Making Your Own Incense by Tina Sams & Maryanne Schwartz

Author:Tina Sams & Maryanne Schwartz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 1999-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

You will need saltpeter only when making combustible cones and sticks. Smudge sticks, which are composed of papery dried herbs, will burn on their own and do not need any additional form of pyrotechnics. Loose noncombustible incense is burned on charcoal blocks. Loose combustible incense contains powdered charcoal and does not need any additional saltpeter.

The recipes we’ve found state that saltpeter should comprise no more than 10 percent by weight of an incense mixture. When we follow this guideline, however, our incense does not always burn all the way down. We now think that the best rule is to add saltpeter so that it comprises slightly less than 10 percent by volume. This is less precise but easier to accomplish, especially since most people do not have access to a scale sensitive enough to measure down to of an ounce. We keep track of how many “parts” go into the mixing bowl and then add saltpeter in the amount of a little less than 10 percent by volume. For example, if there are 9 parts (or 9 teaspoons) in the bowl, then we use a pinch less than 1 part (or slightly less than 1 teaspoon); if there are 7 parts in the bowl, we use a pinch less than ¾ part. Measuring like this takes a bit of practice. A touch too much means the incense burns too fast. A lot too much means it will explode — so if you’re making up your own recipes, be careful!

The amount of saltpeter called for in our recipes should be correct, although saltpeter can lose its “oomph” as it ages. If you have followed our instructions and your incense doesn’t seem to burning properly, the saltpeter you’re using may be old. Try using more in your next batch or finding a fresher batch of saltpeter.

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