Have seen these kind of spot in other post as well. Looks like prickly skin to me. I would go with TD spots. But there is no TD in the bottom half of this bar. Just an aesthetics thing I guess. Stick blender??
Prickly skin????
- Thread starter Ford
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Nice color! It looks like stearic spots to me. Maybe tiny air bubbles from a stick blender.
read something about when stick blenders get old. I have seen others with textures like this. Will search out stearic spots. Thanks.
A stick blender doesn't have to be old to incorporate air bubbles into soap batter. Depending on the shape of the bell, air can get trapped quite easily. I have a Cuisinart that I always have to 'burp' before turning it on. My ancient Braun has a flatter bell and really never traps any air.
just read that cutting "with wire" to soon/soft could case this also. One variable down. still reading about steric spots.
I vote for air bubbles. If you cut a piece with a knife instead of a wire cutter and the spots turn to little holes, you will have your answer. You can also try piercing one of them with a toothpick. I keep meaning to try a thinner wire in my soap cutter to see if it makes a difference, especially since I don’t seem to be able to get all of the bubbles out when I work at higher temperatures.
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
I think it's stearic and not wire spots or air bubbles. My soap gets those because I soap at RT and sometimes the oils high in stearic are a little on the cool side.
A thinner wire won't help because they are caused by the soap being too soft with a wire, not the thickness of the wire, and if it's air bubbles from cutting too soon higher temps won't matter.
Adobehead
Well-Known Member
it is so pretty! what did you use to color the green? is there tallow in the formula? i see those in my tallow blends, I think I didn't strain it fine enough when I rendered.
If it's air bubbles a quick swipe with a wet hand will close them up. But looks like stearic.
I too believe they are stearic spots. Though I do get little bubbles sometimes with my wire cutter because I'm impatient and don't wait long enough.
Hi everybody, no tallow. Not used that yet. Evergreen mica, from bramble berry. Reminds me of light jade. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Hi everybody. I soap in an unheated cellar. I have read stearic spots could also be temp related. Plans for a really big wood stove next fall. Should help overall. Thanks again.
Hi everybody. I soap in an unheated cellar. I have read stearic spots could also be temp related. Plans for a really big wood stove next fall. Should help overall. Thanks again.
Are you saying that I should wait longer to cut my soap? If I cut the soap with a knife, I don’t get the white looking bubble bump, but if I cut it with the wire, I do. That’s why I thought a thinner wire might work. Maybe I’m just not waiting long enough to cut with the wire. I’m always afraid the soap will chip if I wait too long, plus I’m inpatient.
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
As long as it's hard but pliable (you can make a small indentation if you put pressure to it) it won't crumble or chip when cutting. It takes a lot of practice to know when it's just right to cut with a wire and not get the 'wire bubbles'
If I cut too soon I get them, but if I just wait a couple hours where it's not as soft, no wire bubbles.
This is because the wire "rolls" these bubbles up. Wheareas the knife smooths them down when you cut.
hi everybody, round 2, used 31%lye (enjoyed this!) (33 prior), 3%sf(5 prior), same recipe other than that. Temped higher 90+(80+ prior), left TD out, prefer the natural look. No rivers that I can see. but time will tell. overall better. I really like this bar. And will get it right. Just one more, just one more, as he's climbing the Washington monument stairs.
Ford this is exactly my kind of soap. Obsessed with pencil lines I am. Very neat has a father’s day feel to it
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