DIY: Pine Pitch Candles & Torch
I’m using the term pitch to keep things simple, but in reality, sap, pitch, and resin are all just different states of the same substance. Sap is runny like honey, resin is the crystallized form, and pitch is the soft, sticky in-between stage.
When resin hardens, the turpentine (the flammable compound) has evaporated, so it won’t burn as well as the softer forms. It’s still incredibly useful, just not as flammable.
You can buy pine pitch online with a quick search, but if you’re surrounded by pine trees as I am, collecting it yourself may not be as easy as ordering it—but it is free!
What Pine Pitch Is Good For
Pine pitch (sap/resin) can be gooey or hard. The softer sap still contains turpentine, which makes it better for burning. Pine trees are the natural source of turpentine—an entire post of its own for another day.
Pine pitch can be used for:
-Simple candles for light and insect deterrence
-Waterproofing gear
-Primitive glue
-Salves (when heated, mixed with beeswax, applied, and left to set)
-Drawing splinters and debris from the skin
Making a pine pitch candle can be as simple as packing soft sap into a metal container and lighting it. A wick is optional.
Making a Pine Pitch Candle
There are a few ways to make a pine pitch candle. The simplest version is just a twig with the end split and packed with soft pitch. Since pitch is flammable, you don’t necessarily need a wick—although making a more traditional candle is easy.
Here’s how to make one:
-Melt the pitch in a heatproof tin or pot over a campfire or stove. Use something you won’t need for cooking later. Keep an eye on it—if it overheats, it can catch fire.
-Dip a cotton string in the melted pitch and let it dry straight. This becomes your wick.
-Attach the wick to the bottom of your container with a dab of melted pitch and let it harden.
-Fill the container with the rest of the melted pitch. Lay two sticks across the top to hold the wick upright as it cools.
-Let it harden, light it, and enjoy.
It really is that simple if you want it to be. I’ve even seen someone use an orange peel as the candle container—so get creative!
How to Make a Pine Pitch Torch
A pine pitch torch takes a little more work but is absolutely worth it:
-Choose a green branch for the handle. The moisture helps prevent it from burning.
-Remove any extra twigs or branches.
-Cut an X in the top, about 2" deep.
-Wedge a twig or small rock inside to keep it open.
-Collect pitch from knot holes or damaged areas. Avoid harming the tree when possible—remove only small areas of sap. Never strip the bark around the trunk; this can kill the tree.
-Press the pitch into the split at the top of the handle.
-Light and enjoy.
There’s an old saying:
“Wind from the east, sap flows the least;
Wind from the west, sap flows the best.”
—author unknown