# Hanger swirl tool - any DIY tools?



## kniquy (Jan 28, 2019)

I recently watched some BB videos making the swirl technique - It looked super cool so I was wondering if anyone has made their own hanger swirl tool from items at home.  I am guessing our traditional metal hangers would not be a good idea because it would react.  

It isn't that expensive on BB but if i could make one myself for nothing that is certainly better.


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## amd (Jan 28, 2019)

Gear ties at walmart work well.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Jan 28, 2019)

I just made one this morning and am impatiently waiting for the soap to come out of hiding from the towels.  I actually had a hanger that was coated in plastic so I bent it to fit


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## jcandleattic (Jan 28, 2019)

I have a 5lb mold that my plastic hangers fit down into perfectly, so I use that for that mold, and gear ties for the smaller molds I have.


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## KiwiMoose (Jan 28, 2019)

Yes - a hanger 
I bent it to fit.  Had to look around to find actual plastic coated wire though - hard to find these days.  Ended up buying 12 of them, that was the minimum purchase.


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## IrishLass (Jan 28, 2019)

I use my own hangers, bent to fit each of my molds. Some are coated in plastic and some are bare metal. Those of them that are bare metal, I wrap around the metal with strips of Glad-brand Press'n Seal wrap, which sticks very well to the hangers as well as to itself. Works like a charm. 


IrishLass


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## Zing (Jan 29, 2019)

Gear tie from Home Depot, the handles from broken pails, hangers.  Have fun swirling!


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## shunt2011 (Jan 29, 2019)

I did the same as IL per her recommendation quite some time ago.  I now have a gear tie as well for my standard mold.  I forget about them most times though.  I use mostly a chopstick (plastic).


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## lucycat (Jan 30, 2019)

I purchased one several years ago like those Nurture sells.   I love it because it is easier for me to manage the swirl in the log.  The handle makes it easier for me in a thick batter and its sturdy frame keeps me from making a mess all over my work space compared to a simple tie/wire.


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## soapmaker (Jan 30, 2019)

shunt2011 said:


> I did the same as IL per her recommendation quite some time ago.  I now have a gear tie as well for my standard mold.  I forget about them most times though.  I use mostly a chopstick (plastic).


I'm trying to figure out how you would use a chopstick?


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## kniquy (Jan 30, 2019)

OP here - I appreciate all your ideas!   I came across another idea  -- you use a metal wire hanger and slide it through plastic tubing such as you would use for connecting the waterline for a fridge.  

I know i have some plastic coated metal hangars at home, but i'd be worried that there might be a crack in the plastic that i don't see and I'd end up with some sort of reaction with the metal and the soap. 

It seems like this should work out and I know i have some hanging around at home.


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## soapmaker (Jan 30, 2019)

Just a question for those who have experience with this swirl...is it better to use thin wire? or plastic hangers that have no wire in them but are thicker? I'm wondering if thick or thin would make a noticeable difference.


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## IrishLass (Jan 30, 2019)

I used to "beef up' my wire hangers with either plastic straws or with bamboo skewers taped securely to the hangers, but I removed them all after watching Ione from Eve's Garden Soaps make the most beautiful flowery hanger swirls with just a regular wire hanger still in its triangular shape. The soap pictured in my avatar is a soap I swirled with just such a plain wire hanger (wrapped tightly with Glad Press n Seal to line over the wire). Here's a bigger version of it to see the swirls up close:







The swirls I use to make with my 'beefed up' hangers always came out nice enough, but never as pretty as the swirls I make with my skinny wire hangers. I confess I'm really partial to my skinny hangers.


IrishLass


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## Marilyn Norgart (Jan 30, 2019)

beautiful!!!!


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## Obsidian (Jan 30, 2019)

I use a metal hanger with plastic tubing over it. You use aquarium airline tubing and slide it over the hanger wire.
Protects the wire, easy to clean and is a nice size. Plus its cheap.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Jan 30, 2019)

I watched a couple of her videos WOW


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## soapmaker (Jan 30, 2019)

Irish Lass, that is the prettiest soap I have ever seen, colours and all.


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## soapmaker (Jan 31, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> View attachment 35688
> 
> 
> The swirls I use to make with my 'beefed up' hangers always came out nice enough, but never as pretty as the swirls I make with my skinny wire hangers. I confess I'm really partial to my skinny hangers.
> ...


Do you mind sharing how you poured and how you used the hanger?


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## IrishLass (Jan 31, 2019)

soapmaker said:


> Do you mind sharing how you poured and how you used the hanger?



Not at all!  I have a step-by-step description here: *https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-latest-ione-swirl-attempt.60903/#post-610656*


IrishLass


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## soapmaker (Jan 31, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> Not at all!  I have a step-by-step description here: *https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-latest-ione-swirl-attempt.60903/#post-610656*
> 
> 
> IrishLass


Thanks, that's quite a process! But I have been searching in vain for her cherry blossom tutorial.


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## Carl (Feb 1, 2019)

I use a piece of scrap 12 gauge Romex cable (the same stuff the electricity in your house runs thru).  If you take the sheathing off, there are 3 smaller wires inside.  Each of these can be used for hanger swirl.  Just bend it to the shape of your mold.

I keep the plastic/rubber coating on the individual strands though.

If you use the bare copper one, I'm not sure how it will react with the soap.


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## IrishLass (Feb 1, 2019)

soapmaker said:


> Thanks, that's quite a process! But I have been searching in vain for her cherry blossom tutorial.



Here ya go! It's one of her older videos, so you have to keep hitting 'Scroll Down" on her Youtube channel:




IrishLass


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## Meena (Feb 1, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> I used to "beef up' my wire hangers with either plastic straws or with bamboo skewers taped securely to the hangers, but I removed them all after watching Ione from Eve's Garden Soaps make the most beautiful flowery hanger swirls with just a regular wire hanger still in its triangular shape. The soap pictured in my avatar is a soap I swirled with just such a plain wire hanger (wrapped tightly with Glad Press n Seal to line over the wire). Here's a bigger version of it to see the swirls up close:
> 
> View attachment 35688
> 
> ...



So delicate and gorgeous!!  Simply superb, dear!


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## Marilyn Norgart (Feb 1, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> Here ya go! It's one of her older videos, so you have to keep hitting 'Scroll Down" on her Youtube channel:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




she does beautiful work--I think I could watch her videos for hours


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## IrishLass (Feb 1, 2019)

I could as well! Sometimes I have!  


IrishLass


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## SaltedFig (Feb 1, 2019)

Carl said:


> ... If you use the bare copper one, I'm not sure how it will react with the soap.



Very badly 

Copper (and it's cousins Brass and Bronze) are possibly the worst (common) metals for triggering DOS in soap ... you could possibly start a new line in DOS swirls ... oh, see? Even the jokes are bad 

Beautiful soap @IrishLass - thank you for sharing how you created it


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## KimT2au (Feb 1, 2019)

@IrishLass  , how do you do the routing around the edge of your soaps?


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## Dawni (Feb 1, 2019)

Would the soap melt a plastic hanger?

After reading here I was curious enough to check the hangers we have and they're all wooden or plastic. The wooden ones are too long for the molds I have.

@IrishLass I've always admired that avatar of yours


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## Cherrydene soapy (Feb 2, 2019)

I have searched high and low for an old fashioned plastic coated hangers, asking everyone I know I even put it on Facebook and blow me down I walked into a local store and guess what....by the washing line pegs, plastic coated hangers. I have spent time bending one very gently to the size of my mould and will be using it for the first time this morning will post pictures of how it turns out. Excited


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

amd said:


> Gear ties at walmart work well.



Would cable ties work the same? maybe a few locked together?


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## shunt2011 (Feb 2, 2019)

soapmaker said:


> I'm trying to figure out how you would use a chopstick?



I just pour my soap in strips up and down the mold or however you want to pour. Then take my chopstick, the thicker end  at a low angle and start at on end and make small or large circles down the length of the mold. I have long plastic chopsticks.  I do have a hangar type thing if I remember to pull it out.  But pretty much use the chopsticks.


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## earlene (Feb 2, 2019)

Some hangers are made of steel, and I have purposely bought the steel ones to use for hanger swirls, but the gear tie is really easier to work with.  But I have used a broken plastic hanger when one broke once.  Didn't like it because it was too thick.  I prefer a more delicate thinness in my hanger swirl tools.

Spoon swirl is easy to do with what you may already have on hand.  You can use plastic spoons or stainless steel spoons.

Skewers and chopsticks are other items often used for swirls and while not everyone has those in their kitchen, they are easily obtainable if you don't.  I always have chopsticks and find them to be useful for all kinds of things (gardening, for example) besides being an eating utensil.

*Chris_S*, I think plastic cable ties are would work, but the kind I use are not amenable to shaping the way a gear tie is.  But it would work for a fine line, sure.


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

earlene said:


> Some hangers are made of steel, and I have purposely bought the steel ones to use for hanger swirls, but the gear tie is really easier to work with.  But I have used a broken plastic hanger when one broke once.  Didn't like it because it was too thick.  I prefer a more delicate thinness in my hanger swirl tools.
> 
> Spoon swirl is easy to do with what you may already have on hand.  You can use plastic spoons or stainless steel spoons.
> 
> ...



Thank you i will have a try cant do any harm after all. Iv never heard or come across anything called gear ties before until i read this topic so i suspect we either call them sokething different or just dont sell them in general shops i googled it and never seen anything of that description either


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## earlene (Feb 2, 2019)

Chris_S, here is a link to a soap made using a gear tie:

https://www.lovinsoap.com/2015/09/how-to-make-lavender-pumpkin-gear-tie-swirl-soap/

Here are what they look like when sold in packages containing various sizes.  






Maybe they go by a different name in the UK?

Here is a video showing some traditional uses for gear ties:


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## soapmaker (Feb 2, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> Here ya go! It's one of her older videos, so you have to keep hitting 'Scroll Down" on her Youtube channel:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks IL, I'm not quite computer illiterate, but maybe almost! I was just googling.


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## soapmaker (Feb 2, 2019)

shunt2011 said:


> I just pour my soap in strips up and down the mold or however you want to pour. Then take my chopstick, the thicker end  at a low angle and start at on end and make small or large circles down the length of the mold. I have long plastic chopsticks.  I do have a hangar type thing if I remember to pull it out.  But pretty much use the chopsticks.


Oh, I get what you mean. I'm not able to think it through if that would give you the same effect. I have chopsticks that I use to swirl my tops, wooden ones, but it works. I'll have to try that!


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## Cherrydene soapy (Feb 2, 2019)

Chris_S said:


> Would cable ties work the same? maybe a few locked together?


I got the hangers from The Range I don’t know if you have one where you are?


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

Cherrydene soapy said:


> I got the hangers from The Range I don’t know if you have one where you are?



We do but are they suitable for lye soap? they have to be stainless steel i think other metals can react with the lye


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## Cherrydene soapy (Feb 2, 2019)

I thought they could to be plastic coated ?


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

Cherrydene soapy said:


> I thought they could to be plastic coated ?



they should be ok but my issue is that they need to be bendable because a standard hanger is too long for my loaf mold. If you watch the videos of hanger swirls its usually done lenght ways not width. Not sure iv seen any videos of it done width ways actually


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## Cherrydene soapy (Feb 2, 2019)

I unscrewed the top and shortened the long length to fit my mould. I did it very gentle so none of the plastic coating broke and it is prefect. I will take a photo of it tomorrow the only thing I need to be careful of is I don’t poke my eye out when I am using it


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

Cherrydene soapy said:


> I unscrewed the top and shortened the long length to fit my mould. I did it very gentle so none of the plastic coating broke and it is prefect. I will take a photo of it tomorrow the only thing I need to be careful of is I don’t poke my eye out when I am using it



You have me beyond confused since when have plastic hangers had anything that unscrews?

If theres a clumsy risk thats it iv already as good as lost an eye and filed a law suit against you for suggesting it


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## Cherrydene soapy (Feb 2, 2019)

No they are metal hangers, very thin but coated in plastic, really old fashioned ones. Not the plastic hangers you get today


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

Cherrydene soapy said:


> No they are metal hangers, very thin but coated in plastic, really old fashioned ones. Not the plastic hangers you get today



Think im going to invest in some gear ties more expensive but less risk of loosing an eye. I know what you mean by unscrew now with that description


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## Chris_S (Feb 2, 2019)

earlene said:


> Chris_S, here is a link to a soap made using a gear tie:
> 
> https://www.lovinsoap.com/2015/09/how-to-make-lavender-pumpkin-gear-tie-swirl-soap/
> 
> ...




Thank you i just ordered some on amazon couldnt find anywhere local to buy in highstreet shops


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## glendam (Feb 3, 2019)

I made my own with polymer clay, I made it to fit one of my molds as it is not adjustable after baking it.  I used the Fimo brand


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## cmzaha (Feb 3, 2019)

soapmaker said:


> Thanks, that's quite a process! But I have been searching in vain for her cherry blossom tutorial.


I cannot get gear ties to work so my hubby made me one out of stainless rod, but is a little thicker than I wanted so I am working on him to make me a thinner one. 

Here is a link to the Cherry Blossom Video


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## IrishLass (Feb 3, 2019)

KimT2au said:


> @IrishLass  , how do you do the routing around the edge of your soaps?



This thread will explain and show how I do my edges: *https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/how-do-you-bevel-soap-share-your-method.64433/

*
IrishLass


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## midnightsoaper (Feb 3, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> I used to "beef up' my wire hangers with either plastic straws or with bamboo skewers taped securely to the hangers, but I removed them all after watching Ione from Eve's Garden Soaps make the most beautiful flowery hanger swirls with just a regular wire hanger still in its triangular shape. The soap pictured in my avatar is a soap I swirled with just such a plain wire hanger (wrapped tightly with Glad Press n Seal to line over the wire). Here's a bigger version of it to see the swirls up close:
> 
> View attachment 35688
> 
> ...



Absolutely gorgeous! I love watching Eve's Garden Soaps on youtube too, Ione's one of my favorites!



Carl said:


> I use a piece of scrap 12 gauge Romex cable (the same stuff the electricity in your house runs thru).  If you take the sheathing off, there are 3 smaller wires inside.  Each of these can be used for hanger swirl.  Just bend it to the shape of your mold.
> 
> I keep the plastic/rubber coating on the individual strands though.
> 
> If you use the bare copper one, I'm not sure how it will react with the soap.



This is pretty much what Bramble Berry sells. I'm pretty sure it's this but in white. Sold by the foot at Lowe's, 33 cents/ft. The ends are capped off with little rounded silicone rubber end caps (no idea what they're really called). If I had known, I probably would have just went to Lowe's and cut what I needed.


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## amd (Feb 4, 2019)

cmzaha said:


> I cannot get gear ties to work so my hubby made me one out of stainless rod, but is a little thicker than I wanted so I am working on him to make me a thinner one.


Carolyn, I was struggling with them too - more the shaping aspect of the gear tie than actually using it. I purchased a tool from Etsy that I do not have to shape, that is covered with plastic tubing. I had one on my hubby's to do list but he kept moving it to the bottom of the list so I bought one. 

I am much happier with my swirls using the tool I bought compared to the gear tie. Gear ties are easy enough to find in most stores so I recommend at least trying one.


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## KimT2au (Feb 4, 2019)

IrishLass said:


> This thread will explain and show how I do my edges: *https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/how-do-you-bevel-soap-share-your-method.64433/
> 
> *
> IrishLass


  Thanks, @IrishLass


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## Unlimabun (Feb 5, 2019)

I love gear ties for smaller batches but they usually aren't sturdy enough for my longer soap molds. For those, I use one I made from an aluminum rod covered with plastic tubing.


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## Melysg25 (Jan 2, 2021)

IrishLass said:


> I used to "beef up' my wire hangers with either plastic straws or with bamboo skewers taped securely to the hangers, but I removed them all after watching Ione from Eve's Garden Soaps make the most beautiful flowery hanger swirls with just a regular wire hanger still in its triangular shape. The soap pictured in my avatar is a soap I swirled with just such a plain wire hanger (wrapped tightly with Glad Press n Seal to line over the wire). Here's a bigger version of it to see the swirls up close:
> 
> View attachment 35688
> 
> ...


these are stunning!! I'm going to go find me some metal hangers right now. Thank you for sharing this and reminding me sometimes the best resources, are already in ones possession


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