How to use wickless wax sticks
Wickless wax sticks are a simple way to make beautiful wax seals. In this blog post I’ll show you exactly how to make wax seals using wickless wax sticks. Sealing wax comes in may forms, sticks with wicks, small beads, but wax stick without wicks are my favourite. They’re easy to use, good value, and a really reliable way to make beautiful wax seal every time.
Materials for making wax seals
To make your wax seals you’ll need:
a spoon to melt into,
paper or an envelope to seal,
paper towel or scrap cloth to clean your spoon, and
a candle as your heat source.
Tip: It’s best to use a tea light candle, rather than a candle in a glass jar, as you want your spoon to be able to get close to the flame.
In this example I used the Charcoal Black wickless wax stick, French Bee stamp, wooden handled spoon, and paper from the Marquis ephemera pack.
Using wickless wax sticks
Step 1:
Arrange the paper you want to seal, and any other elements, like string or flowers. You want to do this before you start melting your wax, because once the wax is hot you’ll need to move quickly. Wax can sometimes leave a residue through thin papers. To avoid damaging surfaces use a piece of waxed kitchen paper or a heat proof mat under the area you want to seal.
Step 2:
Holding your spoon close to the flame, but not touching, gently press the wax stick into the bowl of the spoon. Keep your fingers on the end of the wax stick, away from the flame as much as possible. If your wax stick is quite short check the tips at the end of this post. Gently move the spoon from side to side. The aim is to provide an even, gentle heat. If the flame is touching the bottom of the spoon it will blacken, and quickly overheat the wax at the bottom while the rest of the stick remains solid.
Step 3:
When the wax fills a standard size spoon almost to the top gently remove the wax stick, scraping the bottom along the side of the spoon to let any extra wax stay in the spoon. Depending on the size of your seal and spoon you’ll need to adjust the amount to wax. For a standard size seal and spoon like this you’ll need it half to three quarters filled for a single seal. Set your wax stick aside. It will quickly cool and harden so there is no wastage. Resting it on wax paper while it cools will make it easy to remove.
Step 4:
Check that your wax is not smoking or bubbling. If it is smoking hold it away from the flame for a few seconds to cool before you pour, otherwise the wax will be too soft and runny. If there are bubbles in your wax hold the spoon away from the flame and using a matchstick or paperclip gently stir the wax. This will smooth the bubbles so they don’t transfer to your seal and create imperfections.
Step 5:
Pour the wax onto your chosen spot, trying to achieve a circle slightly smaller than the head of your seal.
Step 6:
Set your spoon aside and immediately take your seal and press it firmly into the centre of the pool of wax. The wax will squeeze out the sides as you press down. After 3 seconds of pressure you can take your hand away from the stamp, but leave the stamp in place until the wax has completely cooled. Which usually takes around 30 seconds, depending on the temperature of your room.
Step 7:
When the wax has cooled gently lift the stamp away. If there’s resistance wait a couple of seconds extra to be sure it has fully cooled.
Step 8:
Your seal is complete! If you’d like to highlight the design to really make it stand out gently brush or draw along any raised sections with a metallic ink.
Tips for using wickless wax sticks
How to manage a very short wax stick
If your wax stick is quite short and it’s too hot for your fingers you can carefully cut the stick into pieces with a sharp kitchen knife on a chopping board. However I avoid this method as much as possible. Depending on the density of your wax and sharpness of your knife it can be a dangerous to cut like this. Also it is difficult to judge how much to cut which can lead to wastage. The alternative is to pre-heat the spoon over the flame without the wax stick pressed into the bowl. Then move the spoon to a height which is a more comfortable heat for your fingers and press the wax stick into the bowl with the tip on one finger. It may take a little longer to melt the wax, but it’s always best to be safe.
How to clean a wax melting spoon
To clean your wax melting spoon make sure it is warm and any remaining wax in it is completely melted. Then carefully wipe it clean with a paper towel or scrap of cloth. Ensure the material you choose is folded over a few times to protect your fingers as the spoon will be hot. One piece of paper towel or cloth can be reused many times, as the wax will cool quickly and set hard. Alternatively you can leave remaining wax in the bowl of the spoon and simply re-melt it when you next make a seal. This can result in interesting colour combinations if you have different coloured wax, or it can increase the number of stamps you can make from a single stick by reducing wastage between stamp-making sessions.
Have a wax seal related challenge or question?
Contact us with your suggestions for future blog posts, we’d love to hear from you.
