Crumbling Mess

[TheSoakingTub]

I need help to determine why my soap is crumbling.

I was my 1st attempt at gradient 5 layer soap.

Recipe:

Lard 58%
Soybean oil 20%
Coconut oil 15%
Castor oil 7%

32 oz of oils
9.20 oz of Master Lye Solution (50% lye/ 50% water)
3.4 oz add'l water

 

[TheSoakingTub]

By the way, I used less impressive oils due to this being a test. I also was testing out a new techniques for decorating the tops of my loaves with botanicals/dried fruits.

 

[paillo]

Awww, and it would have been soooo beautiful. The only few times I've had that happen is when I accidentally forgot to add one of my oils. Could that possibly be the case? Looks like a rebatch is in your future

 

[Obsidian]

How long did you wait to cut it? It looks like it might have been too hard, maybe cut sooner.

 

[TheSoakingTub]

Pretty sure I didn't forget any oils. I cut it 19 hours after making.

 

[TheSoakingTub]

I used Rose Kaolin Clay as color...is it possible to use TOO MUCH clay?

 

[navigator9]

Does it zap?

 

[TheSoakingTub]

I don't do the zap test ...I'm chicken but my ph strips read 10...so I assume it would zap. Is the batch lye heavy then?

 

[coffeetime]

Yes it is possible to use too much clay. I use max. 2tbsp per lb of oils.
That's 20-30g for a 4lb loaf (some clays are heavier than others).

 

[navigator9]

I don't do the zap test ...I'm chicken but my ph strips read 10...so I assume it would zap. Is the batch lye heavy then?

It's not necessarily lye heavy. I'm guessing that it did not gel, correct? When soap doesn't gel, it takes a lot longer for the saponification process to finish. The soap will be soft, mushy and crumbly until it does. It's a shame you cut it already. But if you wait.....(it can take days).....test the ph again, or zap test with your tongue, and if it's OK, then it just needed more time. This is one reason I'm a big fan of gelled soap. Instant gratification. Good luck with yours!

 

[TheSoakingTub]

Thanks coffeetime & navigator 9. I really think it has alot to do with the amount of clay that I used. I only cut about 1 bar from the loaf then stopped. I'm going to hold off for another day or two then attempt another cut...this time using my wire soap cutter instead of hand cutting. Stay tuned!

 

[Obsidian]

You might try the wire cutter now. I don't see anything in your pictures that look like soft crumbly. Places look like the soap has snapped, like its brittle.

 

[TheSoakingTub]

Obsidian, you were correct. No way the wire cutter was getting through that block. Oh well, the soap smells too good to rebatch. I'll cure and keep it for myself.

 

[TheSoakingTub]

So sad...not mixing that recipe again.

 

[Obsidian]

Its still pretty, don't be discouraged. No reason you can't make that recipe again, just unmold and cut sooner. All but my softest recipes are usually cut within 10 hours of pouring.

 

[cmzaha]

I can make a good guess why they crumbled. A lye concentration of 36.5% is a heavy liquid discount when using clay, clay absorbs water/liquid. Even without the clay I would have cut the bars in 8-12 hrs at the lye concentration you used. In the pics they look like they were hard and crumbly not the soft mushy crumbly and I would also expect them to be very hard with the liquid discount. I never go higher than a 33% lye concentration when using clays.

 

[TheSoakingTub]

Thanks obsidian and cmzaha...lesson learnt