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Well, my username is just my first initial and last name. Generally I think it's best (for me, not judging anyone who feels differently) to represent myself as who I am in most online forums. My avatar is one of the most worthwhile charities I know of. These kids get paid little; they are...

Yes you can use 100% KOH.

Yes, it will.

Lather in a bowl and then use the lather on your skin - see if that makes a difference. I've never palm lathered so I can't really say whether it's odd or not.

If you did the same recipe, 100% KOH, I would say you might want to let the soap cure a bit. Even though it's zap-free right after the cook it does benefit from at least a week of curing. I've only noted "stickiness" when cleaning my pots after the cook. The only other thing I can think of...

I run it all through the calculator so that it balances. I reserve a portion of the shea and lanolin till the end so that I know it is my super fat. Basically always use the calculator (or do it by hand I guess) and you'll be fine.

Not nearly as dangerous as not knowing what you are talking about.

DeeAnna, when I read your posts I am often left saying out loud: "Damnit, that's what I was TRYING to say!" :) Thanks for the clarity.

KOH based soaps are quite a bit more thirsty than NaOH. I believe that's part of why if provides a (subjective) better shave experience. The more water you can hold on your skin, the better it will be. That's why glycerin makes such a positive impact.

Since this represents the superfat, I'm not a fan of that idea - or would not be for me personally. This is the part that's left on your skin for conditioning. Castor is ever so slightly more comedogenic, but beyond that I think it feels slimy. Shea leaves a silky feel that I prefer. Still...

A few points addressing the core issues as I see them. Soap Hardness: Who cares? I can make pucks from 100% KOH soap, I cannot think of any other reason to want shave soap to be hard. We want shaving soap to perform on the face, it does not need to last in the shower. I prefer soap made...

You can tell it's different just by the pics. Do share the shave report after it has a chance to cure a bit.

Water is important but obviously too much water makes thin lather. Glycerin is that which allows the lather to hold more water without thinning it out. I agree with Craig - go 11-15% glycerin and count fats as superfats. Put just a drop of glycerin on top of the soap next time you make a...

Try a 100% KOH recipe and see what you think. I believe it's slicker than NaOH (hard to prove but worth an experiment). Make sure to use enough water. As you note glycerin is sticky without enough water and KOH does like more water. With enough water, glycerin is not sticky. I really...

I believe you will find tallow contributes quite a bit to perceived slickness. I use 20% and noted that 40% was too "greasy" for me - even using the same superfat. Also, if you are not adding glycerin, make sure you do so. I use 11%, you can use a little more if you like.

I see them in your post DeeAnna, just not the others. Strangeness .....

Hm .... is this some sort of test? I see broken links, no images. :)

Eesh! Good luck!

Keyboards are cheap. :)

I have no idea what they are and that's one of those things I prefer not to think about. :mrgreen: I just know there's a deficit when you look at the SAP number vs. the actual weight - something is left over. I chalk that up to "the flavor" and leave it at that. That's why my veg version...