# Which soap cutter do you like best?



## purplecatsoap (Mar 12, 2013)

Hi all - I only make CP and HP soap in a log molds.  I am pretty new to this, and bought a wooden soap cutter, which is ok.  But I am wondering what soap cutters you like best.  I've been looking for one that I saw a picture of a while back, to cut logs......it had 8-9 wires on a handle that you could pull down and cut the log all at one time.  Sounds familiar to anyone?


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## Seifenblasen (Mar 12, 2013)

Yup, I contemplated getting one, but at the end I preferred my wooden "miter box" type cutter because I can control the thickness of individual bars.  Now if you are making and selling a ton of soap, then a wire cutter is definitely more efficient.


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## RocknRoll (Mar 12, 2013)

purplecatsoap said:


> Hi all - I only make CP and HP soap in a log molds.  I am pretty new to this, and bought a wooden soap cutter, which is ok.  But I am wondering what soap cutters you like best.  I've been looking for one that I saw a picture of a while back, to cut logs......it had 8-9 wires on a handle that you could pull down and cut the log all at one time.  Sounds familiar to anyone?


 I use the one you are talking about and LOVE it! However, I wish I did have more control over cutting just an end piece to check for hardness or cutting the bars into smaller pieces.....


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## S_S (Mar 12, 2013)

Rock&Royalty said:


> I use the one you are talking about and LOVE it! However, I wish I did have more control over cutting just an end piece to check for hardness or cutting the bars into smaller pieces.....



This may seem like a silly question but how easily do the wires go through the soap?  Do they need a lot of muscle to go through smoothly?


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## sue1965 (Mar 12, 2013)

I just bought the adjustable cutter box from Willow Way.  I haven't tried it yet but it looks well made and has an adjustable cutting shield.  Need to make my next batch to try it out


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## danahuff (Mar 12, 2013)

Are you thinking of this cutter? 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100417445/mod-2-solid-oak-baltic-birch-hdpe-soap

Also comes in one-inch:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100417274/mod-2-solid-oak-baltic-birch-high?


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## jcandleattic (Mar 12, 2013)

S_S said:


> This may seem like a silly question but how easily do the wires go through the soap?  Do they need a lot of muscle to go through smoothly?



you only need muscle on them if you let your soap sit too long before cutting. 
I have the hobby cutter from FCS and I LOVE it. I would rather have an open ended one, because sometimes I make longer logs, but eh, that's not a problem for me either.


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## serfmunke (Mar 12, 2013)

I love my free cheese slicer. Works perfectly once I marked the thickness I like my soaps to be cut at.


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## melstan775 (Mar 12, 2013)

Rock&Royalty said:


> I use the one you are talking about and LOVE it! However, I wish I did have more control over cutting just an end piece to check for hardness or cutting the bars into smaller pieces.....



Could you offset the loaf to where you gut it to get end pieces, or put just the end into the soap cutter, and use a book ro something to support the end to get an end piece?


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## RocknRoll (Mar 12, 2013)

S_S said:


> This may seem like a silly question but how easily do the wires go through the soap?  Do they need a lot of muscle to go through smoothly?


 not at all, it glides right through. I think it has good leverage.



melstan775 said:


> Could you offset the loaf to where you gut it to get end pieces, or put just the end into the soap cutter, and use a book ro something to support the end to get an end piece?


 Yeah i hadnt thought of that lol! :razz:


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## nebetmiw (Mar 12, 2013)

danahuff said:


> Are you thinking of this cutter?
> 
> https://www.etsy.com/listing/100417445/mod-2-solid-oak-baltic-birch-hdpe-soap
> 
> ...




I have his guilotine cutter love it.  Will be buying the one posted next.  Very well made and fast service.


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## Relle (Mar 13, 2013)

The soap cutter I love the best is the one dh made me for a Christmas present


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## purplecatsoap (Mar 13, 2013)

Thanks for all of the responses so far.  The picture I saw was from a post a while back and I can't find it now.  But I looked up the FCS ones and like how they appear.  Do you all find that wires break often?


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## jcandleattic (Mar 13, 2013)

purplecatsoap said:


> Thanks for all of the responses so far.  The picture I saw was from a post a while back and I can't find it now.  But I looked up the FCS ones and like how they appear.  Do you all find that wires break often?



I've had my FCS hobby cutter going on 8+ years and have only had 1 wire break and that is because I was dumb and tried to cut a very cold M&P log with it. LOL 
So I would say, no. Not very often at all.


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## TeriDk (Mar 13, 2013)

The Tank.  It's the best.


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## Moonshea Botanicals (Mar 13, 2013)

I so want this one:
http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20


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## Pepsi Girl (Mar 13, 2013)

Mine looks a lot like this one. But where I to do it over, and in fact I've hinted seriously to my son in law,  I want one more like the one from creekside soaps   I want the wavy/ straight soapcutter.


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## twinmom (Mar 13, 2013)

I love my soap cutter from Budhaffner on Etsy!!  I bought the mod 2 and it is such a time saver, not to mention nice smooth cuts and even bars!!!


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## Pepsi Girl (Mar 13, 2013)

TeriDk said:


> The Tank.  It's the best.




What is the tank?


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## jcandleattic (Mar 13, 2013)

Pepsi Girl said:


> Mine looks a lot like this one. But where I to do it over, and in fact I've hinted seriously to my son in law,  I want one more like the one from creekside soaps   I want the wavy/ straight soapcutter.



This looks a lot like the hobby cutter from FCS that I have. Like I said, I would love an open ended cutter (like the tank or one of those from Bud Hafner), but this one works, and I've gotten really good at cutting my 18" logs to where I have no waste.


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## Lindy (Mar 13, 2013)

This is the one I have

http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_9&products_id=24

Great quality but takes weeks to get it.


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## jcandleattic (Mar 13, 2013)

Lindy said:


> This is the one I have
> 
> http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_9&products_id=24
> 
> Great quality but takes weeks to get it.



yep, that's the one I have - but I've had it forever so i don't remember if back then it took that long or not. Probably. But I've had mine going on probably 9 years now? IDK a looooong time.


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## Lindy (Mar 13, 2013)

Mine took almost 6 weeks for them to ship....  It is a wonderful piece of equipment and very well made....


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## melstan775 (Mar 13, 2013)

Pepsi Girl said:


> What is the tank?



This: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






I fail to see what the big deal is about the tank. I'm sure its great for high production soapmakers, but I think Bud's or other similiar woodframe one would do just as well, like this one: 






It's $100. less then the tank. I like the flat cutter design better, but I like the idea of open sides for longer loaves.  I'm a ways off before buying one of these though. Here's Bud's Etsy shop, he has an M&P cutter now, too: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/budhaffner


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## Pepsi Girl (Mar 13, 2013)

jcandleattic said:


> yep, that's the one I have - but I've had it forever so i don't remember if back then it took that long or not. Probably. But I've had mine going on probably 9 years now? IDK a looooong time.



Yep that's it!  I have that one too!  And it took forever to get it.  I actually couldn't remember if I had ordered it, it took so long:grin:

Thanks Melstan I saw that one and immediately said no thanks! But that's just me.


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## nebetmiw (Mar 14, 2013)

The Tank was one of the first ones made. That is why it was such a big deal.  Not so much anymore as others have done it in cheaper materials.


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## jcandleattic (Mar 14, 2013)

melstan775 said:


> I fail to see what the big deal is about the tank. I'm sure its great for high production soapmakers, but I think Bud's or other similiar woodframe one would do just as well, like this one:



The main difference (but still probably not worth the money) is that over time the wooden ones can warp, crack or with continued use get raw soap on them and get ruined. 
The Tank you can easily get wet, wash, submerge in water to get really clean with no problems to the structure and without it getting ruined with continued use/abuse.  
Those are the main difference's. But as I said, someone not doing huge production would probably be just as well off with the less expensive one.


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## danahuff (Mar 14, 2013)

Now we're posting soap cutter porn?!


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## TeriDk (Mar 14, 2013)

Moonshea Botanicals said:


> I so want this one:
> http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20



Yep that's the Tank.  Wish I would have known about this before I wasted my money.


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## Paintguru (Mar 14, 2013)

Anyone know where you get the screws that tighten the wires?  I'm trying to build my own right now and that was one area I had to compromise on.


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## jcandleattic (Mar 14, 2013)

Paintguru said:


> Anyone know where you get the screws that tighten the wires?  I'm trying to build my own right now and that was one area I had to compromise on.



Try a music/guitar store. They will have them. 
Or Home Depot/Lowes might have something that is equivalent.


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## karol (Mar 14, 2013)

Another vote the the Tank!  By far the best investment I've made.


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## Lindy (Mar 14, 2013)

Paintguru said:


> Anyone know where you get the screws that tighten the wires?  I'm trying to build my own right now and that was one area I had to compromise on.



They are guitar tuning pegs and available through music stores or on-line.


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## purplecatsoap (Mar 14, 2013)

Wow - that Tank does sure look nice   But probably not good for a newbie like myself.  I need my training wheels first.

A question though......when you pull the wires through and make the cut, it seems like it would be best to remove the soap from the platform before pulling the wire arm back up.  Do you all find that to be true?  If so, the it would be difficult to remove the bars from models such as the Tank.  And it seems like the flat models would work better then?


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## Lindy (Mar 15, 2013)

Yes - once the cut is made you remove the soap and then wipe the wires clean.  Since I don't have a tank but rather the hobby cutter which is flat I can't address the level of difficulty with the tank....


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## sapone (Mar 15, 2013)

Seifenblasen said:


> Yup, I contemplated getting one, but at the end I preferred my wooden "miter box" type cutter because I can control the thickness of individual bars.  Now if you are making and selling a ton of soap, then a wire cutter is definitely more efficient.



Yup, I like that I am able to cut 1", 1.5" and even larger than that with my little wooden cutter.


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## green soap (Mar 15, 2013)

Another vote for the tank here.

I am in awe of the craftsmanship, and I don't think it was expensive at all for what it is.  The shipping will vary depending on where you are.  It did take a while, maybe 6 to 8 weeks.  Too many people making soap I guess.


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## christinak (Mar 15, 2013)

This is what I use and it's a HUGE bang for the buck.
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/118143240
You can use the cutting mold to pour in if you line it so you're getting 3 molds for that price!


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## Nevada (Mar 18, 2013)

Anybody else have the problem cutting in a miter box and have the log move and making wedge shaped bars? roblem:
Driving me nuts (and it's a short trip). 
Thanks,
Roy


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## houseofwool (Mar 18, 2013)

Me too, I really dislike it...


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## chicklet (Mar 18, 2013)

Same here.


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## melstan775 (Mar 18, 2013)

I made a miter box and my cuts are straighter then they were before so I'm not complaining about a slight wedge at the bottom. However, if it bothers you a lot, you could try putting a wedge of wood where you want the loaf to stop, so if you're cutting an inch thick oor whatever. Then hold the loaf on it's "butt," so the wedge and one hand will keep it in place while you cut. That oughta help


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## nebetmiw (Mar 18, 2013)

That problem with the miter box is why I bought this cutter.  It is so much better and easier. Price was right too.  Now I have lots of clean even cut soap now wheres before only some might have been even.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/119123751/guillotine-type-soap-cutter?


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## melinda48 (May 21, 2019)

jcandleattic said:


> you only need muscle on them if you let your soap sit too long before cutting.
> I have the hobby cutter from FCS and I LOVE it. I would rather have an open ended one, because sometimes I make longer logs, but eh, that's not a problem for me either.


What/who is FCS?


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## Relle (May 21, 2019)

For craft sake.


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## melinda48 (May 21, 2019)

Relle said:


> For craft sake.


Thank you!


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## jcandleattic (May 22, 2019)

melinda48 said:


> What/who is FCS?


As Relle said, For Crafts Sake - and I still to this day use the same cutter.


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## maxine289 (May 22, 2019)

jcandleattic said:


> As Relle said, For Crafts Sake - and I still to this day use the same cutter.


I use the commercial quick cutter from For Crafts Sake.  Love it, but it takes a really long time to get it.  Like 2 couple of months or more.  It comes standard with the cutting wires spaced 1" apart, but you can get them to make it so the bars are wider.  I wish I''d had them make it so the bars were a little wider than an inch so that my bars were a bit heftier.  Just personal preference.


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## Mobjack Bay (May 22, 2019)

Based on a few reviews I read on SMF, I ended up buying a single wire cutter from Bud Haffner on Etsy.  It’s well constructed, cuts evenly and Bud  was personally engaged and responsive during the process.  It arrived at my home within two weeks of ordering.  I tried using my cheese cutter, but still struggled to get parallel cuts because the soap would sometimes slip a little.


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## Lin19687 (May 23, 2019)

2013 thread


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