KOH bar recipes and calculators

[squidstings]

I'm making a KOH bar batch.

I've read that certain fats behave differently with Na and K. Disolving clear or cloudy, is really all I've found so far. Not much luck finding any shared KOH bar experience really.

Calculators confuse me when they change the type to :"Liquid" but still keep the "hardness" predictions.

Any KOH BAR experience (intentional or accidental) or calculator tips would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

[AliOop]

KOH alone will not make a solid bar; it will be a sticky paste. If you manage to pour while at a stable emulsion that is still fluid enough to use cavity molds (good luck with that), you might get a bar shape. However, it will be very soft and will dissolve quite fast if used to wash hands, for instance.

And yes, the calculator qualities are geared towards bar soap made with NaOH, so not all of them translate well to LS, as you noted.

Also, some fats do behave differently, for lack of a better term, in LS than in bar soap. Maybe a better way to say it is that different qualities of each fat become more relevant and noticeable in LS versus bar soap, or they may be less so.

For great info about these differences, I recommend The Ultimate Guide to Liquid Soap ebook that is available to purchase at ultimatesoap.com.

 

[squidstings]

KOH alone will not make a solid bar; it will be a sticky paste. If you manage to pour while at a stable emulsion that is still fluid enough to use cavity molds (good luck with that), you might get a bar shape. However, it will be very soft and will dissolve quite fast if used to wash hands, for instance.

Mostly the goal.

I got a hard KOH recipe recipe, 50/50 Tallow (makes sense with the soap discovery story of fat dripping on {hardwood ashes{KOH}. if true) /coconut oil. from a chemistry teacher a while back. This batch, I want to use KOH for how it attaches to the water molecule. And going back to a beginning, in a way. Too much free time lol

And yes, the calculator qualities are geared towards bar soap made with NaOH, so not all of them translate well to LS, as you noted.

Valuable info. I can use a bit less of the more expensive oils in my LS Thank you.

Also, some fats do behave differently, for lack of a better term, in LS than in bar soap. Maybe a better way to say it is that different qualities of each fat become more relevant and noticeable in LS versus bar soap, or they may be less so.

Excellent nugget!!! Thank you!!!

For great info about these differences, I recommend The Ultimate Guide to Liquid Soap ebook that is available to purchase at ultimatesoap.com.

 

[AliOop]

I got a hard KOH recipe recipe, 50/50 Tallow (makes sense with the soap discovery story of fat dripping on {hardwood ashes{KOH}. if true) /coconut oil. from a chemistry teacher a while back. This batch, I want to use KOH for how it attaches to the water molecule. And going back to a beginning, in a way. Too much free time lol

Am I understanding you correctly, that you intend to use KOH made from wood ash to make bar soap? If so, then hopefully you are aware that there is significantly more to the process and the recipe than simply combining the KOH with the oils. If not, articles like this one can be of some help.