cure time for different sizes

[twincreeks]

Is it safe to assume that if your 5-6 oz bars are cured in 4-6 weeks, that a say 1.5 or 2.5 oz bar would cure faster, maybe 3-4 weeks simply due to smaller size, less area to dry? Providing it is the same recipe.
Thanks for any advice

 

[judymoody]

I'd say no. It's not just evaporation that happens during cure. Saponification continues, albeit at a much slower rate than in the initial days.

You could use them. But waiting will make them even better.

 

[AndreaMakesSoap]

Interesting, I've had this thought before too but haven't looked into it. From what I've been reading, curing does a couple of things:
1. It allows for evaporation and makes your bar harder which will last longer
2. The soap further saponifies, making a milder bar.

SO... If you use a water discount in your soap, it should evaporate faster.
In your case, smaller bars would have a larger surface area per unit weight of soap than larger bars, this will also help it evaporate faster.
You also want the weight of the soap to be stable, if you plan to sell it. You'd hate for it to become underweight from what it's labelled after it's been sold.

An interesting article on about.com: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/g/soapcure.htm

 

[twincreeks]

Thanks for the advice. I liked the article. You have shed some light on the subject for me.
Thanks!