How do you use soapcalc for both KOH & NAOH in same recipe

[Gheita]

Good Morning.
I would like to make this shaving soap for my husband for fathers day.
But I have no idea how to use soap calc when we need to use NAOH and KOH
I hope someone could point me in the right direction.

NAOH 0.77oz
KOH 1.02oz
WATER 4.09oz

ADD SOLUTION ABOVE TO
MELTED OILS OF
SHEA BUTTER 2.5oz
COCOA BUTTER 5oz
TALLOW 2.5oz
AVOCADO OIL 2.5oz
STEARIC ACID 1.1oz

 

[toxikon]

How would you feel about switching to a different lye calculator? I started with Soapcalc but now use Soapee exclusively. I like it way better!

Duel-lye recipes are a breeze, you can make an account and save your recipes, everything auto-updates on the same page so it's easy to tinker. Plus the UI is much nicer looking.

 

[BrewerGeorge]

I prefer soapcalc for most things, but when I want to do a double lye I use the soapee.com calculator. Soapee has dual lye as an option right at the top.

 

[Gheita]

Thanks I did not know about soapee - I'm heading there now - I owe you guys/gals such a big thank you - my soap bar you all helped me with turned out so well - I truly appreciate you all ( Just want to give you all one BIG HUGG and a BIGGER Thank you)

I'm playing around with soapee - Gosh it looks easy to use but I need to figure out the ratio for the 2 kinds of lye - Please see if my thinking is on the right path.
In my regular recipe I use Lye Concentration 27.124 % which total 2.26oz of lye
Now I only have ounces for the new recipe - will it be safe to say 20% KOH(lye) and 7% on the NAOH ? All I have to go on is a gut feeling but it maybe way wrong.

 

[toxikon]

Have you read through this post on shaving soap? http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=34264

It's really informative and if you use the basic recipe songwind provides, it makes a beautiful shaving soap.

For my first try, here's the recipe I tried:
50% Stearic Acid
35% Coconut Oil
10% Avocado Oil
5% Castor Oil

5% Superfat

100% KOH
25% Lye Concentration

I believe that the more NaOH you add, the harder the soap will become. My 100% KOH shaving soap is soft like putty, I can easily indent it. I mushed them all into small containers to use. With more NaOH, you can make more solid shaving pucks. If I recall correctly, a good "puck" ratio would be 75% KOH and 25% NaOH.

 

[kchaystack]

I'm playing around with soapee - Gosh it looks easy to use but I need to figure out the ratio for the 2 kinds of lye - Please see if my thinking is on the right path.
In my regular recipe I use Lye Concentration 27.124 % which total 2.26oz of lye
Now I only have ounces for the new recipe - will it be safe to say 20% KOH(lye) and 7% on the NAOH ? All I have to go on is a gut feeling but it maybe way wrong.

SO the question is why are you doing dual lye?

ETA: I see you are doing shaving soap. I agree with toxicon. Read the shaving thread, and my shaving soap is all KOH.

Also that is not how you divide the % of a lye solution. 27% concentration means that 27% of your lye is your alkali and 73% is water (or other liquid).

You need to decide what the ratio is for just your alkali. For bar soap with a high oleic acid content I make a 95% NaOH to 5% KOH solution. For shaving soap. I have attached an example of this.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I would also use just KOH. And I would also not use that recipe (rather one from that linked thread)

A tip for making small batches - use a Tupperware pot in the microwave.

 

[DeeAnna]

NAOH 0.77oz
KOH 1.02oz
WATER 4.09oz

"...I use Lye Concentration 27.124 % which total 2.26oz of lye. ...will it be safe to say 20% KOH(lye) and 7% on the NAOH ?..."

I agree with the advice that your recipe will not be a very good shave soap. But that's not my concern -- everyone else will get you straightened out on that. :mrgreen: What I want to do is get you straightened out on how you are thinking about this lye thing.

First off -- KOH and NaOH in dry form are "alkalis." Only after you dissolve them in water are they properly called "lye." It's best to avoid the all-purpose word "lye" when there is any chance of confusion, and I'd say this thread is one of those times.

Second -- the total percentages of KOH and NaOH must always add up to 100%. So if you want to have 60% of the alkali to be NaOH, then the remaining 40% of the alkali molecules must be KOH. You simply can't do "...20% KOH and 7% on the NAOH..."

The correct mathematical way to think about this --
NaOH = 60%
KOH = 100% - 60% = 40%

Also, the weight of alkali (NaOH or KOH or both) is always based on the fats in your recipe, never on the water. The amount of water in the recipe has NOTHING to do with how much NaOH, KOH, or both is needed to properly turn the fats into soap. The alkali weight is based only on the kind of fats, the weight of each fat, and the superfat percentage that you choose when creating the recipe.

The water weight is last! Only after you choose your fats and calculate the amount of alkali (NaOH or KOH or both) needed to turn the fats into soap, can you calculate the amount of water. The amount of water is based on the total alkali weight if you choose to use the "lye concentration" setting in Soapee or Soapcalc. Once you know the total weight of alkali in your recipe, THEN and only then can you calculate how much water must be used to make the proper lye concentration.

I hope this helps. Here's more: https://classicbells.com/soap/dualLye.html

 

[Gheita]

Good Morning.

I just want to say thanks for all the help and info I received yesterday. My soap is cooking and I think it should be ready in about 20 minutes.

I could not have done this with out you guys and all the "homework" you send me Gosh there's a lot to learn and I see myself as very lucky to be part of this forum.

Here is a pick of my soap in the pot.

PS: Sorry I see the photo don't show up - don't know how to fix it.