Newbie Wick Problems

Hi all!
I've recently started making candles (well, trying to make candles). I'm having problems with wicks.
I'm using IGI 4627 Wax. Lebermuth FOs. 12oz Status Jars. (2.75in diameter) and HTP wicks as suggested by the wax supplier.
HTP 126 barely makes the melt pool to the edges of the jar but puts off a fair amount of soot and flickers a bit. HTP 105 and 104 doesn't soot or flicker but the melt pool never makes it the the edges of the container.

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!

When you say that the melt pool doesn't reach the edge of the jar, how long are you burning your candle and how many burns until you make your assessment?

I wick my jars, especially jars that are taller than wide to not necessarily burn to the edges until a few burns (usually 3-4 hours at a time) have happened.

When I first started making candles, about 5 years ago I was all over the place with waxes, jars and my testing wasn't centered and focused. I eventually found my way and found what I wanted my candles to look and burn like.

If I start a new wax I choose one jar and stick with it for my testing for consistency. I choose one kind of wick with about 4-5 sizes or three sizes of different kinds of wicks. I pour unscented and uncolored candles but be sure to mark those jars!!! My usual first test is 12-16 candles, each plain wax and marked for the different wicks.

I let them set up for a couple of days before I set them out with space between them on my dining table and light up. I keep a close log and check every hour, burning 3-4 hours at a time. I log what I see each wick doing in plain language.

I make no assessment until the candles are done burning and then I pick out which wicks are doing what I want them to do and those wicks (along with one smaller and one larger) become my wicks for that wax. THEN I pour scented and colored candles, three at a time. One with the wick that worked best in the plain wax, one smaller and one larger. Since these candles are scented it would be over powering to burn all three at once. I burn one at a time, sometimes back to back to test scent throw, again taking good notes. AFTER these candles are burned then I make my decision.

You just can't judge a candle on the first burn. It can be wonderful for the first three hours, but halfway down the melt pool gets too deep and the jar too hot.

Testing is tedious at best, maddening always and wicking is what makes us all a little nuts.

....welcome to the club!!

Chefmom, thanks for that great post! I'm just starting on the candle making road and this is invaluable information. I wasn't sure how to go about the testing phase so thanks!

It could be as simple as the wick you are using doesn't work very well with the wax or with the blend of wax and fragrances.

Try buying a sample pack of CSN and LX wicks and try those (I think CandleScience sells them). When I started out, I bought a pound of every wax on the market and every wick available until I found the ones that worked the best.