March 2024 SMF Challenge - Stone Soaps!

[CLMP]

I actually created my rock molds a couple days ago. I'm now ready to make some soap rocks! I am fortunate that my next door neighbor has a bunch of the perfect size river rocks. Here's a pic of my molds and rocks that I used.

Oh wow those are really nice! I kinda wanted to try making my own but the cheapest silicone kit I could find was like 50 bucks in Canada and I'm still recouperating from Christmas expenses lol. But yeah those are so nice looks like fun @MichaelP

 

[MichaelP]

@CLMP, wow! $50! Yep, I wouldn't do it for that price either. This is my first foray into silicone mold making and was fun to try out. If I was to do it again I would spend more time trying to make a more efficient container so I wouldn't waste so much of the silicone.

 

[not_ally]

They look great, Michael, how big are they, ie, how much will the soap stones weigh? I keep meaning to try to make a mold then not doing it because I'm nervous I'll mess up and waste the silicone.

 

[Relle]

Oh wow those are really nice! I kinda wanted to try making my own but the cheapest silicone kit I could find was like 50 bucks in Canada and I'm still recouperating from Christmas expenses lol. But yeah those are so nice looks like fun @MichaelP

I think we would pay that price or even more here for silicon, dh uses it to make moulds and is always complaining how cheap it is in the U.S. and expensive it is here. Makes it hard to join in.

 

[MichaelP]

@not_ally the largest rock is about 3.5 inches long by 2.5 inches wide and about 1.5 inches tall. The smallest is about 2.5 inches around and 1.5 inches tall. I completely understand about not wanting to waste the silicone. I know that I could have been more efficient if I had made some kind of container for each rock specifically, but didn't really understand this until after the fact.

@Relle. Ouch! I wonder why there is so much disparity in price? I completely understand the issue of joining in the competition when the cost of creating a mold is so high.

 

[CLMP]

To enter the March 2024 SMF Challenge, post your name in the list below. Then copy and paste these instructions and the entire list into a new post, adding the next number at the bottom.

Sign-up list:
1. not_ally. Attempted this ages ago, not so well. Time to try again!
2. Linne1gi - It’s been awhile since I have done a rock challenge. I’m in.
3. AliOop - I'm going to attempt to make a stone mold from a tube of hardware-store silicone. Wish me luck!
4.MichaelP - Ok, I'm in! I've never done this but have been wanting to try!
5.CLMP - My molds came early woohoo!
6.

 

[Vicki C]

I think we would pay that price or even more here for silicon, dh uses it to make moulds and is always complaining how cheap it is in the U.S. and expensive it is here. Makes it hard to join in.

Hmm that’s too bad. I wonder why it’s so expensive there? Hand molding is always an option. Amy Warden made some very realistic granite soap but I can’t find the video - she used three colors of shavings, like white, brown, and black maybe, and molded them layer by layer. I also saw a video from Diane Schmid of Seifenimgleck where she used a colander to dribble in different colors of batter to create a stone soap but I can’t find that one either.
While looking for Amy’s video I came upon this short which has a clever idea for making stone soap molds (sorry @Relle not helpful to you!)

 

[Tammyfarms]

To enter the March 2024 SMF Challenge, post your name in the list below. Then copy and paste these instructions and the entire list into a new post, adding the next number at the bottom.

Sign-up list:
1. not_ally. Attempted this ages ago, not so well. Time to try again!
2. Linne1gi - It’s been awhile since I have done a rock challenge. I’m in.
3. AliOop - I'm going to attempt to make a stone mold from a tube of hardware-store silicone. Wish me luck!
4.MichaelP - Ok, I'm in! I've never done this but have been wanting to try!
5.CLMP - My molds came early woohoo!
6. Tammyfarms - already started my soap dough.
7.

 

[Tammyfarms]

For those who don’t want to spend the money to purchase or make a mold, there are some tutorials for stone soap using dough. I am not sure I will ever make stone soap again so buying or making a mold didn’t make sense to me. Here’s one I found from Sorcery Soaps.

 

[vnikolic]

https://pin.it/506SppsjV

I wasn't part of the challenge...new member...but wanted to share a picture of my "cannon beach" soap. Was inspired by river rocks trickling in through a tributary on a morning walk on a girls week in Oregon.

Please pardon if the link doesn't work. Like i said, new to smf, have been soaping since 2017.

 

[Vicki C]

https://pin.it/506SppsjV

I wasn't part of the challenge...new member...but wanted to share a picture of my "cannon beach" soap. Was inspired by river rocks trickling in through a tributary on a morning walk on a girls week in Oregon.

Please pardon if the link doesn't work. Like i said, new to smf, have been soaping since 2017.

Very nice!

 

[dibbles]

https://pin.it/506SppsjV

I wasn't part of the challenge...new member...but wanted to share a picture of my "cannon beach" soap. Was inspired by river rocks trickling in through a tributary on a morning walk on a girls week in Oregon.

Please pardon if the link doesn't work. Like i said, new to smf, have been soaping since 2017.

Your stone hearts are lovely. Just so you know, as a supporting member you are eligible to sign up for the challenges right away. This challenge is still open, so sign up if you feel like you want to play along. (You would have to make a new soap for the challenge.)

 

[Cindy D.]

To enter the March 2024 SMF Challenge, post your name in the list below. Then copy and paste these instructions and the entire list into a new post, adding the next number at the bottom.

Sign-up list:
1. not_ally. Attempted this ages ago, not so well. Time to try again!
2. Linne1gi - It’s been awhile since I have done a rock challenge. I’m in.
3. AliOop - I'm going to attempt to make a stone mold from a tube of hardware-store silicone. Wish me luck!
4.MichaelP - Ok, I'm in! I've never done this but have been wanting to try!
5.CLMP - My molds came early woohoo!
6. Tammyfarms - already started my soap dough.
7. Cindy D.
8.

 

[not_ally]

Did my first try! I am always nervous on the first batch for SMF challenges, who knows why. It's not like @Vicki C is going to thump me if my soap is ugly. Right, VIcki? Um, Vicki? But once I make a batch and I know I have *something* I can enter everything is fine.

ETA: It was weird to not care what the inside of the soap would look like. I am so used to swirling and looking forward to what is on the inside when you cut/having that side be the primary surface. It's strange that the inside of these is basically irrelevant.

 

[Vicki C]

Did my first try! I am always nervous on the first batch for SMF challenges, who knows why. It's not like @Vicki C is going to thump me if my soap is ugly. Right, VIcki? Um, Vicki? But once I make a batch and I know I have *something* I can enter everything is fine.

ETA: It was weird to not care what the inside of the soap would look like. I am so used to swirling and looking forward to what is on the inside when you cut/having that side be the primary surface. It's strange that the inside of these is basically irrelevant.

Ugly soap welcome here!

 

[MichaelP]

Hi All! I finally got some 'rock soaps' from the molds I made and...uh... I'm disappointed. Apparently the silicone that I used to make soap had quite a few bubbles in it and this caused my rocks to have bubble/craters on the surface of them. I did notice that both parts A and B had many many bubbles in them as I was weighing them out. The silicone stated it was 'Bubble Free', so I naively thought the bubbles would work themselves out. I also am not happy with the way they look color-wise. I'm going to try carving them a bit to see if that will make any difference, but may try a different soap rock making technique if I have time this next week.

 

[Vicki C]

Hi All! I finally got some 'rock soaps' from the molds I made and...uh... I'm disappointed. Apparently the silicone that I used to make soap had quite a few bubbles in it and this caused my rocks to have bubble/craters on the surface of them. I did notice that both parts A and B had many many bubbles in them as I was weighing them out. The silicone stated it was 'Bubble Free', so I naively thought the bubbles would work themselves out. I also am not happy with the way they look color-wise. I'm going to try carving them a bit to see if that will make any difference, but may try a different soap rock making technique if I have time this next week.

Well, my rock molds have the bumps and craters that the original rocks had. Personally I would just leave them, it probably looks better than you think.
Here is an example. Those little craters were also on the rock, along with the frown. (I always see this one as a frowny face.)

 

[PaintyLiz]

Stone Soap (not soup) What a clever idea.

If you want to make your own molds for stones, (or anything else) you can do it quite cheaply with a tube of silicone caulking from the hardware store & a box of cornstarch. Made by Barb was the first place I saw the technique - https://www.madebybarb.com/2016/07/19/make-a-mold-for-concrete-part-1/

Hope that helps save some $$ for all you contestants

 

[Vicki C]

Stone Soap (not soup) What a clever idea.

If you want to make your own molds for stones, (or anything else) you can do it quite cheaply with a tube of silicone caulking from the hardware store & a box of cornstarch. Made by Barb was the first place I saw the technique - https://www.madebybarb.com/2016/07/19/make-a-mold-for-concrete-part-1/

Hope that helps save some $$ for all you contestants

Yes I did mention this in the intro, and @AliOop had said she was thinking of it. I am not sure about the toxicity of caulking and what could leach into the soap. I think silicone caulking uses solvents that create strong fumes - these might dissipate and the silicone might be safe when it is fully cured - I don’t know enough to give advice either way. If anyone chooses to go this route please be careful and research for yourself.
Here is a safety data sheet for a brand of silicone caulk called Custom Building Products.
https://www.custombuildingproducts....nglish-whmis-ghs-sds-2013-07-june-2013-10.pdf
Here is 3M’s safety data sheet.
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_zu8l00xmx_1n8_env70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS--

 

[AliOop]

@Vicki C My understanding is that the safety concerns relate primarily to the uncured silicone, i.e., when it is soft and sticky out of the tube. Once it is cured, the skin toxicity is supposedly minimal. After all, in the USA at least, we all have caulking around our water fixtures, shower walls, toilets, baseboards, windows, and doors.

That being said, I hadn't thought about the possibility that chemicals could leach out even from the cured silicone into the soap. Given the high pH of the soap batter, that's entirely possible. I'll see if I can find anything further about that from a reputable source.