Greetings from the "soap experiment" in Indiana!

[KrisKhaos]

Howdy,

Just saying hello to everyone as I continue on what I call my great soap experiment. haha. Basically my family and I plan to make some soap the old fashioned way (as close to 100% naturally as possible).....by extracting lye from hardwood ash (Potassium Hydroxide), using natural herbs, oils, etc.

We've been working on it for about six months, less than that if you remove the cold weather "time off", and have stumbled upon all sorts of minor problems never mentioned in online tutorials...and look forward to sharing them in the future.

As of current, our lye leeching bucket is under going maintenance, however we have managed to extract a few liters of concentrated lye, so as soon as the bucket settles (again), we should be able to move beyond the bucket and it's problems, and actually start messing up the soap making process. lol

So here we are, and hope we all can learn a thing or two together.

BTW....The bot killing caption code is horrible on this site. I know it is to help filter spam, but with it being 'case sensitive' it's HARD to tell a capital C, S, Z, V, etc. from lower case. I've tried to post this 12 times already! ouch!

 

[Hazel]

Welcome to the forum!

I think it's great that you're making your own lye.

 

[soapbuddy]

Welcome!
Leached lye that you will get from your method will make for a very soft soap. My grandmother made it this way. What methods do you use to measure the accuracy of your lye solution?

 

[KrisKhaos]

I think it's great that you're making your own lye.

Thank you Mrs. Hazel, (I assume you are female, if I am mistaken, please excuse me.) Where most families gather around the dinner table, our family enjoys gathering around the outdoor fire place.

After a hundred or so gatherings, we talked about making use of the discarded ash. After several more wasted piles of ash, we finally put together our own variation of a lye leeching bucket. At first it didn't work so good, but after some trials and errors, and some tweaking of our methods, we managed to come up with something that works.

Welcome!
Leached lye that you will get from your method will make for a very soft soap.

Thank you Soapbuddy.

I have read that. From what I have gathered Potassium Hydroxide makes a better soap, or so they say, however isn't commonly used because it is more expensive to commercially produce than Sodium Hydroxide.

My grandmother made it this way. What methods do you use to measure the accuracy of your lye solution?

After several 'bad runs' so to speak, we have it down. Unfortunately however, our bucket has recently plugged up! lol (go figure) So today was spent tearing it down, and dislodging the sot that had caked and plugged the fine rocks that we used in the filtering process.

What lye we did extract so far, 2.5+ liters worth, is a nice dark amber color (as it is supposed to look judging from photos), but as of yet has not been tested. In fact, we have yet to select a method of testing! I've read about the egg floating test, the dissolving of a feather, and even heard about someone building a reusable float that would measure it! Any suggestions would be helpful at this point, as I am hoping your grandmother passed along some secrets that could be most helpful.

Regardless of the testing method, I plan to routinely test the Potash's pH as well. I figure while the old fashioned methods are nice, a dash of good ole modern science wouldn't hurt.

(We want the end product to be 100% natural....the tools to get there don't have to be. lol)

(My oldest daughter holding the lye...)

 

[judymoody]

What a neat idea! I wish you luck with your project.

I think what soapbuddy was asking had to do with the strength of your lye concentration. I personally don't have the faintest idea how to measure it or what kinds of tools you would need. The main danger, as I see it, is that without this data you might end up with lye-heavy soap that would be too caustic and irritating.

Are you looking to make liquid soap or bar soap or something in-between?

 

[soapbuddy]

I think what soapbuddy was asking had to do with the strength of your lye concentration. I personally don't have the faintest idea how to measure it or what kinds of tools you would need. The main danger, as I see it, is that without this data you might end up with lye-heavy soap that would be too caustic and irritating.

Yes, that's what I was asking. My grandmother floated an egg in the lye solution and if it floated half way, then she used it. This was a very crude method and was only used to make laundry soap. I'm all ears if you find a way to measure the actual strength of your lye solution.

 

[KrisKhaos]

What a neat idea! I wish you luck with your project.

Thank you! It's actually been fun so far.

I think what soapbuddy was asking had to do with the strength of your lye concentration.

Right. What I meant by testing was the level of concentration, and I have not designated a means to test it yet.

The main danger, as I see it, is that without this data you might end up with lye-heavy soap that would be too caustic and irritating.

RIGHT! I thought about that. Hence why I plan to be VERY careful in the 'experimental' stages, and definitely something to keep in mind!

My grandmother floated an egg in the lye solution and if it floated half way, then she used it. This was a very crude method and was only used to make laundry soap. I'm all ears if you find a way to measure the actual strength of your lye solution.

I heard that was the most common, reading something of a quarter or nickel sized floating of the egg. (It's in my notes.) I also read dissolving of a feather meant that the potash lye was ready, but I esp. don't like this method of testing because it won't account for excessive strength! I have even found a person who designed a reusable 'float' that will measure the concentration of lye.

Unless I can find some chem strips that will test the exact potash content EXACTLY, I figure that a pH test is my BEST (and most accurate) option.

At this moment however, I am merely trying to extract it, as I know if it's TOO CONCENTRATED, I will just add rain water. If it's not enough, I will either run it through or boil the water out of it. (Figuring it's the by-product of fire, I would just boil a designated pot right on it.)

As of right now I don't know the best concentration of which to store the final product. I thought about severely concentrating it, which will allow more potash to be stored in smaller amounts, but then it will require distilled/rain water every time I plan to make soap. I also thought about finding a recipe that worked, and concentrating it to that point and storing it. Hence why we are not exactly sure the best option and have not tested it. hehe.

Any recommendations on the desired concentration levels?

(To date I have over 55gal worth of ash AND rain water, and we are running out of room for pre-leeched potash!)

Are you looking to make liquid soap or bar soap or something in-between?

Not exactly sure as of yet. I preference bars, however homemade laundry, hand, etc. soap sounds wonderful! I also have plans to toy with the potash outside of just the soap range as well.

Any good recipes would be helpful.

Speaking of which, my most recent leeching (of the SAME ASH) produced enough concentrated potash that LESS THAN A HALF A CUP of it unclogged my kitchen sink earlier today. Since I reset the plugged leeching bucket, there was a bit of sediment in the bottom this time. I made use of it in my drain. lol (Potassium Hydroxide is one of the active ingredients in some drain openers.)

 

[judymoody]

Essentially Soap: The Elegant Art of Handmade Soap Making, Scenting, Coloring & Shaping by Robert McDaniel has a section about making and using your own lye.

 

[Microdot]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[KrisKhaos]

Essentially Soap: The Elegant Art of Handmade Soap Making, Scenting, Coloring & Shaping by Robert McDaniel has a section about making and using your own lye.

Thanks Judy! I will definitely put that on my 'wish list'!

I'm STILL having problems with my current leeching apparatus, however now it's either clogging or spilling out excess unwanted silt. Irritated, but enlightened, I believe it is time to retire my first bucket and move on to one that involves more modern concepts in mind. My current bucket is designed around the more 'old fashioned' concept, minus the wooden barrel (plastic).

So, I think I will start a thread on the topic, once I finalize my design and part list. That way I can update it's successes (and failures), along with debate upon them with the likes of folks as well. (If everyone doesn't mind of course.)

I have already purchased most the components that will be used, however I am still finding myself making some 'last minute' changes. lol

(BTW, thanks microdot!)