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Sorry I’m actually still trying to decipher some of the soaping language. I used soapee’s calculator for the recipe. It gives you options on lye concentrations. I punched in 33% concentration and it gives you the option of changing the water ratio which I was suggested to make it 5:1. Further...

I think I know what I did wrong but thought I’d ask. My recipe is 60% stearic acid, 15% lard, 15% coconut oil, 5% castor oil, 5% Shea butter. I added silk fibers to the lye water and 10% glycerin after mixing. I used a 33% lye solution with a 5:1 water ratio. The mixture seized up pretty quick...

I used Bickmore brand which is way more fluid than others. It also says 100% pure light pine tar on the can. When I bought some for my horses it was the brand withe yellow horse shoe. That stuff was like roofing tar so maybe that’s the difference?

I used this recipe and brought the oils to emulsification and then added the pine tar. Used Bickmore brand. Definitely moves fast but it turned out ok. Curious with the amount of lard I used will this be soft with the pine tar? I purposely added a lot to firm it up.

That makes sense. I’m going to add the pine tar to the olive oil and get the other oils to light trace and then mix by hand with the olive oil and tar. Seems like that’s the most recommended way.

I guess I figured pine tar is supposed to be good for skin conditions and so is charcoal so I figured why not combine the two.

I’m going to attempt a pine tar/charcoal soap. I was thinking 10% pine tar with 2 tsp charcoal PPO. I’ve read the tar makes soft bars so I was thinking a 60% lard recipe with olive, coconut, and castor making up the rest. What do you think? Thanks!

Do you get volcanoes at all?

Thanks for the detailed reply. So I’m still learning the ropes as far as lye concentrations. It seems like people recommend lye percentages in the 30%ish range. Simply increasing water percentages don’t change this correct? I watched “uncle Jon” doing something really similar to the other video...

Making shave soap is definitely different than other soap. I’ve been watching YouTube videos on it. When you make yours are you combining at high temps so it’s kind of like hot process?

Thanks. So is the 10% glycerin for total oil weights an accurate place to start?

I have been trying to develop a shave soap recipe. I tried bentonite but have decided against that. I’ve come to the conclusion of a 60/40 dual lye soap after lots of research. I was thinking of 60% stearic acid, 15% coconut, 15% lard, 5% cocoa butter, and 5% castor oil. I tried running it...

That’s why I was wondering about scenting something that’ll cure that long.

I was going to try making a 100% olive oil soap. I was thinking of giving it away for Christmas this year. I’ve read conflicting stuff that people either love it or hate it. I was thinking of lemongrass and lavender EO for the scent. With the long cure times is it worth scenting or just go...

Interesting. The reason I ask is watching YouTube it seems a lot of soap makers keep their recipe the same and just jazz it up with different scents and colors as well. I’ve been trying adding bentonite to soaps but it speeds trace up so quickly. Should I add it to the oils and mix with the...

Do most of you use the same recipes and then tweak them with colors or liquid portions like milk, juice, etc? I like this combination so far. I want to expand and try more “artsy” things. What do you do? Thanks

I guess I’ve been of the assumption the soap calculator figures the ratios out for us and mixing until trace mixes the oils and lye solutions properly emulsifying them. Am I missing something?

So if I understand the consensus is when I stick blended the oils and honey it just suspended tiny honey droplets in the oil instead of dissolving? When it setup the droplets scorched from the lye solution? It’s safe to use after the ordinary curing time?

The spots were inside the loaf and were pretty much consistent throughout the whole center of the loaf. I guess next time I’ll dissolve it in water. I researched using honey before I attempted it and others talked about adding it to the oil and it seemed easier. I’ve read adding to the lye water...