Look at my newest babies!

[kwahlne]

Batch number 2. My own recipe! I love them. They are scented "Pearberry". Next batch, I attempt color...

 

[Guest]

Are they edible??? They look good!!!

Do you feel like commenting on the recipe?

 

[Martin]

Nice job. Very creamy looking.

Sonja

 

[kwahlne]

Thanks guys!

I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know how it feels, but my recipe is as follows:

7 oz Apricot Kernel
16.5 oz Palm Kernel
2 oz Castor

with a 6% lye discount

I'm looking forward to using it...



Do you see the kitchen knife imprint along the bottom..? Soap cutter should be on my doorstep tomorrow!

 

[TW]

I am new to this forum so I hope you do not mind me commenting on your new babies. They look great and creamy. Did you use Goats Milk? From the pictures they look like they already have a pinkish tint and I got that once from GM. Congratualtions!! TW

 

[kwahlne]

Thanks TW! Post away! I'm a Newbie too! I love this forum.

Nope, no goat's milk! I love the color though. We'll see if it stays.

 

[IanT]

great job! they look so creamy and fluffly ... let us know how it is when you test it!! great job!!

 

[itsmeroro]

Aww! I still remember my first batch -- it was a Castile (all EVOO) and looked somewhat like bars of white fudge! LOL

Good Job. Your soap looks inviting and creamy. Let us know how it cures!

 

[Guest]

Do you see the kitchen knife imprint along the bottom..? Soap cutter should be on my doorstep tomorrow!

No, I can't see the imprint at all. I'm sensitized to this issue because I just did my first batch today and had to trim the excess off my milk carton molds. Mine came out a bit irregular. Yours look fine!

Please tell us about your soap cutter. Links? Pictures? I've realized that I need jigs and/or tools to cut my own. I used a wavy cutter, but my cutter needs a jig to be able to cut perfectly vertically.

I'd like to hear what you're going to use. There's no point in making your own soap if you can't do at least as well as the commercials. We all know we can do better in the formulation, because we don't care to make 25 cent bars, but we've got to meet the appearance too.

 

[dragonfly princess]

I saw the knife imprints, my soap was like that too until I got a cutter. I think it gives it character!

 

[Guest]

I looked again and I see the knife marks now. Looks like you might have used a santoku. I just had an idea, if you try that again (probably not) you might run water over the knife, then while wet make a cut, then run some more water and make another cut, etc. In other words keep the knife wet.

I'm going to make my own cutter today or tomorrow. I'll just cut three pieces of wood like maybe 4" wide and 18" long, then assemble them in a "U" shape using wood screws. Then I can put the log in the "U" and use a knife to make the first cut, push the log out 1" (or whatever desired thickness) and make a second cut, etc. The vertical edge of the end of the cutter will keep the knife perfectly vertical.

Also, I can get a whatever-they-call-it at the kitchen supply, it looks like a knife but it has no taper. That should make very nice cuts as long as the soap isn't too hard.

I'm not at all against buying things on the Internet, but I'm terrible about wanting instant gratification.

My bulk oil supplier is 20 miles from home. I can buy two gallons of oil and it costs $10 for them to ship it to me, or I can drive over and pick it up and I use $10 of gasoline. Needless to say I'm too impatient to have them ship it, LOL.

 

[jadiebugs1]

Lovehound (love the name btw), sounds like you building a miter box. I use a miter box and a large putty scraper to cut my loaves of MP. Works pretty well, but they do sometimes come out fractions of ounces (up to an ounce) different from each other. It can be frustrating, because I sell the glycerin soaps and try my best to keep them exact weight. Oh well, just figured I'd let ya know you can pick up a cheap miter box at any harware store, (got mine at sears-no doubt they have them at walmart) and their fairly cheap.
FYI

 

[Guest]

LH It comes from the Kate Bush album "Hounds of Love." I used to be really big with KB although I've gone back to my all time favorite Heart.

Yeah, miter box. I didn't know my audience was that technical. Actually I've got two in my garage, but the sides are a bit lower than I had in mind. A few feet away I've got a stack of scrap lumber, and a few more feet there's a table saw. So sometimes it's easier for me to just build what I want from things I have on hand. I think I imagine a mold in that scrap lumber too.

Maybe I'll give the 2nd miter box a try.

Actually I can see what you mean about getting the bars identical. I was annoyed that my first batch had large variance and decided I would focus more on uniformity. I guess you need a chopper blade or wire and a stop an adjustable distance from it, so that you chop, remove bar, slide loaf, chop again to get identical bars. I'm planning my 2nd batch today, and after it's in the mold or tomorrow morning maybe I can come up with an improved version LH chopper.

I like doing things myself or I'd just buy soap. I'll probably end up building all my gear including molds and choppers. I'm not particularly good at woodwork but I get the job done. I'm a DIYer at heart.

 

[kwahlne]

Here's the cutter I have on order (should be here today):

http://cgi.ebay.com/WOOD-WOODEN-MOL...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

I liked this one because you can use both straight and wavy blade with it PLUS it has an adjustable stop.

Ebay: $18.50

 

[Guest]

Very nice, and nice price too. It's tempting. As I said I'm very impatient. Which will win out in the end? Too soon to tell!

Thanks~!

 

[pepperi27]

Looks delish like cream pie!

 

[gallerygirl]

They look wonderful, so creamy! I am ordering pearberry! k

 

[digit]

I have to say you have very lovely babies!

 

[kwahlne]

Thank you all for your wonderful comments! I'm a happy soaper newbie.

 

[sunflwrgrl7]

Nice looking soap!!