PHASE 2. MANUFACTURE OF "SAMAS"
The long wax cord that contains the wick and is used to produce the candles is called "shamas". During "shamas" production, the pure beewax is melted in a large cauldron ("tavas") and mixed with paraffin in proportion 50-50. Then, a large special structure is used that is contains two large cylinders ("tulumba") and a small pot between them, full of melted wax mixture. The cotton wick is wrapped around alternately between the two cylinders and during this process it passes in through the pot with the melted wax and is covered with an increasing thickness of wax layer. This procedure is repeated several times from one cylinder to another until the cord obtains the desired thickness. The number of times depends on the desired thickness and ranges between 15 times for the thinest to 30 for the thickest. At last the cord is gathered in small coils ("kiska") and stored in closed containers.
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