Cutting soap

[Red panda]

Hi I've just started making my own soap and am trying to figure out why myn don't have such a great looking finish to them when I've cut them. I'm wondering if I am cutting them too soon. What tools do others use to cut their soap?
My partner has made me some wooden boxes that I line with cling wrap, but I think I will try baking paper to get a smoother finish on the sides and bottom.

 

[Lynnz]

Cutting when the soap is very fresh can be an issue I have heard many soapers say they find a more polished cut if they wait a little longer. I use a wire and about the only issue I get is sometimes a few little bubbles on the surface but they are easily fixed with a wipe of the surface

 

[Red panda]

Yeah I thought I might be cutting it too early. Thanks for that. I think I will try cutting it with wire also.

 

[Relle]

Welcome Red Panda, would you like to tell us a little about yourself on the introduction section. Where in country NSW are you ?

Using baking paper will give you a smoother finish than the cling wrap. You can also cut with a thin bladed knife like a ham knife.

 

[Ruthie]

Welcome!

I use a dough cutter and like the results. But sometimes the soap is still too soft and I have to wait, sometimes another couple of days

 

[three_little_fishes]

Welcome to the forum! I agree, cutting too early can be a problem. Believe me...I do it all the time! Using paper instead of cling wrap also helps a lot. For cutting I use either a giant, but thin butcher knife or a wavy vegetable cutter. I do better with the vegetable cutter, I think because I'm pushing down from the top and the pressure is more even. Some people use a miter box. I bought one, but I didn't think it out and neither my knife nor my other cutter will fit into the slot.

 

[becca757]

Hello everyone! My name is Becca. I'm new the forum and just started making cp soaps about a month ago. I too, have problems with not getting a smooth finish after cutting my bars of soap. Is there a way to fix this after they have been cut? Also, I have a question I'd like to ask. I would really like my bars to weigh around 7.5 - 8.5 after cutting. Any suggestions on what dimensions I should use in order to achieve this? I know a typical bar of soap is 3.5 x 2.5 x 1 inch thick. Thank you so much!

 

[Relle]

I presume you are talking ounces for your soap. The typical size bars you mentioned would be around 4.5 - 5 ounces, I deal in grams and millimetres, so I'm trying to convert here, so 7.5 - 8 ounces would be a HUGE bar. They would have to be cut about 1 3/4''. Is there a reason you need them so large ?

 

[dcornett]

Definetly cutting too soon causes problems, and using a wire is so much smoother than a knife IMHO, but remember to wipe it occasionally to clear away any debris that will cause drag lines in your soap.

 

[three_little_fishes]

I presume you are talking ounces for your soap. The typical size bars you mentioned would be around 4.5 - 5 ounces, I deal in grams and millimetres, so I'm trying to convert here, so 7.5 - 8 ounces would be a HUGE bar. They would have to be cut about 1 3/4''. Is there a reason you need them so large ?

Yes, even my GIANT bars are around 7 ounces and they're way too big to comfortably use (my brain wasn't working when I completely filled the red mold from ED).

 

[jean1C]

I also use a dough cutter and wax paper. I bought a plastic mat from Walmart that has inches printed on it, so when I lay down my loaf I can get some semi-uniformity.

I wondered before about the smoothness of my cuts. I started to cut them in half, let them cure for a few more days and then cut them...seems to help. Also, you may be surprised that after they cure, the cut seems to appear smoother than when they were originally cut...at least that is what I have experienced.