HELP!!!!! Hand-milling disaster...

[soapvirgin]

I tried to make a batch of hand-milled soap last night.. and it's all gone horribly wrong. The recipe says to use 40 ozs cold process soap (= one batch of one of their previous recipes) to 20 ozs water. I grated the soap and added it to the water in a double boiler but instead of going transparent and runny, it absorbed all the water immediately and sort of seized up and became transparent in parts, glutinous and jelly-like. I kept going for a bit but it definitely showed no signs at all of melting. I think I followed the first recipe correctly, it traced and set as expected, and it certainly seemed like soap when I was grating it. It's now gone back to opaque but still seems to have a jelly consistency.

Could anyone give me some advice? Can it be rescued? I'd feel pig-sick if I had to throw it away...!

 

[xraygrl]

20 oz of water to 40 oz of soap is definitey too much water, and it will take forever for the soap to dry out. handmilled soap should never be liquidy enough to pour.....it will be more the consistency of mashed potatoes or vaseline. The easiest way to handmill IMHO is to use a crockpot. Add just enough liquid (you can use water, aloe juice, milk, coconut milk, etc) to moisten your soap shreads...for a 40 oz batchmaybe 2 oz, 3 at the very most. Turn the crockpot on low and let it do it's thing. It can take up to a few hours to fully melt, but it should all eventually melt. You can stir it occasionally if you like, but it's not necessary. I like to ck on it and give it a stir every once in a while. Once it's all melted, let it cool a bit then add your color, scent and anything other additiives and glop it in the mold.

 

[soapvirgin]

help!!!

Thanks so much for the advice... Will try and track down a crockpot - sounds like a suitably low maintenance solution!

I think vaseline would almost describe the destination of my soap, even if it didn't quite get there. Do you think it's worth re-trying with this batch, or is it a lost cause?

 

[xraygrl]

with that much water it will likely take a very long time to dry out, but don't give up in it. let it sit for a week or so to dry out, then cut into bars, then just let the bars dry out for a couple of months or so...,.it should eventually get hard.

yes the crockpot is much eaiser to me than having to fuss with the water in the double boiler. You can just set the crockpot on low and go off and do other things around the house and know it will be ok.

 

[southernvtsoap]

I use fresh soap and the microwave when I have to rebatch. I never add any liquid. A four pound batch takes about 3-4 minutes ( a minute at a time - stirring in between) on high. It turns glossy and vaseline like, and I am able to pour it pretty easily. I don't usually rebatch cured soap, but when I have had to do it, I have never added more than an ounce or two of liquid per pound. It isn't as pourable as fresh soap, but it does melt.

 

[soapvirgin]

help!

Thank you for your advice. No microwave at present but a minute per pound would be a good reason to get one! The soap book definitely says the ratio is 50:100 parts water to cold process soap - but it seems that's way too much. I need to decide what to do with it now - think I am going to try re-grating and melting, otherwise it will have none of the added ingredients. Glad I know that I am aiming for Vaseline - the book said it should be like water!

 

[blueberrylolli]

sorry to jut into your thread, but what are the benefits of hand mill soap? did a search for it in google and in forum and there was 1 site where it said hand mill gives creamy soap, but no reason why that happens. anyone have an idea? thanks

 

[BakingNana]

There's always a term confusion between rebatch and hand mill. Technically, us CP soapers rebatch. Milling is done in factories by machines to make a harder, longer lasting bar.

Rebatching is usually done to save a messed up batch of soap. Could be a soap that turned out lye heavy, or you want to add scent or a bit more oil of some kind, etc. etc. And, most of us HATE to rebatch! But...there are people who like to rebatch. Not me, for sure!

 

[TessC]

Some of the soapmaking books contribute to the confusion. A couple that I picked up from the library are essentially nothing more than rebatch recipes. They give very basic cp recipes on about 3-4 pages, then the rest of the book is dedicated to ways to rebatch, what additives to add, etc.

I've rebatched twice to save really homely batches, both times were using a FO that I really couldn't bring myself to just toss, but I usually won't rebatch. Any ugly/scent morphed/scent faded/etc bars can go to one of the charities or shelters, they're still perfectly nice soap, they just don't smell or look as nice as planned.

 

[BakingNana]

I think I have that book. There are really good books out there; that isn't one of them, is it?!? :!: