incense, again

[formerlyfb]

Incense sticks are extremely sensitive to humidity levels.  I have to redo the entire batch I made yesterday.  They dried far too fast, and I didn't get to bundle them (thanks for that wonderful idea, Tris!) before they bent, like strung bows.  oh well, and just when the skin on my hands was beginning to return to "skin" color.

Comments

[dohmnaill]

I have always wanted to make stick incense, but was never sure how. I was intimidated by the procedure of getting it to stick to the sticks. You just gave my another reason not to try.
NJ's humidity is hard to overcome.

[formerlyfb]

Or lack of humidity, in this case. :{

I don't make the kind of incense that uses bamboo sticks. That might be easier, but to my nose, the smell of the burning wood interferes with the incense smell. I make a dough out of makko powder, which doesn't have a smell of its own (at least that I can detect), and the incense ingredient-in this case, saffron. Then, I use a clay extruder to form the sticks themselves. I just have to get the timing right, between the dough being so soft that the sticks would glom together, and being so dry that they can't be bundled without breaking. My guess is, that in August they will have to sit for a day or two before I can bundle and tie them.

[dohmnaill]

Huh. I wouldn't have thought of doing it that way.

That would seem to bypass the "too thick burning stick issue" as well as finding a "glue" to keep it all together. I made a few attempts long ago, but then resolved myself to burning powdered blends on coals.

[tryst_inn]

Always glad to be of help, sorry they dried too fast!