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I think it is starting to make sense to me. Assume that the stoichiometry is correct and the reactions have all gone to completion that the amount of leftover water and the left over oils are the same. I propose that Longer fatty straighter fatty acids make fats that are solid at room...

I'm starting to get it. All things being equal Sodium alkalis are harder. But why? It seems that the length of the fatty acids and the amount of branching would make a difference. Sodium is more electronegative but Potassium Hydroxide is more exothermic. So there is a bigger difference between...

Ion diameter? I'm in interested in understanding and helping people.

Thanks. Great reference! Thanks. I will share this.

One of the few things that I'm clear about is that I'm often confused. I'm a little confused by this statement. There are many people who make bar soap from wood ash. I understand that the alkali that is made from wood ash is mostly (90%) KOH. They add salt but claim to make a bar that is...

Replacing Alkali with casava skins? I found this article and it seems not to make sense but I'm cautious disregard it entirely because I'm old enough to know that I don't know it all. There is not much information but maybe someone has experience. Maybe she is burning the skins? If that is...

That is brilliant! Thanks! If they go all grandmother technology can anyone point me towards reference for making alkali from ashes and using it for soap making that would be great. I will search for soap making in Malawi and check out the results before recommending any. They may have gotten...

Got it about the word lye. You might have a solution with the converting Sodium Bicarbonate to Sodium Carbonate by heating then use it and peanut oil. Sodium Carbonate is still nasty to work with but not as bad as Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. I would have to think about the safety...

Thank you! What a generous and thoughtful response! I was cautious about telling them that their method was not actually making soap. If they had a traditional method of soap making that I was not familiar with I did not want to appear arrogant even if what they were saying did not seem...

I was also surprised. I asked them again and they said that it was Sodium Bicarbonate. I don't know of another reaction that would turn peanut oil into a solid.

That was what it thought also until I tried washing my hands with baking soda. They definitely felt slippery. I expect there was some saponification taking place. Then I found these guys. They baked it which makes it decompose into sodium carbonate. Sodium carbonate can definitely be used to...

I posted this in the friends forum by accident. Sorry for the duplication. I'm working with a nonprofit in Malawi. They are starting a maker/crafter space to foster entrepreneurial activity. I have a Maker background and try to help them any way that I can. (We are making shingles from plastic...