humanity since the discovery of fire to look for ways to maintain it.First, this function was performed by the torch, which burned resin.It was poured into the recess of the handle of the timber.However, the torch was short-lived due to the erosion of the handle.The resin began to pour in clay and glass vessels.Along with the resin burned animal and vegetable fats.And in the burning material fell a piece of moss, a bunch of fiber plant, and then a piece of string or a strip of cloth.This marked the beginning of the prototype of the wick wicking fixtures.
history lamp
first lamps did not differ perfection.They smoked badly, and the light from them was weak and often quenched.
Later pottery bowl turned into a closed kettle, the spout of which is passed to the wick.So there was an oil lamp, a few hundred years has become the best source of illumination.Its flame was brighter, but by burning lamp smoked.Soot has helped to overcome the invention of the glass tube.
History candles
other descendants of the torch is a candle.At first candles were made of wax or fat.They appeared in the X century AD.The easiest manufactured tallow candles.The wick dipped in melted fat, removed, lard it froze.And this procedure was repeated several times to create the desired thickness of the candle.Much later there special forms for candles, into which pour the melted wax or fat.
Light from tallow candle was a little, but a lot of soot.Because of this, the room is usually lit up at the same time several of these candles.Then it was invented chandelier - candle, has ramifications for fixing several products.
material to replace fat needed for a long time, but was found at the beginning of the XIX century.Was used for candles stearin, lard is an integral part.Thus was born the stearic candle.Once there, she immediately gained popularity, displacing greasy.It burned brighter, not giving a deposit and without dirtying hands.Stearin candles surpassed predecessor on all counts.And applied become ubiquitous.
much debate about which came first - a kerosene lamp or a candle stearin.Stearic acid, from which almost immediately began to make candles, was invented in 1816.Kerosene also replaced oil in the lamps only in the middle of the XIX century.
Properties candles
first material for the production of candle wax and paraffin served.Later we began to apply stearin.In stearin and paraffin, various physical and chemical characteristics that affects and differences in the materials made of suppositories.
Paraffin - a product of oil refining, which is a mixture of various hydrocarbons.A composition of stearin contains glycerol and stearic acid.It belongs to the esters.This led to different temperatures of melting: from paraffin - from 36 to 55 ° C, while the stearin at 55 to 72 ° C.This makes it harder products stearin, enabling better retain its shape.At this temperature stearic candle flame reaches 1500 ° C, and paraffin - 1400 ° C.
When candle production almost do not use paraffin and stearin in pure form.Rather, they are mixed in different proportions.Stearine candles typically used, the composition of which - 96% of palm oil and 4% wax.
Differences
How to distinguish the wax from stearic candle?The life of stearin, paraffin distinguished by the use of alkali.When the alkali reacts with tallow, eventually obtained a soap that under the action of acid precipitated.Paraffin is neutral to alkaline solution, so nothing will change.
Stearin frequently serves as raw material for the manufacture of a variety of decorative products.
Making your own hands
If in the old days, candles were used in order to ensure the normal lighting of premises, today stearic candles more interesting take on the role of decorative elements, able to create a romantic and festive atmosphere.
Now in specialized stores selling a variety of items candle production, both simple and capture the imagination of its quirkiness and originality.At the same time these decorations is quite amenable to independent manufacturing using simple materials in the public domain.Create your own hands this element of decor does not require too great financial cost and does not take much time.At the same time, giving free rein to their unbridled imagination and putting in his work soul, you will create an unprecedented thing that is able to give joy to you and others.
Material
will perform miracles of stearin, paraffin or wax.People first begin creating candles is best to start experimenting with wax, since working with him is very simple.Paraffin or bought in a store or obtained from ordinary household candles in white or cinders.
stearin also easily obtained from ordinary soap.To do this, you need to rub soap on a coarse grater or nastrogat with a knife.Next, the resulting chips are put in a container made of metal, it is completely filled with water and sent to a water bath to melt.After dissolving the soap it is removed from the heat, after which the resulting composition is added to the vinegar.On the surface, the mass will be thick consistency, which is after the final cooling can be removed with a spoon.This substance is stearin.It should be washed with running water and wrapped in a clean cloth to remove excess moisture.
wick wick
best can serve as a thick cotton thread.You can use a twisted or woven floss.Artificial materials for the wick is absolutely not suitable, since burn quickly, emitting a foul odor at the same time.The easiest way to get from ordinary wick candles.
Form, dyestuffs, utensils
forms can serve a variety of containers.This may be a sand mold or cans of coffee.If required make decoration tapered upwardly or round, is necessary to take a container which is used as a mold, for example a ball of plastic.It is necessary to make a longitudinal section and make a hole in the upper part of the mold having a diameter of no less than ten millimeters to go unchecked could fill composition.
As dyes can be used wax crayons, food dyes or natural substances, such as cocoa.Dyes having as the basis of water or alcohol are not suitable.
will also need kitchen utensils: quite suitable pan or bowl small size.It is important that it is centrally located in a water bath.
Additional materials needed to make the beauty of your product.Furthermore, it is possible to use any flavors.The use of additional substances may only limit is your imagination.It can be beads, shells, sequins, and of the odors - cinnamon, vanilla, essential oils.
Progress
necessary to grind the raw material, which is selected for work and expose it to the water bath.When using household candle wick are removed.In the case of residues is already necessary to use candles to make them clean from the dark soot.Slowly stir the mass, achieve its complete melting.Prefab wick must be several times lower in weight, so that it is well impregnated.
The composition of the paint and you need to add flavor.When using wax crayons they must first be crushed by a fine grater.If you just use two or more colors can be achieved marble coloring.When the mass is divided into several parts, and they are painted in different colors, it is possible to manufacture multi-colored products.
forms that elected for crafts, lubricate with vegetable oil or a substance for washing dishes.To secure the end of the wick using a pencil, stick or toothpick.It is set on the form so that its free end ran about in the middle part and reached the bottom.To design was safer, free of the wick is provided with a sinker.
The form is filled with melted mass, after which you must wait until it completely hardens.Then plug is pulled out of the wick.When difficulties with extraction products must be immersed for a short time in the form of a container of hot water.
Stearin candles are decorated in different ways.You can place the dried flowers on the edges of the form and seeds.Then gently pour into her heated mass.To make coffee candle molds need to sprinkle the bottom layer of coffee beans, make them fill the liquid mass, and again put at the top of the coffee beans.Decoration of seashells, beads and sequins make, waiting for freezing the product and removing it from the molds.Fixing decorative elements takes place by means of adhesive.This stearin candle, a photo of which is shown above, a holiday for you and your loved ones.
