Extreme Newb Questions About Candle Molds

[The15thMember]

I got my first candle making supplies in the mail today.  I'm planning on making some for Christmas, and I got supplies to make tealights and my first candle mold, a pillar candle with Christmas trees around the base.  I've got some "dumb" questions about how to use the pillar mold. 

1. My mold has a slit in the one side but not in the other, and most of the molds I've seen on people's YouTube videos seem to have 2 slits, one on each side.  Is mine deliberately like this?  Or should it have 2 slits? 

2. It seems really easy to rip the silicon.  How do you not split the whole mold down the side accidentally?  Or doesn't it matter if you do? 

3. I forgot to get a wicking needle.  Stupid, stupid me, I'm totally mad at myself about this, because now to order one I'll have to pay the same amount as the needle or more to ship it.    Is there anything I can use instead of a wicking needle?  If not, any ideas about where I can get one for minimal shipping? 

[cao]

3.  As far as a wicking needle, I just use a piece of wire bent in half.  As long as the wire is small enough it will work.  A paper clip can do in a pinch. 

2.  The only silicon mold that I have is for the skep votives.  It doesn't have any slits.  You have to do quite a bit of stretching to get the candle out once cured.  The silicon is tougher than you think.

1.  The more slits the harder it is to align the mold so you don't see a seam.  I would think that you will be fine. 

[The15thMember]

Thanks so much, cao.  I'm very glad that I can make do without a needle. 

[BeeMaster2]

One of our molds has only one slit. Most of the other molds have 2. I would not add one. As mentioned, the less the better.
Jim Altmiller

[The15thMember]

One of our molds has only one slit. Most of the other molds have 2. I would not add one. As mentioned, the less the better.
Jim Altmiller

Thanks, Jim.  I'll definitely leave it as it is. 

[The15thMember]

Thanks for the reassurances both you.  The candle making went great.  I made 20 tea lights and the pillar, and they turned out so beautifully!
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[cao]