BB Wire Soap Slicer feedback please

[earlene]

Has anyone used this soap slicer? I am considering purchasing it so would appreciate any feedback. I cannot for the life of me cut a straight bar of soap free hand. Some of the time I use a mitre box my husband lent me from his basement workshop, but most of the time I forget to go get it and do it free hand anyway.



I wasn't sure where to post this, but figured labeling and packaging was the closest thing I could find to a section on soaping tools/supplies that wasn't EOs and FOs.

 

[kchaystack]

This looks like it is more for splitting loafs horizontally than cutting bars - tho I am sure you could use it for bars - but I do not think the design is great for that. Tho if you do alot of taiwan swirls this is a great idea.

I would spend a bit more and get a single bar Bud cutter is you just want to cut normal loaf molds

https://www.etsy.com/listing/191983081/adjustable-single-wire-soap-cutter-for

 

[earlene]

Thank you for moving the thread to the right locations. I didn't see the shopping recommendations subsection under Classified.

 

[TeresaT]

I like it, but I could never use it. The write up on it says the slicer works best when the loaf has cured for two weeks. I cannot imagine a loaf of soap sitting around on a shelf for two days uncut let alone two weeks. However, it's a great concept, especially to clean up wonky loaves or shave off ash all at one time. (Wonky. Don't you just love that word?)

"Wire Soap Slicer: This versatile tool will become a must have in the large scale soapers tool box. It is customizable to cut off layers of soap in 1/8" increments. If the top of your soap came out not quite right, just adjust the wire tool to the minimum depth needed to cut the unsightly area from the top of the soap log.

For designs that are best highlighted using a horizontal cutting technique (such as the taiwan swirl pictured), simply adjust the tool to the halfway point on your soap log, and slide your loaf of soap through the wire. Cut the soap into bars, and let your design show through!

We've achieved the best results when cutting cold process soap that has cured for 2 weeks. A soap that is partially cured but not fully hardened is the easiest to get clean and even cuts."

ETA: Earlene, I just ordered this soap mitre box from SMR. Once it gets here and I have used it, I'll let you know how it works for me, if you'd like. I have a mitre box soap cutter already, however, it doesn't have the "bumper" thing going across the whole thing. It just has a block on one side of the box to use as a stopper to measure your soap. Even though I'm careful to hold the soap loaf in place, it always wiggles and I end up with crooked soaps. I'm not sure if I want to invest in a multi-bar cutter at this point, so this one seems like a good investment for me. I've already got a heavy duty blade to cut with and it seems to be more stable than the other one I had. I bought that blade from WSP.

http://www.soap-making-resource.com/guided-soap-cutter.html
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/straight-soap-cutter.aspx

 

[DeeAnna]

For what you want to do, Earlene, I'd follow KC's advice. The Brambleberry gadget isn't what you need. I have been using the single wire Bud cutter for about 2 years and am pleased with it. It will solve your problem!

Also, if you want to trim off "wonky tops" as Teresa says, the Bud cutter can be used for that too. It won't trim the top of a whole loaf in one go like the BB gadget, but Bud's cutter can easily be set up to trim the tops off single bars. That's good enough for a hobbyist like me.

 

[earlene]

This looks like it is more for splitting loafs horizontally than cutting bars - tho I am sure you could use it for bars - but I do not think the design is great for that. Tho if you do alot of taiwan swirls this is a great idea.

I would spend a bit more and get a single bar Bud cutter is you just want to cut normal loaf molds

https://www.etsy.com/listing/191983081/adjustable-single-wire-soap-cutter-for

Haven't even done one taiwan swirl! Maybe I am getting ahead of myself thinking of splitting loaves the long way without working on perfecting regular bar cuts to begin with.

I like the look of the Bud Cutter, but not the price. I have bookmarked it though, in case that's the direction I decide to go.

I like it, but I could never use it. The write up on it says the slicer works best when the loaf has cured for two weeks. I cannot imagine a loaf of soap sitting around on a shelf for two days uncut let alone two weeks. However, it's a great concept, especially to clean up wonky loaves or shave off ash all at one time. (Wonky. Don't you just love that word?)
<snip>
ETA: Earlene, I just ordered this soap mitre box from SMR. Once it gets here and I have used it, I'll let you know how it works for me, if you'd like. I have a mitre box soap cutter already, however, it doesn't have the "bumper" thing going across the whole thing. It just has a block on one side of the box to use as a stopper to measure your soap. Even though I'm careful to hold the soap loaf in place, it always wiggles and I end up with crooked soaps. I'm not sure if I want to invest in a multi-bar cutter at this point, so this one seems like a good investment for me. I've already got a heavy duty blade to cut with and it seems to be more stable than the other one I had. I bought that blade from WSP.

http://www.soap-making-resource.com/guided-soap-cutter.html
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/straight-soap-cutter.aspx

Yes, I do like the word, wonky!

Thankyou, please do let me know how you feel about the new soap cutting box you ordered. The price is more in range of what I was hoping.

Also, just out of interest since I notice it comes with 2 cutting blades included, would you mind evaluating them versus the one from WSP that you like so much? Now I simply use a good quality kitchen knife (commandeered from my MIL's knives when she moved into the nursing home.)

For what you want to do, Earlene, I'd follow KC's advice. The Brambleberry gadget isn't what you need. I have been using the single wire Bud cutter for about 2 years and am pleased with it. It will solve your problem!

Also, if you want to trim off "wonky tops" as Teresa says, the Bud cutter can be used for that too. It won't trim the top of a whole loaf in one go like the BB gadget, but Bud's cutter can easily be set up to trim the tops off single bars. That's good enough for a hobbyist like me.

Thank you, DeeAnna. I have to remind myself that I am a hobbiest and refrain from buying every little gadget that strikes my fancy!

 

[McMomWV]

I have this BB cutter, but like others have already mentioned I use it for cutting loaves in half especially for Taiwan swirls. I have a single cutter I bought off Esty - WorkshopHeritage. Just looked him up and he still has his molds available, but I don't see the cutter.
I'm with you, can't hand cut a straight bar to save my life. If you are still in early stages and don't want to shell out a lot of money for a wire cutter, you can find a reasonably cheap wire cheese slicer. They can stretch a bit and don't give a perfect cut, but can be darn close until you are ready for a fancy one.

 

[TeresaT]

I will do that and let you know.

ETA: I have a marble based wire cheese slicer and still slice poorly with it. I'm wondering if I'm just not an adept cutter/slicer. I hope this mitre box dies it for me.

 

[earlene]

I have this BB cutter, but like others have already mentioned I use it for cutting loaves in half especially for Taiwan swirls. I have a single cutter I bought off Esty - WorkshopHeritage. Just looked him up and he still has his molds available, but I don't see the cutter.
I'm with you, can't hand cut a straight bar to save my life. If you are still in early stages and don't want to shell out a lot of money for a wire cutter, you can find a reasonably cheap wire cheese slicer. They can stretch a bit and don't give a perfect cut, but can be darn close until you are ready for a fancy one.

Thank you, he sure does have a lot of soapy things.
I did buy a cheap cheese cutter board thing to use, but it was so poorly made I had to return it. So far I have not found another one I want to buy but I haven't been looking very hard, either. Nothing so far seems to make my soaps uniform in size unless I use individual molds.

I will do that and let you know.

ETA: I have a marble based wire cheese slicer and still slice poorly with it. I'm wondering if I'm just not an adept cutter/slicer. I hope this mitre box dies it for me.

Thank you. I shall await your product analysis.

 

[mzimm]

Thanks for posting this question earlene. I've been mulling over a cheap way to split loaves like this BB wire cutter does for awhile now. BB's cutter is way outside my definition of "cheap," but now I've got the starting point in design that I've needed in order to build my own.

 

[earlene]

We just left Home Depot where I purchased a drywall knife after testing with a mitre box just like the one Hubby leant. So now I need to make another loaf of soap to see if I can get straighter edges on my soapbars.