how to slow down tracing!!

[silhouette]

well my soaps traces quick very quick..
let me gv more details...
i soap at room temp.
i usually dont use olive oil... the oils are palm, coconut, castor, sunflower and rice bran..
hard : soft oils ratio s 60: 40
i end up nt using stick blender still it trace soon.. and i usually make one or 2 lb soap.

 

[seven]

can you please post your complete recipe?

castor is quite a fast tracer as far as i know. i don't usually use castor if i wanted to do complicated swirls.

 

[scotsman]

I'm also thinking the castor may be the culprit. You could use a lower percentage or omit it entirely from the recipe. I've also heard that olive oil can slow down trace. Maybe incorporate some into your recipe. What percentage of water are you using? When I do recipes with full water they tend to take longer to come to trace than those where I use a steeper water discount. Also, it is my understanding that hard oils tend to speed up trace. Perhaps incorporate more soft oils into the recipe. Like as was said in the previous post, I would need to see your full recipe to really examine what may be causing the problem. That is, of course, only if you are comfortable with posting your recipe in a public forum. Some soap makers prefer to safeguard their recipes and will at most post vague ingredient lists without weights or percentages. I'm not in that camp. I'll freely post any of my recipes as I enjoy sharing my knowledge and helping other members of the soap making community because lord knows I've received tons of help over the years, especially when I was new to the craft.

 

[Obsidian]

I've used 20% castor before and it didn't speed up trace but palm always speeds trace for me. You can try replacing palm with lard for a nice slow trace or reduce the palm way down and add olive oil. Soap around 80* F will help too.

 

[Meganmischke]

You might have some luck with a 50:50 ratio. Also some of the other ideas too.

 

[lionprincess00]

Do you pulse, then hand mix, pulse, then hand mix? I do this and it reaches emulsion fast... And would trace nicely and quickly if all I did was stick blend the entire time. I don't use palm, but I do use 5% castor in my recipes and don't trace super fast/nor super thick. Please post the recipe and technique with the SB you're using to better help you. EDIT:
Here is a screen shot I took once of fast tracing oils. I don't remember the website, and hopefully this is an accurate list. I take a gander at the list when trying to make a slow mover. Hth.

 

[dixiedragon]

You can bump up the water on soapcalc from 38% to 40%. I've never gone higher, so I'm not sure what the upper limit is.

 

[shunt2011]

I use castor in all my recipes and am able to do all the swirling I want most times depending only on the EO/FO I'm using. I do use it at 5-6% but I also use Shea at 10-15%. I would agree with wanting to see your recipe and then maybe we can figure out something.

 

[Meganmischke]

Do you pulse, then hand mix, pulse, then hand mix? I do this and it reaches emulsion fast... And would trace nicely and quickly if all I did was stick blend the entire time. I don't use palm, but I do use 5% castor in my recipes and don't trace super fast/nor super thick. Please post the recipe and technique with the SB you're using to better help you. EDIT:
Here is a screen shot I took once of fast tracing oils. I don't remember the website, and hopefully this is an accurate list. I take a gander at the list when trying to make a slow mover. Hth.

I would say that is not the most accurate list but other than lard and castor for me it is ok. I think that there is really no way to avoid all thoses oils. It is still good info to keep in mind though thanks.

 

[silhouette]

can you please post your complete recipe?

castor is quite a fast tracer as far as i know. i don't usually use castor if i wanted to do complicated swirls.

my complete recipe s
palm 40%, coconut 20%, ricebran is 20% sunflower 10% castor 10%
sf was 7% but i guess thts tooo much fr a hot place... mayb i shud come down to

 

[silhouette]

I'm also thinking the castor may be the culprit. You could use a lower percentage or omit it entirely from the recipe. I've also heard that olive oil can slow down trace. Maybe incorporate some into your recipe. What percentage of water are you using? When I do recipes with full water they tend to take longer to come to trace than those where I use a steeper water discount. Also, it is my understanding that hard oils tend to speed up trace. Perhaps incorporate more soft oils into the recipe. Like as was said in the previous post, I would need to see your full recipe to really examine what may be causing the problem. That is, of course, only if you are comfortable with posting your recipe in a public forum. Some soap makers prefer to safeguard their recipes and will at most post vague ingredient lists without weights or percentages. I'm not in that camp. I'll freely post any of my recipes as I enjoy sharing my knowledge and helping other members of the soap making community because lord knows I've received tons of help over the years, especially when I was new to the craft.

palm 40%, coconut 20%, rice bran 20%, sunflower 10% and castor 10%. sf at 7%. full water thts 38%... ya i too heard qlive oils slows down the trace... also read soybean oil tooo slows down.. but nvr tried.. i love hard bars so felt 60% hard oils might do good... ya i do get hard bar but i ve nvr tried swirling.. lol.. hardly get time..

 

[silhouette]

I've used 20% castor before and it didn't speed up trace but palm always speeds trace for me. You can try replacing palm with lard for a nice slow trace or reduce the palm way down and add olive oil. Soap around 80* F will help too.

i use vegetable oils only.. so no lard.. and i too read palm speed up,,,
aftr mixing the oils and lye solution, if it hardens fast can i warm it a bit... i think i read tht somewhr .