Interesting! I did a search for rapeseed stearic acid before posting but couldn't find anything except sources from Europe. I guess you guys are lucky in this regard.
My first soap recipe (actually 2 ;)
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ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
The revenge is soy-based stearic acid, which I guess no European vendor will dare to sell 
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.user 49910
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All this talk about stearic acid seems to reaching the "ad infinitum; ad nauseum" stage for me at least. We're beating the mule who seems to be happy in the stall.
I use RSPO stearic acid and get great results. I make sure to keep it at least 50% to 60% of the recipe. I use 7-10% castor oil for increasing the creaminess of the lather and skin conditioning properties. I use no more than two butters... shea and cocoa. I use a modified dual lye cold process for my soap pucks.
I am experimenting with a dual lye hot process for a cream shaving soap similar to Proraso, but richer in body and creamier lather. I will post the results when the first test batch is complete. It's in the "rotting" phase right now... I really dislike that term "rotting". I think in the future I will refer to this phase as the resting phase or maceration phase or aging phase.
You guys doing these small test batches really won't see what the true results of the recipes are until the soap has aged for a minimum of 4 weeks. This period is essential to allowing the soap salt structures to form and bond at the molecular structure. Yes one will get a somewhat decent lather after 48 hours, but the difference after 4 weeks is quite significant. Be patient, work on one recipe at a time in a reasonable sized batch. Small batches of a two puck/bar quantity is very difficult to get accuracy unless you have scales going down to a tenth of a gram or lower.
What this website needs is a dedicated section for shaving soap of all kinds; hard cake, soft cake, cream-type, clear glycerin-types, etc.
How many would like to see a dedicated section just for shave soap and shave products?
I know I have seen on Ebay and Etsy vendors selling what they call as "Shave Soap" but it is merely a M&P soap that has had TD added to it and some fragrance... then they sell it for $12 dollar for a 4 ounce size. Having compared the ingredient listings of both M&P and these advertised soaps it seems rather coincidental to me. What a bloody ripoff. One thing I learned about 20 years ago when buying online is to do the research and be discerning as possible.
I use RSPO stearic acid and get great results. I make sure to keep it at least 50% to 60% of the recipe. I use 7-10% castor oil for increasing the creaminess of the lather and skin conditioning properties. I use no more than two butters... shea and cocoa. I use a modified dual lye cold process for my soap pucks.
I am experimenting with a dual lye hot process for a cream shaving soap similar to Proraso, but richer in body and creamier lather. I will post the results when the first test batch is complete. It's in the "rotting" phase right now... I really dislike that term "rotting". I think in the future I will refer to this phase as the resting phase or maceration phase or aging phase.
You guys doing these small test batches really won't see what the true results of the recipes are until the soap has aged for a minimum of 4 weeks. This period is essential to allowing the soap salt structures to form and bond at the molecular structure. Yes one will get a somewhat decent lather after 48 hours, but the difference after 4 weeks is quite significant. Be patient, work on one recipe at a time in a reasonable sized batch. Small batches of a two puck/bar quantity is very difficult to get accuracy unless you have scales going down to a tenth of a gram or lower.
What this website needs is a dedicated section for shaving soap of all kinds; hard cake, soft cake, cream-type, clear glycerin-types, etc.
How many would like to see a dedicated section just for shave soap and shave products?
I know I have seen on Ebay and Etsy vendors selling what they call as "Shave Soap" but it is merely a M&P soap that has had TD added to it and some fragrance... then they sell it for $12 dollar for a 4 ounce size. Having compared the ingredient listings of both M&P and these advertised soaps it seems rather coincidental to me. What a bloody ripoff. One thing I learned about 20 years ago when buying online is to do the research and be discerning as possible.
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100% agreed. It'd be rad to have a clubhouse so we don't have to bother the gorgeous swirl soap makers haha.
There's a TON of good stuff out there from smaller artisans. Just have to know where to look. Another reason for the shave section.
With regards to stearic acid discussion though, if you're tired of that imagine a shave section lol. I think the discussion is worth having because heck if you want to dial in soap, you have to know what you're working with. Some of the most interesting posts here dive deep into the small details, RO's experiments and wonderings for starters. Perhaps a shave section can get the ball rolling on moving past those SA posts however.
JoostD
Active Member
The test lather was just me bein inpatient 
it's now resting and I won't touch it for weeks now. I know it will improve. And I will update this post with the results.
A shaving section would be great. All tips, recipes and discussions in one place.
it's now resting and I won't touch it for weeks now. I know it will improve. And I will update this post with the results.A shaving section would be great. All tips, recipes and discussions in one place.
user 49910
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I don't believe a separate section would devolve into OCD and perfectionistic madness, at least not like the Monks of the medieval scholasticism who would get into days long discussions of how many Angels could dance on the head of a pin! @ResolvableOwl will probably like this analogy! LOL!
Apologies for the detour but I couldn't let it pass...
Good Omens
The "correct answer" to the question, according to the novel is one. Should this be apart of the article? If so, should it be listed as or under "Uses in popular culture?" Master Redyva 18:11, 30 November 2007 (UTC)
<<The premise being that the question is really nothing to do with the scale of pins nor the spacio-dimensional qualities of angels, rather upon certain basic yet pivotal facts, the principal being that only one angel ever learned to dance.
Further noting:
a) That while angels are inclined to listen appreciatively to the Music of the Spheres, they rarely feel the need to get down and boogie to it.
b) that the one angel that learned to dance learned to Gavotte, which sadly went out of fashion in France about the same time that beheading went in.
Hence assuming the Angel of the East Gate could find a suitably diminutive partner to Gavotte with, the answer to the question "how many angels may dance upon the point (not the fat end) of a needle" is one.
