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Glass jar candles are a very popular type of mold to use when making candles, but are all glass candle jars created equal? Simply stated, no they are not.
Most people never even consider this. They assume since it is glass that it can withstand high temperatures and therefore must be a good candidate for use as a candle mold. Well this is true in many cases not necessarily all the time.
The reason there should be some consideration about the glass container used for glass jar candles is that not all glass candle molds are created equal. Some glasses are too thin and may crack when they get hot. Others may have unseen flaws in them that when they get too hot - may crack, spilling the molten wax and possibly creating a serious problem.
So you can see that there should be some concern with the type of glass that is used. Glass candle jar safety is so important that the US government department that has responsibility for writing standards (ASTM) for many materials and tests, has issued several ASTM standards on what constitutes a glass jar that can be used for candles. In other words it defines the safety requirements of glass jars that are made for candles.
Now, this really is not much of a concern if you purchase your glass jar candle molds from a reputable supplier. Most of these manufacturers make their glass jars so they meet these standards. This means that anything you purchase from them will be of high quality and safety. This also means that a nice little glass jar that you found at the local thrift shop may not be the best glass jar for your candle.
This means that you should be aware of this potential safety problem and consider ,well, the type of glass container you want to use for y our candles. They may be cheap, but they may not be the safest thing around either.
Now you may ask, can I re-use glass candle jars, that I know meet the ASTM standards? What if I simply clean out my old candle jars? Are they safe? Again, opinions differ here but the thing you need to be aware of is this - a glass jar that has been used may have scratches or chips. These are sources of flaws or weak spots, that when heated up could cause additional stresses which will only be relieved by braking and possibly causing a safety hazard.
Now that we covered safety, what are some of your choices for glass jar candles. The obvious one is size and shape and these options are pretty unlimited.
Another thing to look for, and maybe pay for it, is seamless glass jars. These are what the name implies – no seam on the side. (A seam is like the weld joint on a tin can. If you make a candle from something that has a seam, the candle will show it. A seam results from the process that is used to make the container.) Some candle seams can be eliminated by careful scraping and rubbing.
If you have a really big business or unique approach to candles, you may consider buying candle glass jars that have a design silk screened, frosted or embossed on the outer glass walls. You would need to buy these in large quantities or the price would be exorbitant. This is because most designs are custom made.
The bottom line is that you need to be careful with molds for glass jar candle jars. You have thousands of choices to choose from. You just need to make sure that you are well aware of the safety aspects of these glass containers, i.e., is a reputable supplier selling them?, do they meet ASTM standards? Or are you re-using some old glass container that someday could suddenly crack and cause a big problem. The choice is up to you.
Carol Short is a candle making enthusiast who enjoys candle making, talking about candle making and teaching candle making. Her new ebook "Secrets To Scentsational Candle Making" shows you everything you need to know to make candles.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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