do salt(ed) bars always stay crumbly?

[cnm]

tried another batch w/ salt in it.
last batch was honey/almond/goat-milk and i added 20% ppo kosher at medium trace. the result was not to bad. i don't think it fully dissolved, but that's OK.
this batch was less salt, 15-16%, canning/pickling salt. i ruined the first 3-4 bars until i took it easy slicing it then they came out ok. but a few hours later i can see small cracks/flakes on the corners.

 

[Hazel]

This is why I like individual cavity molds for salt bars. It sounds like you might have waited a little long to cut. Was it still warm when you cut?

Salt won't dissolve at trace. You have to add salt to the water if you want it to dissolve. You could throw any crumbles into an organza bag. It works well to hold the soap and the organza is similar to using a pouf.

 

[kmarvel]

This is why I like individual cavity molds for salt bars. It sounds like you might have waited a little long to cut. Was it still warm when you cut?

Salt won't dissolve at trace. You have to add salt to the water if you want it to dissolve. You could throw any crumbles into an organza bag. It works well to hold the soap and the organza is similar to using a pouf.

I can tell you 30 minutes makes a big difference in cutting salt bars. I made a loaf on Sunday and cut it at the 2 1/2 hr mark. They were wanting to crumble!
I made a loaf on Monday and cut at the 2 hr mark. No problem at all.

 

[Hazel]

Just out of curiosity (because I love my cavity molds :grin: ) but what size was your loaf?

 

[LuckyStar]

Mine do look sort of crackled a bit (i do 75% of oil weight salt); however, after the first two or so uses, they get all smooth and shiny like a rock. Last such a long time, lol

 

[kmarvel]

Hazel, my soap mold I use for my salt bars is my trusty 3 lb loaf mold.

 

[navigator9]

In my limited experience with salt and brine soaps, there are major differences between the two. Salt bars, with salt added at trace, are crumbly. Brine bars, soleseif, with salt dissolved in lye water, are not crumbly. At least mine weren't. I used both individual molds, and a Crystal Lite container for the brine bars. I sliced the ones made in the Crystal Lite container with my Tank, and there was no crumbling. Salt bars feel rough, brine bars are smooth. I broke a wire on my Tank cutting salt bars, no problem at all with the brine bars.

 

[Hazel]

Hazel, my soap mold I use for my salt bars is my trusty 3 lb loaf mold.

Thanks! I was wondering if the size of the batch made a big difference on time to cut. It's been a long time since I made a salt bar loaf and I only used a 2 lb mold. I vaguely remember it was close to 2 hours or maybe a little less.

 

[AKjulz]

Doesn't really answer the OP's question but another difference navigator didn't mention is that salt bars contain much more salt than the soleseife (brine) bars. I really love the smooth velvety feel of brine bars.
My salt bars are hit and miss with the crumble factor. Some of them come out smooth, lovely and hard and others are much more crumbly and rough. Main differences are fine sea salt with coconut oil, Shea and castor vs Himalayan pink salt, co, castor oil and avacado oil. The one with himalayian salt gets super thick way fast and has to be packed into the molds, other one pours great.
I use individual molds, don't want to mess with cutting in time.

 

[kmarvel]

In my limited experience with salt and brine soaps, there are major differences between the two. Salt bars, with salt added at trace, are crumbly. Brine bars, soleseif, with salt dissolved in lye water, are not crumbly. At least mine weren't. I used both individual molds, and a Crystal Lite container for the brine bars. I sliced the ones made in the Crystal Lite container with my Tank, and there was no crumbling. Salt bars feel rough, brine bars are smooth. I broke a wire on my Tank cutting salt bars, no problem at all with the brine bars.

Navigator, if I cut mine at the 2 hr mark my salt bars are not crumbly. My salt bars don't feel rough either. mmmm.....maybe I am doing something wrong! :smile: hahaha

Kathie

 

[navigator9]

Navigator, if I cut mine at the 2 hr mark my salt bars are not crumbly. My salt bars don't feel rough either. mmmm.....maybe I am doing something wrong! :smile: hahaha

Kathie

Kathie, I used, if I can remember back that far, kosher salt. The grains are pretty large, and my bar was like a chunk of cement. It was awful...crumbly, rough, like I said, it resembled a big, chunk of cement. I could never figure out why people liked them. Maybe if I had made them with a finer grain of salt, the results would have been different.

 

[Hazel]

Kathie -

I forgot to ask the percentage of salt in your batch. I generally use 70% and I have a theory (might be wrong) that the higher percentage, the more crumblies if cutting too late.

eta:

@ navigator9 -

I also use fine grain sea salt or just regular table salt and my bars never felt rough. You might want to consider trying a small batch with table salt to see if you like it.

 

[Obsidian]

Even when cut soon enough, my salt bars usually have crumbly or at least rough edges but they clean up nicely with a micro-plane. Navigator, I've used 100% kosher salt before and my bars are nice and smooth. The salt grains look bigger but they aren't rough at all, I wonder if you used a course kosher salt maybe? You really should try a small batch with fine salt at 50%, I bet you'd like them.

 

[kmarvel]

Kathie -

I forgot to ask the percentage of salt in your batch. I generally use 70% and I have a theory (might be wrong) that the higher percentage, the more crumblies if cutting too late.

eta:

@ navigator9 -

I also use fine grain sea salt or just regular table salt and my bars never felt rough. You might want to consider trying a small batch with table salt to see if you like it.

Hazel,


Ahhhh.......maybe it is because I use a 50/50 ration oil to salt! Even then, mine wanted to crumble at the 2.5 hr mark! And if my salt looks to rough I run it thru the coffee bean grinder.

Kathie

 

[Hazel]

maybe it is because I use a 50/50 ration oil to salt! Even then, mine wanted to crumble at the 2.5 hr mark!

You all are bad influences. Instead of playing safe and using individual cavity molds, I ended up making a 5 lb salt batch in a loaf mold. Yeah, living la vida loca. Although, I wasn't crazy enough to use the usual 70% of salt. I only used 25% and I still had to end up spooning, banging, spooning, banging, etc. I sort of lost track of time and cut it at about 2 hours 20 minutes. I first had to cut it with a blade cutter since the loaf was too long for my wire cutter. It started fine but then took a chunk out at the bottom. I was not happy. However, I didn't have any problems when I cut it with the wires. The spoon, bang, spoon, bang, spoon, bang technique created a surprisingly nice swirl. I'll have to post a picture later. Anyway, I will cut at the 2 hour if I decide to ever do a loaf again.

What kind of cutter is everyone using? It would be interesting to hear since we have a wide range of percentages. I used 25%, Kathie used 50% and Lucky Star mentioned she used 75%.

 

[eucalypta]

I think there are almost as many possible recipes for a salt bar as there are for other types of soap.

IME fine table salt gives smoother edges to the bars cur from a loaf. Results in "pour-ability" also depend on the fragrance oil you use. I think the more and coarser the salt, the bigger the chance is that the edges will turn out crumbly, but isn't that a bit the charm of a salt bar?
In use the fine salt bars turn to smooth pebbles and they're ever lasting; still have not decided if that is a good thing though. I find that Himalayan salt can be a bit scratchy in the beginning, but overall all salt soaps hardly have a scrubbing factor. The only time I use individual cavity moulds is when I make a "salt bar for beginners" which is half salt bar, half plain soap. People like those.

 

[Obsidian]

I use either a very thin knife or a crinkle cutter. I've found that the crinkle cutter works really well with salt bars. I generally use 75% salt and I've never had my batter get too thick. In fact, I have troubles getting it thick enough to suspend the salt so I can pour.

 

[crunchy_cruncher]

Navigator9, in my experience using fine salt is a must in salt bars, course salt can scratch you!))

 

[cmzaha]

You all are bad influences. Instead of playing safe and using individual cavity molds, I ended up making a 5 lb salt batch in a loaf mold. Yeah, living la vida loca. Although, I wasn't crazy enough to use the usual 70% of salt. I only used 25% and I still had to end up spooning, banging, spooning, banging, etc. I sort of lost track of time and cut it at about 2 hours 20 minutes. I first had to cut it with a blade cutter since the loaf was too long for my wire cutter. It started fine but then took a chunk out at the bottom. I was not happy. However, I didn't have any problems when I cut it with the wires. The spoon, bang, spoon, bang, spoon, bang technique created a surprisingly nice swirl. I'll have to post a picture later. Anyway, I will cut at the 2 hour if I decide to ever do a loaf again.

What kind of cutter is everyone using? It would be interesting to hear since we have a wide range of percentages. I used 25%, Kathie used 50% and Lucky Star mentioned she used 75%.

I always pour my salt bars in a 5 lb mold and cut within 1 hr. They will get a little chippy on the bottom edge but as Obsidian stated, they clean up just fine. I use a mix of fine sea salt and coarse kosher salt at a rate of 100 % or more. I go by look and feel of the batter after adding in 100% salt. I love salt bars and my hubby has fallen in love with Brine bars.

 

[shunt2011]

I love salt bars and I use my 5 lb slab mold or individual molds. I like 50-75% salt. I like sea salt or course kosher salt. No scratching with either. They get like polished stone with use and last a long time.