False Trace and soapnification

[karajan]

As in the subject, I just came across the term false trace and soapnification. Have any soaper come across these term? When will these situation happen and why?

Enlightenment needed. Thank you.

 

[IrishLass]

A false trace can happen in a couple of different ways. One way that it happens is when you soap certain fats/butters at too cool of a temperature, or too far below their melting points for them to stay in liquid suspension when you are mixing the soap batter. What happens is that the temp of the soap batter cools down too low and causes the the fats with a high melting point to re-solidify so that it is harder for them to thoroughly react properly with the lye. To the one soaping it looks like the soap batter has thickened up and reached trace, but it's really not at true trace- it's just that the fats have actually come out of liquid suspension and are trying to go back to their natural solid state. This can cause white 'stearic spots' in your finished bars of soap- which are white globs or spots of unsaponified fats.

Another thing that can cause false trace is being over-zealous with the stickblender. What happens in this case is that over-use of the stickblender causes the batter to get thick through emulsification (in the same fashion that oils and eggs get really thick or emulsified when blended together to make mayonnaise, for instance), instead of coming to a true trace through saponification. Very simply put, saponification is the term used for the chemical reaction that takes place when lye and oils are mixed together to form soap. What happens in saponification is that the fat molecules are split apart by the lye molecules and they rebond with each other into a new configuration, forming soap. False trace in this case can cause separation of the soap while it's still in the mold.

HTH!
IrishLass

 

[karajan]

Thank you for the explanation. Guess I need to pay special attention when making soap with Shea Butter during cold weather or winter.

 

[carebear]

Saponification is the chemical reaction between oils and caustic to form soap.

You don't really need to reach "trace" where there is thickening, but you DO need to get a relatively stable emulsion and it's easiest to recognize this if you reach trace because the thickening is the indication that soap has been forming and this soap helps stabilize the emulsion.

I've never found that stick blending causes a "false" trace. False trace I get when I have fats that tend to solidify at room temp - and not many liquid oils to keep them fluid. For example, when I soap with a combination of JUST coconut oil and lard then the mix thickens up NOT due to the emulsification and saponification but just because the oils are cooling.

False trace is when you think the emulsion is stable, as evidenced by the thickening, but when it sits the oils and water separate. The easiest way to see this coming is to let your mix sit for a moment in the bowl before pouring into the mold and looking for that separation.

 

[Thegirldiver]

If I put my soap in the mold at false trace will it ever harden?

 

[DeeAnna]

@Thegirldiver -- If soap is in false trace, it's more likely to separate in the mold than it is to firm up properly. It's very likely the soap won't turn out well, so it's a situation you want to avoid if you can. Here are some links to more info:

https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spot-prevent-false-trace/
https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/controlling-trace-in-cold-process-soapmaking/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/difference-between-false-trace-and-true-one.29823/

It's always best to start a new thread for new questions, rather than ask them on an older thread that's not been active for some years. But don't feel bad -- you're not the first one to do this and you won't be the last.

And, last but not least -- welcome to SMF! If you haven't introduced yourself in the Intro Forum, please do -- tell us a little bit about yourself.