is cotton thread. It can be twisted, braided or crocheted, thus expanding the application options for different candle masses and candle diameters. Moreover, threads can be woven with different densities, and this, as mentioned above, is very important, since the molten masses from which candles are made behave differently.

For a candle with a diameter of 2 to 7 cm, a wick of 10–15 threads is usually used. If the diameter of the candle is close to 10 cm, 25 threads will be required. A product exceeding 10 cm in diameter must be equipped with a wick of 30 threads.

When making a wick at home, of course, you will have to rely on your experience, which does not develop immediately. Like any hobby, candle making (and especially wick making) requires patience.

When making a candle, it is important to place the wick clearly in the middle, otherwise the product will float unevenly and burn faster than required. It is convenient to use a plastic glass or any other hollow plastic product as a casting mold. In this case, you need to make a hole in the lower part and, after tying a knot on the wick, insert its second end into this hole from below. Pull it into the upper part of the future candle, secure it by tying it to some kind of spacer, for example from a toothpick or pencil. You should pour the molten candle mass carefully, being careful not to dislodge the wick.

The finished candle should be removed from the mold after the candle mass has completely hardened; this can be determined quite simply by the temperature of the surface of the mold. While it is hot, it is better not to touch the candle.

Required impregnation

Creating a wick is not only about making a thread of the required density and thickness. In order for her to become a candle wick, she must be prepared for this. So that the wick does not burn out immediately, but performs its function, the thread must be soaked.

In the case of a wax candle, sometimes impregnation with the same molten wax is sufficient. The wax is melted over a fire in an enamel plate. The thread is placed in a plate and allowed to soak. The procedure must be repeated three to four times until air bubbles no longer appear in the liquid wax. Then it must be hung until the wax has completely hardened. The thread for storage can be loosely wound on a bobbin, laying layers of paper. It is better to store in a cool place so that the wax does not spread. When necessary, you can use scissors to cut the pieces to the required length.