old verses new

[Marianne]

O.K., I'm new.
I have just started making soap again after 20 years. I'm confused by all of the newer information online as compared to the older books I am using.
For instance: My books have me mixing lye with fats at between 95-98 degrees. All of the newer recipes on line mix from anywhere around 100 dgrees to 120-130. Why has it changed, what is the difference?
The newer recipes do not seem to stress the need to be within a couple dgrees of one another, has that changed also?

 

[Guest]

Hi Marianne!

I'm a Marrianne too - with 2 Rs.

I think you'll find that many soapers today are soaping at room temp and have thrown out the thermometer all together.

Read through the forums or do a search for RTCP and you'll find tons of info.

Welcome back to the soap world and welcome to the forum!

 

[mare61]

Hi Marianne, welcome to the forum.

I'm pretty new to soapmaking, too. Just made a few batches, but like everybody else on the board I'm already addicted. Just wanted to let you know that my name is Marianne as well. I live in Ontario, Canada but grew up in Switzerland.

Marianne

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Hi Marianne, welcome to the forum.

I'm pretty new to soapmaking, too. Just made a few batches, but like everybody else on the board I'm already addicted. Just wanted to let you know that my name is Marianne as well. I live in Ontario, Canada but grew up in Switzerland.

Marianne

To all our Marianne's, all spellings, a big ole hello and welcome! 8)

Hey Marianne, would you kindly translate this;

Hej Kerstin;

Vi er en tvålig tillverkningen forum. Om du er viljande tvålig tillverkningen informationen , vi er här till deras!

Paul :wink:

 

[Marianne]

Thanks for the welcome.
I did read everything I could find in the search on RTCP.
I am still confused. I really mean why is it we do not have to make soap the way we used to? What changed? Were we mislead and doing something we did not have to to begin with?
It would be ironic if all that effort I put in 20 years ago, was completely unnecessary.

 

[Guest]

I can understand your confusion and frustration. I don't know the answer to that but it's rare to hear of anyone besides brand new soapers actually taking temps. Not just on this forum but on every forum I visit.

I would guess that it has to do with heating up the oils and the need for it to cool down to a temp to work with. Most people that soap at room temp mix their oils well in advance and there is no need for them to cool.

Hopefully someone that used to soap that way will chime in with an answer. The people I learned to soap with soaped at room temp. I have never used a thermometer.

 

[lotionlady]

I guess I'm the exception. I like my soaps to gel and that seems more reliable at 110 deg. Otherwise, I usually soap at 95-100 deg. I also find quicker trace at slightly higher temps but that's just my experience. I also add my clay at the end as well as my eo's. I tried it the other way (all at once) and I just didn't like it. I mean, if it works for you, who cares

 

[Marianne]

Thank you, I really appreciate the feedback. I am getting really good results right now. I will probably try RTCP to see if I can carry it off but I have a great product as is.
I did try mixing at 100 degrees today instead of 95-98 and it worked great. Better I think than at lower temps.
I also have two large Otterhounds that make it very difficult to have anything particially processed anywhere in the house.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

RTCP is the only way for me! I started this method as it is known around here about a year ago now. I either RTCP, or DHHP now.

I get a full gel every time using 71 degree master batched recipe oils and premixed RT lye solution. It still heats up to gel because of the chemical reaction of the base (lye) reacting to the fats (alkali) forming a salt.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Thank you, I really appreciate the feedback. I am getting really good results right now. I will probably try RTCP to see if I can carry it off but I have a great product as is.
I did try mixing at 100 degrees today instead of 95-98 and it worked great. Better I think than at lower temps.
I also have two large Otterhounds that make it very difficult to have anything particially processed anywhere in the house.

Hey - if it ain't broke - don't fix it. Do what is comfortable for you.

 

[pjb31apb]

Don't think of it as wasted effort, think of it as the evolution of soap making!

 

[Marianne]

evolution is right! If you could have only seen me:

Covered from head to toe, turtleneck (in Florida), chemical gloves huge goggles, hat and boots. Every inch of my kitchen covered with newspaper or drop cloths. Inevitably the batch not saponifying and crying. Scales weren't as good, thermometers not as good.
I'm glad I tried it again now.

Marianne

 

[IanT]

hehehe....thats kind of how I do it now...i look like darth vader when i make soap lol full mask (im really not a starwars nut...just thats what comes to mind!.) ...."luke...I am your soaaaaperrrr" , minus the news paper

 

[lotionlady]

For me the most fun thing was discovering CPOP. I went from a slimy castile that I wouldn't (couldn't?) give away to a wonderful creamy soap without a bit of slime. And I love that even with my castile, I can cut the next morning. I do it for most of my soap now and it seems to really speed up the cure.

BTW, I found that particularly with castile, the higher temps seem to help with trace time. I also use a WD so that may be more of a factor - not sure - but it is nice not to stay at it for hours

 

[IanT]

ok, again im soo bad at abbreviateions lol...


WD??

 

[lotionlady]

Sorry. Bad habit. Water discount.

 

[organicsoapgal]

I agree...if you are more comfortable doing it the old way, I am sure if it worked before it will work now. I think most people sort of have their own system they use, and everyone does it slightly different.

 

[mare61]

Hej Kerstin;

Vi er en tvålig tillverkningen forum. Om du er viljande tvålig tillverkningen informationen , vi er här till deras!

Paul :wink:

Sorry Paul, can't help you here!!!! This is "swedish" and my language is "swiss". It's okay, everybody seems to confuse those two countries.