On first burn, let wax reach a full melt pool to avoid tunneling. (around 2 hours) with every consecutive burn, keep wick trimmed to about 1/8 - 3/16” inch. do this by pinching off the curled bits of the black, not the entire black portion! it is natural for the flame to dip in and out on different burns, so long as it does not fully go out. for best results, use a long lighter (hold it to the wick for about 5 seconds) to properly fuel the flame. remember, patience is key here! wood wicks take time to maintain as they are essentially mini fireplaces. :)