Recent History of Candlemaking

Candles may seem like the same objects that our ancestors burned

, but in fact there has been some perhaps unexpected technology that has gone into creating what, today, we think of as candles.

At its most basic, a candle is a controlled fire. It is wax and a wick.

Wax is a lipid fat. Years ago, the most readily available source of fat was from butchered animals. It was called tallow. You had to cook the fat and strain it until what you were left with was clear oil. Candles were constructed usually by dipping. You hung a long string over a pole. Then you dipped both ends of the string into the tallow. You lifted it up, let the fat begin to solidify, and then you repeated the process. The result was a tapered candle. You wanted to use just enough wax to keep the candle burning over time - but no more. No one was making pillars or molded candles, because these would use up too much wax. The candles provided light in people's homes. They took a lot of work to make, and they smelled badly. These candles were not for decorative purposes.

In 1876 Herman Frasch, an American chemical engineer living the City of Brotherly Love (Philadephia), patented paraffin wax. While this was a fantastic invention for candlemakers, Herman Frasch is more well-known for his other inventions. He determined a way to extract sulfur from oil, which provided two benefits: purer oil and sulfur, a chemical needed to produce sulfuric acid.

Paraffin was a huge boon to candlemakers. It was white, translucent, and didn't have any odor. That is could be dyed and scented so easily is probably a big reason that the candle industry remained alive. Because, although paraffin was a much better alternative to tallow candles, the late 19th century provide a far superior lighting method to both: electricity. As predicted by Edison, the place of candles in society changed from being a necessity to a luxury.

It wasn't just better waxes that improved candles, but there are also better wicks. To understand the significance of this, you have to know a little bit more about fire. A fire is a chemical reaction that requires three things: heat, fuel, and oxygen. If you don't have all 3 then you can get smoke and smoldering, but no flames. Part of the magic of a modern candle is its ability to maintain the right balance.

The wax is fuel. And the air is full of oxygen. Yet a candle will just sit there until you provide the heat that is needed to light it. Once the candle is lit, the wax turns into liquid, which through capillary action, soaks up into the wick and continues to provide the right amount of fuel to the fire. If the wick is too short, then the flame can be drowned really. if the wick is too long, then the fuel cannot be pulled up the wick fast enough. The part of the wick without fuel is still very hot, and still has plenty of oxygen. But with no fuel, it doesn't burn it just smolders and smokes.

The wicks of old needed to be trimmed regularly - quite often, in fact - to keep them at the right height. The wicks of today, however, are self-trimming. They curl just enough so that the end falls off right as the wick would be getting too long to carry enough fuel to keep the flame going. And you thought the candle was low-tech!

Recent History of Candlemaking

By: Mary Martha Deane

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