How to Make Stick and Cone Incense

This article will teach you how to make your own stick and cone incense. The process is very difficult but when done correctly the result is well worth it.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gum tragacanth
• Warm water
• Bowl
• Whisk or egg beater
• Mortar or grinder
• Small kitchen scale
• Potassium nitrate
• Ground charcoal (not self-igniting)
• Wax paper
• Homemade wooden or bamboo splints, broom straws, or very thin twigs
• Sandalwood, ground
• Sandalwood, essential oil

1. Gum tragacanth glue is the basic ingredient in this homemade molded incense. It's expensive but a small amount will last for months. You can find it at herb stores. To make Tragacanth glue place a teaspoon of the ground gum tragacanth glue in a glass of warm water. Mix thoroughly until dissolved. To help this process, place mixture in a bowl and whisk or beat it. All ow the tragacanth to absorb the water until it becomes a thick bitter-smelling paste. The consistency needed depends on the form of incense you are going to make: stick incense require a thin mixture, while cone incense requires a thicker paste. Once you have made your tragacanth glue, cover it with a wet cloth and set it aside. The mixture will continue to thicken as it sits. If it becomes too thick simply add more water to it and stir thoroughly.

2. Now you need to make the incense base. For our purposes here, we are going to make Sandalwood incense. You will need 2-3 parts ground charcoal, 2 parts ground sandalwood and up to 6 drops of sandalwood essential oil. Mix dry ingredients until well blended. Add the essential oil and mix it with your hands. You want to create a powdered mixture with a fine texture.

3. Now using small kitchen scale, weigh the completed incense and add ten percent potassium nitrate. Example: if yo've made ten ounces of incense, add one ounce of potassium nitrate. Mix this until the white powder is thoroughly blended.

4. Next, add the tragacanth glue. It is important to do this one teaspoon at a time, mixing with your hands in a large bowl until all the ingredients are wet. For cone incense you want a stiff dough-like texture. For stick incense you'll want the mixture to be wet but still thick.

5. For cone incense on a piece of wax paper shape the mixture into basic cone shapes. Let them dry for two to seven days in a warm place. Your cone incense is now complete.

6. For stick incense dip your chosen stick into the mixture. Hold them upright for a few seconds and then dip them again. You may need to do this several times. When the sticks are thick enough, poke them into a piece of clay or other material to keep them standing upright. Allow them to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• For stick incense the trick is fiing the right thickness of the mixture.
• Another way to make stick incense would be to make a thicker incense/glue mixture, roll it out flat on wax paper and then roll it around your stick of choice.
• When making stick incense, the mixture on the stick should not be more than twice as thick as the stick itself.