Rebatching 100% oil experiments?

WeaversPort · Apr 27, 2017

In my soaping adventures, I made several 100% oil soaps, just to see what they were like. I have 1lb of palm, 1lb of shea, and 1lb of cocoa butter soap. While they're great for science, they're not so great for using them as soap. Are they something I could learn to rebatch on? Would I need to add something to make them better soaps?

I'm thinking if I could turn them into nice soaps, I could donate them to the local women's shelter.

The Efficacious Gentleman · Apr 27, 2017

You could make a batch of 100% CO soap and some more 100% palm to the ratios where you could rebatch it all in a mix which makes more sense from a soapy perspective. Would be a lot of soap, as you could mix the butters at maybe 30% of the total, which means the total batch would be more like 6lbs by the time you were done.

Alternatively, do that with half of the butter soaps and then go a little off piste with the other half. Make a 50% co and 50% shea butter soap, with a higher superfat thrown in during the rebatching to counter the CO a bit. Things in that direction could be an interesting use of them

IrishLass · Apr 27, 2017

I'm thinking you'll definitely want to add something to them during the rebatch to make them different than the single-oil soaps that they are. One of the ways to do that is to use this interesting re-batching method by fellow member pure&simple.

Another way to utilize the single-oil soaps is to grate them up and add them as confetti to different, complementing soap formulas. For example, I sometimes make a high-tallow formula with low suds, and add chunks or gratings of pre-made 100% coconut oil soap to the batter in order to boost its lathering ability.

IrishLass

dixiedragon · Apr 27, 2017

This is a very interesting idea. I wonder - let's say your usual recipe is 50% lard, 20% coconut and 30% olive. You make a batch of 100% lard, 100% coconut and 100% olive, then rebatch them in the percentages of your usual recipe. Would the soap be the same?

IrishLass · Apr 27, 2017

dixiedragon said:
This is a very interesting idea. I wonder - let's say your usual recipe is 50% lard, 20% coconut and 30% olive. You make a batch of 100% lard, 100% coconut and 100% olive, then rebatch them in the percentages of your usual recipe. Would the soap be the same?

I know of folks who make their liquid soaps that way. They make a bunch of different single oil LS batches, then when it comes time to dilute, they mix certain percentages of whatever pastes of their fancy together in order to create different LS formulas. I don't see why it couldn't be worth a try with CP rebatches.

IrishLass

Susie · Apr 27, 2017

I would be way more likely to use the single oil soaps as confetti than rebatch. I hate rebatching with a purple passion!

WeaversPort · Apr 27, 2017

These are all excellent ideas! Since I have three pounds to experiment with, I may try multiple ways to use them. Since two of the original batches are shea and cocoa butter, I can see one of the experiments needing to be higher in coconut oil, maybe with some castor and olive oil thrown in. Otherwise they'll lather like okra.

Thank you so much! This sounds exciting!

WeaversPort · May 12, 2017

IrishLass said:
One of the ways to do that is to use this interesting re-batching method by fellow member pure&simple.

I wanted to update you, since you guys helped me come up with the experiment! I tried the method suggested by IrishLass above, with a mix of palm oil Black Soap shreds, coconut oil soap shreds, cocoa butter soap shreds, and shea butter soap shreds.

I melted everything down; adding avocado oil, castor oil, and using oat milk as the liquid. When everything was very melted, I then added the lye water, fragrance (BB Ancient Sedona), and mixed everything together.

Then I dumped it in a mold, sort of like a hot process soap... A pretty chunky hot process soap.

Depending on how it turns out, I might just use this method for the rest of my single oil soaps. The oil to soap shreds ratio needs to be tweaked if I want a smoother soap, but the rough look is kind of appealing. I just wish I had a better way to grate the old soap.

Obsidian · May 12, 2017

it doesn't look bad at all, my rebatch is usually a lot lumpier. For easy shredding, look for a salad shooter. Works like magic and its fast.

One thing about the castor, it won't do a thing for lather unless its in soap form, it has to react with lye in order to increase bubbles.

Susie · May 12, 2017

Obsidian said:
it doesn't look bad at all, my rebatch is usually a lot lumpier. For easy shredding, look for a salad shooter. Works like magic and its fast.

One thing about the castor, it won't do a thing for lather unless its in soap form, it has to react with lye in order to increase bubbles.

Absolutely look for a salad shooter! And I would start looking at thrift stores first, as this seems to be something that lands there frequently.

WeaversPort · May 13, 2017

Obsidian said:
it doesn't look bad at all, my rebatch is usually a lot lumpier. For easy shredding, look for a salad shooter. Works like magic and its fast.

One thing about the castor, it won't do a thing for lather unless its in soap form, it has to react with lye in order to increase bubbles.

Susie said:
Absolutely look for a salad shooter! And I would start looking at thrift stores first, as this seems to be something that lands there frequently.

I'll start looking! I've never heard of a salad shooter, that is brilliant!

Having the additional oils in the pot along with the oat milk, as they were melting down, really helped with the smoothness. Then I just left it in the crackpot for a while to do its thing before adding the lye water. It got surprisingly smooth!

madison · May 15, 2017

Obsidian said:
it doesn't look bad at all, my rebatch is usually a lot lumpier. For easy shredding, look for a salad shooter. Works like magic and its fast.

One thing about the castor, it won't do a thing for lather unless its in soap form, it has to react with lye in order to increase bubbles.

I wonder if the meat grinder is any help in shredding soap, what do you think?

Zany_in_CO · May 15, 2017

Obsidian said:
For easy shredding, look for a salad shooter. Works like magic and its fast.

Ditto. The one I have is an ancient Presto Salad Shooter I inherited from another soaper... still works great. I just looked at prices for a new one on Amazon. All I can say is, YIKES! lol Another alternative is a "dedicated" food processor.

HTH :bunny:

Obsidian · May 16, 2017

I don't think a meat grinder would work that well, I could see the soap really clogging up the worm drive. If you have a meat grinder, it won't hurt to give it a try though, might work great.

WeaversPort · May 19, 2017

Zany_in_CO said:
Ditto. The one I have is an ancient Presto Salad Shooter I inherited from another soaper... still works great. I just looked at prices for a new one on Amazon. All I can say is, YIKES! lol Another alternative is a "dedicated" food processor.

HTH :bunny:

I ended up being able to find a second hand food processor for a good deal! Next time I'll try that instead of scraping up my knuckles.

I suppose we all must suffer for our art SOMETIMES..

dixiedragon · May 19, 2017

I've got like 4 back up salad shooters. In my experience the motor just isn't built to stand up to shredded soap, long-term. So whenever I see them for under $5, I pick them up.

cherrycoke216 · May 20, 2017

dixiedragon said:
I've got like 4 back up salad shooters. In my experience the motor just isn't built to stand up to shredded soap, long-term. So whenever I see them for under $5, I pick them up.

Maybe try it like using stick blender? Pulse, stop,pulse, stop...that way the motor won't burn out that fast.

Rebatching 100% oil experiments?

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