Trimming a Lamp

An oil lamp requires age-old maintenance techniques.

An antique or antique-looking oil lamp adds immeasurable charm, as well as soft light, to your interior. Typically composed of a wick, a base and a glass chimney, an oil lamp contributes a sense of history to the most modern of spaces. Historic appeal requires mastering old-fashioned care techniques. The wick of an oil lamp must be routinely trimmed to help ensure a steady flame. Trimming a lamp is a centuries-old tradition.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp scissors

Instructions

1. Twist the lever or knob that controls the wick to expose about an inch of wick.

2. Snip off between 1/8 and 1/4 inch of the top of the wick. Cut straight across to produce a safe, modest flame height.

3. Shape the wick tip to achieve different flame effects. Trim a flat wick to a point to get a flame with a peaked appearance. Round off the top for a crowned flame. Create two points at the top for a double flame. These techniques will not work if your wick is round rather than flat.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure the lamp is cool before you begin. Otherwise, burns to skin may result.

• The flame height of an oil lamp should not be greater than 3/4 inch.

References

• Lamplight: Product Information: Lamplight Directions
• The Lampworks: The Lamp Wick