pros and cons of resin incense?

I recently bought some charcoal disks to use with my herbal incense and the shop included a list of various resins that they sell. I've never used resins before and I was curious as to what people thought of them.

fantastic - fantastic - and did I mention fantastic?!!

Copal is delicious on charcoal blocks. Just a little. Frankincense is great. Even sandlewood chips. Wonderful!! Also, mugwort for fun!! green or dried. But obviously not a resin!!

I haven't met a resin I haven't like. And that's the truth!!

Enjoy!

Annie
*S*

I Have resin and charcoal disks but I am unsure how to light to charcoal safely and which container to use. I decided to try it and I cracked the ceramic plate I light the charcoal disk on but luckily i lit it outside as I had a feeling i didn't trust it. I'd like to give it another try but unsure which is the best way to light them of which holder is safer.

I have stuck to using incense and smudge sticks as I find them safer andmy ash catcher picks up the mess left behind. Ive found moon incense tulasi to be my favourite.

I looove resin! My burner has a channel that I fill with the resin, no charcoal needed. To stop the burning I just have to make a break in the line of resin.

I use resins on occasion. I like them better than sticks or smudging, though it is a bit of a learning curve to get the burn properly. Anyone can burn charcoal and place resin right on the hot coals, but to get the slow burn (which seems to be the best result for my taste) takes a bit of practice.... I'm still no expert.

If you do it right, you can get resins to slowly boil (rather burning in a smokey inferno). The smell is better, longer lasting and (best of all) smokeless. It's like burning a candle or heating oils, and the scent is perfectly natural.

The charcoal burns HOT, so you have to place the resin near to the coal rather than right on it. Some people burn Japanese style, meaning that they burry the coal in ash, and place the resin on top of the ash, but I haven't figured out how to do this without extinguishing the coal. At one time I found extensive directions online about this, but still couldn't do it. It (according to the site I found) is considered an art in Japan much the same way that serving tea can be an art. Not just getting the coals to burn, but mixing the scents to create an atmosphere.... I can certainly see that this could be an art.

Because the coal burns so hot, I use a metal censure, and I place this metal censure on top of a ceramic dish or piece of slate (or the metal feet will burn whatever surface the censure is sitting on). It is all very hot, and should be used with extreme caution. It is easy to forget that it is burning because (again, if you are doing it right) there is no smoke or other visual cue to remind you that you have something burning. Because of this, I think it's more dangerous than a candle- it is very easy to leave the house without remembering that you have left something burning.

Another caution: the charcoal fumes are poisonous if you buy just any old charcoal (please don't use the stuff you use for a barbecue!). Even if you buy the good stuff, I'm not certain that I would burn it in small rooms or rooms that aren't ventilated.

-tb

I'm using quick light disks and the japanese ash in a thick pottery bowl. The bowl got warm to the touch but not overly so. Thanks for the warning about the fumes!
I think I might try a tin of the resin to see if I like it.

lunafae, you need at least two inches of sand or ash under the charcoal before you light it. Is your charcoal self lighting?

*rubs chin* Could one rig a small electric burner to apply heat to the resin?

I know it'd be much less asthetic, but we had electric burners in chemlab, when the open flame of a bunstien burner could be hazardous.

...Set a towel on fire in 10 minutes, set on max. They arent like the little mug warmers you get from the gift shop. However they are variable temperature, and for all intensive purposes, pretty much stay at what degree you set them at (more or less.... It goes out as they get older and abused)

I've been batting this idea around, because my room is so small and only has a quater of a window that can crack open for ventelation, I've made my self pretty sick before and it's kept me from any non self-burning insense.

Anyone think it would work/tried it? Or do you think that it'd be too hazardous and unnatural?

I love the pure smell of incense without the added aroma of the burning cow poo

lunafae said:

I Have resin and charcoal disks but I am unsure how to light to charcoal safely and which container to use. I decided to try it and I cracked the ceramic plate I light the charcoal disk on but luckily i lit it outside as I had a feeling i didn't trust it. I'd like to give it another try but unsure which is the best way to light them of which holder is safer.

I have stuck to using incense and smudge sticks as I find them safer andmy ash catcher picks up the mess left behind. Ive found moon incense tulasi to be my favourite.

Click to expand...

Lunafae, try filling your ceramic plate with sea-salt or clean sand first, then place the charcoal disk on top. It will provide a buffer between the charcoal and the plate. I use ceramics of all kinds, from fragile tea-cups to saucers for plant-pots, and everything in between...haven't lost a single piece yet!
Enjoy!
cara

yes they are self lighting they are abbey charcoal discs. I have some sea salt I could use. I have a small terracotta bowl somewhere perhaps it would retain the heat better. I will keep perservering as I love the smell of frankincense + the home needs a really good cleanse of energy.

I just found this online



Luna