Column Swirl

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Saponista

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My first attempt at a column swirl with the new slab mold my hubby bought me for Christmas. :) ImageUploadedBySoap Making1421177112.848923.jpg
 
Thanks snappy, I scented with a mix of lavender, orange, pine and cedar wood. Odd mix I know but my husband and I both really like it.
 
I haven't cut it yet, leaving it to make sure it's definitely hard enough. However it has developed loads of ash. I normally cover my smaller moulds and have never really experienced ash, this one was too big to cover properly. Any suggestions on how to get rid of the ash? It's too late to spray with alcohol isn't it? Will I just need to plane off the top layer? ImageUploadedBySoap Making1421243301.197707.jpg
 
You can steam the ash off, or simply wash it off, or plane it. Arent they cut yet? I wanna see!!
 
Wow that is beautiful !! And the soap is nice too! ;)

As for the ash. . . Once it has cured a bit, say 3-4 weeks in, then give it a water bath/ dunk. I wouldn't waste the soap by planing it off. Just dunk the soap in cold water, rub off the ash, then put it up to dry. As it is drying you can give it a spritz of alcohol.

If you plane it too soon, or wash it too soon, the ash will just reappear as it cures. Better to do it just once.
 
I peeled the edge of one side down and it's still like gooey dough :( need it to be more solid than that to get it on my slab cutter. Will have to wait another day at least methinks. Sorry everyone, taunting you and myself with the 'in the mould pics'. I think I had a bit of mica morph as the Orange is now pale yellow.

I water discounted so I'm not sure why this soap is so soft. It didn't gel so that may be part of it and I used lard which I don't normally use as it's cheap and the soap was a larger volume than normal for me.... Maybe I will have to try some SL next time.
 
It looks really beautiful, I love the colours. I can't wait to see it cut too!

Regarding the ash, I second Dorymae's suggestion re washing it off at 3 weeks. That worked for me. Ironically I had the opposite problem to you. The soap I covered when in the mould developed ash and those I didn't cover were fine.
 
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