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Thanks. Yes, as mentioned earlier, I did use salt in the process too. We used 1 teaspoon per cup of lard in all three attempts. My lye solution just wasn't right. The specific gravity test isn't really too conclusive either, because it just shows you how dense the liquid is. It could be dense...

I have heard from a couple people that the wood ash method only makes soft soap, but there are lots of videos and instructions online about how to make hard soap this way too. If it can be done, I intend to figure it out. I know the PH test isn't conclusive and I did measure the specific gravity...

As far as the old soap being brown: when you make a lye solution from wood ash, it makes a brown colored liquid. The lard is also creme colored, so I can't see it being anything but some shade of brown. Mine has all been light though. Maybe I didn't use enough of the lye solution? Dang, I wish I...

Thanks for the info! We used an old enamel coated pot to cook it. I'm wondering if the wax coating on the wooden molds was partially saponified and caused it to bind to the soap? I dunno, but wax doesn't work. I don't know what they used in the old days, I might make the molds in such a way that...

Update: After two failed attempts, we began diagnosing the problem and since the lye was an unknown factor, we decided to use some store bought lye (drain opener) to see if that worked. It did! Our soap traced and got lumpy like tapioca pudding. I made wooden molds for the soap and melted wax...

Thank you DeeAnna, I didn't know that. Is there a simple method to determine the strength? I may just have to guess at that too, but that's okay, that's how they did it. Thanks for the links earlene, I'll check them out now. I am doing the hot method but may not have cooked it as long as...

Yes, I made my own lye. I used a litmus test and got 13+ph, so my lye solution is very strong. The pioneer method was to boil the lye solution until it floats an egg high enough that a spot about the size of a quarter is exposed above the solution (a very simple method of measuring specific...

Hello, glad to find this forum! I am new to soap making. In keeping with my traditional living, I want to make soap the old way. We do a lot of things around my place the old way to keep it alive. We cure country hams that don't need refrigeration, bacon, have a blacksmith shop, make wine, make...