Annnnd...Today Was The Day

[David Gregory]

After collecting all the utensils, oils, lye, fragrance, watching hours of videos on You Tube the psychic vibrations aligned and I put my first proper recipe [real measurements on a real scale] in the Crock Pot [new was only a couple $$ more than one from Goodwill] for my first Hot Process soap batch.

I feel like a bloody bandit. Took the proper time, progressed slowly, something I never did previously [Have to get to trace... have to get to trace, temps temps]. It was a scream.

And it may bomb, who knows, but the things I've learned.

Some notes:

Smell of lard like that of vomit: sweet and cloying. And obnoxious.

Have my timer set to check the Pot O' Crock every ten minutes.

Edges are starting to turn after 20 minutes.

Here is my recipe:
Castor Oil 5%
Coconut Oil 20%
Olive Oil 25%
Manteca [Spanish, sounds so much more polite than LARD] 50%.

I've been taking pictures of the process.

Thanks everyone here.

 

[dixiedragon]

Congratulations! Good luck!

 

[jenneelk]

haha.. I love dude soapers.. they are the best at explaining their soapmaking and always have a fun spin on everything. Hope it turns out a treat!

 

[szaza]

Welcome to the addiction[emoji16]

 

[Dawni]

Yey! Show us! Hehehe

 

[David Gregory]

Thanks,everyone.

I give myself a C- on this one. Looks like re batch, fragrance already dissipating [Ebay bargain : "Geranium"], still a little soft.

It is however my own personal best........ a very low "bar". No crumbling, rancid smell, oil weeping, soda ash.....

But I stayed up late again watching more videos and searching for a loaf mold with wooden frame. Re-calculated a recipe without that stinking lard [OMG the odor stayed in my nostrils the rest of the afternoon. And it looks so clean and pure].



[View attachment 40386

 

[Misschief]

I'll say it before anyone else does: You'll want to get your soap off the metal cake racks as soon as possible. Metal racks are notorious for triggering DOS, something you don't want your soaps to get. Other than that, they're looking good!

 

[Kiti Williams]

Thanks,everyone.

I give myself a C- on this one. Looks like re batch, fragrance already dissipating [Ebay bargain : "Geranium"], still a little soft.

It is however my own personal best........ a very low "bar". No crumbling, rancid smell, oil weeping, soda ash.....

But I stayed up late again watching more videos and searching for a loaf mold with wooden frame. Re-calculated a recipe without that stinking lard [OMG the odor stayed in my nostrils the rest of the afternoon. And it looks so clean and pure].



[View attachment 40386 View attachment 40387 View attachment 40388

If you want to keep the metal racks, get some plastic canvas sheets on over the wire rack, Then put your soap on the plastic.

 

[David Gregory]

@Kiti Williams & Misschief

Thank you both. Getting them moved right now. And filing the info in my heads for future reference.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

You did it - you made soap! I love the color and the soap looks good. Clean up the edges a little and no one will know you’re a newbie.

 

[David Gregory]

You did it - you made soap! I love the color and the soap looks good. Clean up the edges a little and no one will know you’re a newbie.

Thanks for that. Not giving up. I need to start taking notes, use better brands of fragrance. But still simple recipes.

Will try again when the log loaf mold gets here.

Changing recipes, with no lard and for a harder bar, these are still kind of soft.

I'll trim it when I put wrappers on it. Christmas is coming.