Charcoal discs are used for burning incense resins (such as frankincense or myrrh) and loose incense (blends of herbs and natural resins). When I first started into this path, I was told by someone that discs like this contain nasty, unhealthy chemicals, and I should only use natural bamboo charcoal bricks. However, I've had such a hard time finding those for myself, much less at reasonable price for our business! Finally, I realized that I was taking this on one person's word and not doing my own research. Once I did the research, I found out this was absolutely not true of all brands.
Swift Lite Charcoal has been in business in England since 1957 and was formulated specifically for the incense market, as, at the time, it was difficult to find easy to use charcoal for such purposes. Swift Lite discs are compressed charcoal produced from sustainably harvested fruit wood and blended with a very small amount of gunpowder. (This is what helps them ignite quickly when natural incense take quite a while to light.) Because of this, it is advised that you light the charcoal with a long match or long-neck lighter.
To use the charcoal for incense, it is advised that you place the lit charcoal on a bed of sand, salt, or ash. Less advisable is placing it on a metal dish which is, itself, on a non-flammable surface. Gemstone chips and glasses are not advised as they can sometimes explode when exposed to high heat. Once your lit charcoal is safetly in place, you can either scoop herbs directly onto it for intense smoke, or you can make a small cup of foil, set that onto the coal, and then scoop herbs into that cup, making for a less intense smoke and longer-lasting incense. It is advised that you let the charcoal disc burn out completely instead of attempting to extinguish it. If you need to extinguish it, drench it in a container of cold water. Do not leave a lit coal unattended for any reason. It is advised that you use a pair of incense tongs to hold the coal while lighting.
All items ship from our booth at the 400 Market in Innisfil, Ontario. All our prices are inclusive of sales tax within Canada.
