# Trace, How thick do you go?



## BMWRTMike (Aug 2, 2014)

So I have a few loafs of CP under my belt. I have had one batch in particular that i poured at a thin trace have really bad soda ash. I had done some reading and found that it may be from the thin trace. I notice a lot of people go to a pretty thick trace. I am wondering how thick most people go?

Thanks


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## Lion Of Judah (Aug 2, 2014)

thin trace is not really the culprit . you can get it in any instance . it appears on surfaces that comes in contact with air .  while it may be unsightly to some { maybe more than some } soap makers it is really harmless and can be cleaned off by steaming the area , some bevel it off , and other methods exist as well . the best way to reduce the chances of it happening is to cover the top after you sprayed it with some alcohol . 
"
*What is it?*
Soap makers have traditionally believed that it is sodium carbonate  formed by the free sodium from the sodium hydroxide (lye) and carbon  dioxide in the air. Other soap makers have theorized that it's actually  microcrystalline powdered soap residue.
 					Soap making guru Kevin Dunn, author of Scientific Soapmaking  recently did some extensive tests on ash and has confirmed that it is  indeed sodium carbonate. Among the clues he used to test his hypothesis  were that it was soluble in water and that it only occurred where the  soap came in contact with air."  : taken from http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/a/What-Is-Ash-On-Soap.htm


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## BMWRTMike (Aug 2, 2014)

Thanks. I understand about ash and how to clean it. I was just wondering how thick is the norm?


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## IrishLass (Aug 2, 2014)

I. for one, like to pour at med-thick trace. I can relax more knowing that I mixed everything well and good.


 IrishLass


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## Susie (Aug 2, 2014)

Same as IrishLass.  Med-thick.  But, I do single color, no swirls soaps, so I just need it thin enough to flatten out on top.  No thinner.


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## Ellacho (Aug 2, 2014)

It's all depending on the type of soap I make that day. 

If I am going to swirl with two or more colorants, I pour the soap into the mold at light trace - still liquidly. But when I am making a batch of plain soap (one colorant or none), then I prefer a little more thicker trace - a  consistency similar to pudding/yogurt.

As for any milk, alcohol, juice or honey soap(even certain EO/FO), it traces much quicker, so I try my best to pour it at light trace.


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## Obsidian (Aug 2, 2014)

If I'm doing swirls I'll pour at a light trace but if its just a single color, I'll pour when thicker.


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## PinkCupcake (Aug 2, 2014)

I usually pour at a fairly light trace. My main basic recipe is slow to trace, so when I just barely get to trace, I'm tired of mixing and ready to pour.


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## Dorymae (Aug 2, 2014)

Usually I try to pour at thin trace, sometimes that is not possible.  I start adding additives as soon as emulsified so just before trace, but with the wrong fragrance it can go from nothing to medium or thick (or worse) in a few swirls of a spoon.


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## Seawolfe (Aug 2, 2014)

I always seem to go to thicker trace than intended


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## jules92207 (Aug 2, 2014)

I pour as soon as I think its well blended and won't seperate. Sometimes my fo's dictate trace though.


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## VeronikaM123 (Aug 3, 2014)

Hey, my question is: is the quality of trace important at all for the final result? Or is it mainly necessary / useful for the various methods of soapmaking ( swirls, mixing colours etc.)??
I understand it is necessary to have thin trace if you want to do swirl etc. 
But if not, what is the difference between a medium trace and a thick trace? I mean in the final soap? Does it affect it??


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## jules92207 (Aug 4, 2014)

I would only caution too thick may leave gaps, holes, not smooth, etc. You want to still be able to pour it but getting too thick it could mess with the overall look of the soap. Other than that it really doesn't matter to me when I soap if its thick or thin. Too thin though and I find I get more bubbles when I pour. You just have to find the right level of trace you like and the rest is all debateable.


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## VeronikaM123 (Aug 4, 2014)

jules92207 said:


> I would only caution too thick may leave gaps, holes, not smooth, etc. You want to still be able to pour it but getting too thick it could mess with the overall look of the soap. Other than that it really doesn't matter to me when I soap if its thick or thin. Too thin though and I find I get more bubbles when I pour. You just have to find the right level of trace you like and the rest is all debateable.





OK, cool, great!


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## Susie (Aug 10, 2014)

jules92207 said:


> I would only caution too thick may leave gaps, holes, not smooth, etc. You want to still be able to pour it but getting too thick it could mess with the overall look of the soap. Other than that it really doesn't matter to me when I soap if its thick or thin. Too thin though and I find I get more bubbles when I pour. You just have to find the right level of trace you like and the rest is all debateable.



^Exactly this!


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## Lindy (Aug 10, 2014)

I pour at a medium thin trace...


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## raywitt001 (Aug 14, 2014)

My first batch of soap (read: I had no clue what should happen) didn't trace after 2 mins of the stick blender so I figured I should just pour it out (I used a square silicone cake pan).  I kept stirring it every 5 mins and it gradually became thicker to the point I could swirl a pattern on the top (hold its shape) after almost half an hour.  This was a 100% CO soap with a total of 3% EO blend (Eucalyptus and Tea Tree).
My second batch of soap was as above but I added 1% weight dried Lemon Myrtle to the warm oil and steeped for an hour before mixing the batch.  It traced to (what I think is medium) within 30 seconds of stick blending and after adding the same EO's and blitzing again it was thick and gloopy.  This time I used individual square silicone moulds to set the soap, and found when I popped them out that there are some bubbles and bits missing around the edges as the mix was too thick - if it has poured, it would have set solid but because I had to spoon it in, it left air gaps.  I don't mind it - but if it had been thinner then the bars would have been a solid, perfect block.  I know for next time if it gets that thick I should use a skewer to swirl through each to remove any air pockets - see, I learned something!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Aug 15, 2014)

On the subject of bubbles, some people have found that soaps that can get rather warm tend to have these bubbles where the silicone is - with other moulds it's not so much of an issue though. 

As to the original subject, I prefer hp so I have fewer options with when to pour ;-)

In cp, I prefer medium so I know it's done but it lays flat. I usually end up missing that point and find it is too thick which makes the top look funny


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## shunt2011 (Aug 15, 2014)

I generally just mix until emulsified.  Then I separate out my portions for colors and mix then stir with a spatula until it's the desired thickness I am looking for.   I add my fragrance to my oils before the lye/water/milk solution.   This way I have a bit more control over how it turns out.   I use silicone lined wooden molds and rarely get air bubbles.  I usually have smooth shiny loaves and I do gel all my soaps.


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## dixiedragon (Aug 15, 2014)

I generally mix mine until about medium trace, just b/c I'm a bit wary of thin traces.


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