Rebatch question

[big_onion]

So I have almost 2 lbs of a batch of soap that I'd like to do something with. Here's the problem:

The soap is 65.65% lamb tallow and 34.35% coconut oil. When I originally did the recipe in SoapCalc, I kept the default "super fat 5%". While this might normally be fine, now that the soap has hardened a month or so later the smell of meat is ever present. You can smell it in the raw soap and in the wet soap. I made the soap using crock pot hot process method.

Here's the specfics I used:

Coconut oil: 379.883 grams
Lamb tallow: 725.747 grams
Water: 420.14 grams
Lye: 161.5 grams

I added .5 oz of tea tree oil at the end.

Any ideas on how to save this? I think, more than just melting down, I need to add more lye to saponify that 5%. A lot of recipes for rebatching sya to just melt it down, but how much lye do I add? How much water? At what point do I add the water and/or lye?

Any help?

Thanks!!

 

[Jerry S]

Getting rid of the lamb smell

Well....the only thing I can think of is that you’re getting the smell from the lamb tallow.
You used an awful lot of that. The smell of cooked lamb is very pungent. I didn’t check your calc’s but if you used soap calc the proportions should be ok. Adding lye to the rebatch may saponify what little oil didn’t get eaten up before but then your going to be left with no Superfat at all and you’ll probably still have the meaty smell. Unless your very careful to calc the amount of lye needed, you may be lye heavy in your finished product. You don’t want that. When I rebatch I add about a cup and a forth per 4 pounds of rebatch shreads…so you’d cut that in half. But could add a ¼ th cup of milk as well. Milk will take some of the meaty odder away….I just wrote a little tutorial on rebatching a few threads ago...
If you do another rebatch, you might try to put an FO in it that will mask the meaty smell…that’s just my guess. If that doesn’t work and you still can’t stand the smell after the rebatch…pitch it…Someone else on this forum may have a better idea.
Jerry S.

 

[BakingNana]

I'd guess you're going to be stuck with the smell no matter what you do. Lamb is incredibly strong smelling. Maybe you could shred it and use the shreds dissolved in some water with some type of fragrance for cleaning. Wash the car? Scrub patio furniture? Sorry I don't have any magic answers. I wouldn't bother to rebatch it, though. I don't think you could successfully add as much to it as it would take to cut the smell. Agree with not trying to add lye. Even 0% SF lard soap gets sort of bacony after a few months. :cry:

 

[Lindy]

I have to ask - did you render the tallow yourself? Personally even if you bought it from someone else I would recommend rendering it again to make sure that it is fully rendered and nothing left but the fat - no proteins. I'm not any kind of expert when it comes to lamb tallow, but it is what crosses my mind first off..... If it isn't properly rendered there will be nothing you can do about the scent....

 

[jennikate]

Well what i do to rebatch is add some grated soap to a new batch I am making maybe try this method. For example my new batch 1 lb add say 7 ozs of grated soap see if that helps with the odor. Also step away from adding any more lye to your already made soap as someone else said 0 SF not a good idea. Good luck with it.

 

[Bean13]

I know this is an older thread but I happened upon it while rebatching myself and I'm wondering if you were to add butters after you've incorporated the lye if that will make a superfat again? IDK. Asking a question for myself I guess.

 

[jennikate]

Could be done but to avoid lye heavy soap measurement need be prescise. Personaly i dont want get that detailed. When I rebatch I add some shreds to a new batch of soap i only add enough lye for the new batch and wait till melted down do that. I found I like rebatching much better with a crockpot to do it in.