other RTCP people...trace ?

[divaknitting]

For quite a while I was using the hot lye to melt my fats and that worked out great. Recently, I decided to mix a 50% lye solution and try RTCP ala Paul. Coincidentally, I have started adding stearic acid to my all veg mix to add hardness with less coconut and babassu so I'm not sure if it is the stearic acid causing this or the RTCP.

Anyway, when I add the RT lye to my oil mix trace happens very quickly. I use the stick blender and as soon as it is all well incorporated it is already too thickly traced to easily do swirls...still somewhat pourable in glops. Before with the hot lye/unmelted fats I had a much thinner consistency which lended itself well to swirling.

What kind of trace do other RTCPers get? Could it the the oil blend causing the thick trace? Or the stearic acid? I think I'll try the hot lye again tomorrow with this same mix so see what happens. The only thing I'm worried about though with that is that the stearic acid flakes take a lot longer to melt than everything else.

 

[MikeInPdx]

I'd venture to say it's probably the stearic. I use the same procedure with no stearic and get normal trace times.

 

[mandolyn]

I'd venture to say it's probably the stearic. I use the same procedure with no stearic and get normal trace times.

Same with me.

 

[reallyrita]

Other RTCP people....trace?

Same with me, too!

 

[mysoapopera]

I always use RTCP and I have not had a problem. however I did buy some stearic acid to.day and did RTCP with the stearic acid and I m not sure if the lye got hot enough to melt the stearic acid. Ill know in the am

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Don't take a water discount. Mix by hand until just well incorporated, the remove some batter for colouring for swirls.

 

[divaknitting]

I didn't do a water discount on either of the stearic batches so I think I can rule that out. I did a batch today with no stearic and RT lye and oils and was able to do swirl fine. I think the stearic was the culprit of the quick trace. Thanks for the input!

 

[beachgurl]

Same thing happened to me tonight. I used 2% stearic acid and that bad boy almost seized :shock: LOL I was going to swirl, but ended up doing more of a marble. Lesson learned

 

[mysoapopera]

are you using the stearic acid with your oils, or are you adding them at trace? Im still not sure about it??

 

[beachgurl]

I it with my oils.

 

[beachgurl]

Paul .. right again you are sir. I went back to the drawing board after a nasty batch last night (again, the stearic made the soap trace almost immediately). I just stirred until it wasn't translucent, divided out my batter and it worked beautifully. Thanks so much

 

[heart of dixie soap co]

steric acid

if you use rtcp and add steric acid you should melt it in your oils beforehand, blend and let cool. it takes very high temp to melt. i've never used it in rtcp, but in regular c/p i never use as a rule more than 1 tbps per pound of oil. i only use that when my "soft oils' like olive, macadamia, etc is over 40% of total oils.


hope this helps,

monet