SMF May 2020 Challenge Signup – Diagonal Slice Stripe with Swirl

[earlene]

I have a question... How long is too long between the two batches? I made my layered batch last night and unmoulded today. Haven't cut it yet. Off to work tomorrow for a 14hr day so my next decent chance to finish it is in a couple days time. Should I wrap the layered batch or will it be fine?

If you wrap the layered soap tightly in plastic kitchen wrap (like Saran Wrap), it will not dry out as quickly. Think in terms of soap dough - it is kept in an air tight container and it remains pliable. I did just that with some soap and kept it air-tight wrapped for 9 months. I had originally planned to add a thin layer of soap batter in a contrasting color for an Intaglio design. but did not get around to it for whatever reason. But I did do a soap welding experiment with the soap to test out welding pieces of soap together and the pieces adhered together extremely well. So you should have no trouble welding the getting your two sides to stick together after you unwrap the first from the plastic wrap. For more information about the soap welding technique see these links: Aug 2019 post; Sept 2019 post. Photo of welded soap. Post when I first wrapped the soap.

PS: I had no trouble cutting the long loaf into bar size soaps 9 months after it was made; it had been tightly wrapped in plastic wrap the entire time.

 

[Primrose]

Thanks Earlene! Mostly I wondered if it did indeed need to be 'fresh' soap in order to adhere well to the second batch, or whether it could be a bit dried out, like when I put embeds into soaps. But I think you possibly answered my question anyway - so I have sliced it and wrapped it and will finish it off in a couple of days

 

[Jersey Girl]

Thanks Earlene! Mostly I wondered if it did indeed need to be 'fresh' soap in order to adhere well to the second batch, or whether it could be a bit dried out, like when I put embeds into soaps. But I think you possibly answered my question anyway - so I have sliced it and wrapped it and will finish it off in a couple of days

I had a striped section sit wrapped in Saran Wrap for 4 days until I finished the second layer and it adhered fine. I sprayed with alcohol before I poured the second half. Don’t know if that helped or not but it stuck. Can’t say what would happen in the shower a couple months down the road but it’s sticking just fine for now.

 

[earlene]

I had a striped section sit wrapped in Saran Wrap for 4 days until I finished the second layer and it adhered fine. I sprayed with alcohol before I poured the second half. Don’t know if that helped or not but it stuck. Can’t say what would happen in the shower a couple months down the road but it’s sticking just fine for now.

My welded soap never broke apart the whole life of the bar. I used it in the shower as well as at sink-side.

 

[dibbles]

I've kept the messed up cut side of my striped loaf wrapped, originally to chop into cubes or confetti. I checked it yesterday, and it is still soft enough to cut again. I might see if I can cut it so that it will work in a tall & skinny mold. That would give me a second try without making another striped loaf.

 

[Primrose]

Well, i did the first of mine today. All I can say is, I hope it's a forgiving technique because my swirl batch using my old faithful recipe and well behaved FO accelerated because soap gremlins. Will have another go tomorrow.

 

[amd]

How long is too long between the two batches? I made my layered batch last night and unmoulded today. Haven't cut it yet. Off to work tomorrow for a 14hr day so my next decent chance to finish it is in a couple days time. Should I wrap the layered batch or will it be fine?

Good question! I think within a couple days you'll be fine, but if you're like me and time (days) get away from you, go ahead and wrap the entire loaf in saran wrap. That's what I had to do to my soap for the carving challenge - because I wasn't content to do just one or two bars, I had to do all the bars and didn't have time to carve them all in one go.

 

[MarnieSoapien]

Layers poured and put to bed! I can't wait to see what they look like tomorrow I changed up my plan at the last minute. I have soap commitment issues.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@amd and @moodymama - inspiring soaps!

So far, making stripes/layers has always stressed me out. One of the FOs I tested accelerated a bit, so I might try using it for a striped section and see how it goes before I fully commit. Baby steps...

Has anyone tried cutting the striped section into manageable blocks, turning a block on its side, and then cutting it on the diagonal using a single wire cutter? I think that could work.

 

[dibbles]

Has anyone tried cutting the striped section into manageable blocks, turning a block on its side, and then cutting it on the diagonal using a single wire cutter? I think that could work.

I cut mine into 4.5", so that would have been too tall for my wire cutter. Were you thinking of cutting it more like 2-3"? I don't know if this always happens because I've only had one try so far, but the soap bar where the two halves were put next to each other (they fit snugly) had no batter get through to the wall. It was two separate striped pieces held together by the solid pour for the swirl on the second half of the diagonal. I cut through the 'gap' to see what would happen, and the new soap broke away from the striped soap. Does this make sense? I'm hoping to get a second try started today, and am considering leaving a bit of room between the two parts so the new soap can get between them. I do think that cutting the loaf into shorter pieces made the diagonal cut easier. I might just try using my 1 lb. loaf mold instead.

 

[amd]

I made my striped loaf in a 12" mold. My first batch I didn't cut into smaller blocks and it was a bit unwieldy trying to cut the diagonal slice. After watching the Royalty Soap video, I tried cutting the loaf in half (into two 6" loafs) which was easier to cut the diagonal slice... but when I cut it into bars, because of the size of my bars, the cut for the 6" wound up in the middle of a bar. My OCD freaked out, haha. Something to think about if you're OCD like me

I cut through the 'gap' to see what would happen, and the new soap broke away from the striped soap.

Hmmm... I wonder if the two halves separated because it was still new? I did that to the ones I mentioned above (so I could put them into an endcut pile) after the cure and they stayed together fine. This is good to know, and I won't try to cut endcuts from whole bars until after the cure.

 

[dibbles]

@amd that is what I was trying to describe. I also think the OCD factor made me decide to test the bond and I purposely bent the bar along the diagonal line. It didn’t just fall apart. And at that point the soap bar was only half an inch thick. The other bars are sticking together just fine.

 

[bookreader451]

I used a wire cake layer slicer and was able to get a pretty good cut without slicing in half first. I stood the soap on end and worked slowly with constant light downward pressure to keep on the angle. Amazon.com: Wilton Aluminum and Steel Cake Leveler: Food Sculpting Tools: Kitchen & Dining

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I cut mine into 4.5", so that would have been too tall for my wire cutter. Were you thinking of cutting it more like 2-3"? I don't know if this always happens because I've only had one try so far, but the soap bar where the two halves were put next to each other (they fit snugly) had no batter get through to the wall. It was two separate striped pieces held together by the solid pour for the swirl on the second half of the diagonal. I cut through the 'gap' to see what would happen, and the new soap broke away from the striped soap. Does this make sense? I'm hoping to get a second try started today, and am considering leaving a bit of room between the two parts so the new soap can get between them. I do think that cutting the loaf into shorter pieces made the diagonal cut easier. I might just try using my 1 lb. loaf mold instead.

Maybe my cutter arm has a higher than average clearance? It's 5.25" which is just enough to put half of a 10" loaf on end for the cut.

 

[dibbles]

I don’t think mine is that high. In theory, it should work. Good luck!

 

[Primrose]

Unmoulded my attempts from the other night and sliced the end off just to see, it does look like a rather forgiving technique and I'm pleasantly surprised with the results I have two more to do, since I got excited and poured two full loafs of layers at the same time so will have four loafs total when I'm done. Just waiting for more FO to arrive to finish off the other two. It does seem to make a really attractive soap, although its fiddly and time consuming, not entirely sure if I will be doing it all that often lol

 

[MarnieSoapien]

I'm pretty happy with my layers, which is a good thing, since I have less time than I expected to make this soap. We found out yesterday our 2 kiddos will be home Thurs and Friday due to some holiday (it's hard to keep the holidays straight when you're an expat). So, quick like a bunny, I'm going to make my swirled part using one half of my layers and wrap up the other half for Monday.

 

[bookreader451]

I'm pretty happy with my layers, which is a good thing, since I have less time than I expected to make this soap. We found out yesterday our 2 kiddos will be home Thurs and Friday due to some holiday (it's hard to keep the holidays straight when you're an expat). So, quick like a bunny, I'm going to make my swirled part using one half of my layers and wrap up the other half for Monday.

Lucky you! I miss my kids so much. Enjoy

 

[Mobjack Bay]

1. Jersey Girl- Always up for a fun challenge. Never tried a stripe yet so now is as good a time as any!
2. dibbles - I see some 'learning opportunities' in my future
3. Bookreader451 - Staying true to my goal and trying another challenge
4. Primrose - always up for a new challenge
5. kafayat.learning is soo much fun
6. MarnieSoapien - I already have an idea or 5
7. jstheidi- I’m going to give this a try, never done stripe so I hope I can pour straight.
8. Arimara- @Mobjack Bay I'm adding her back in unless she posts otherwise.
9. Anstarx- I really need to try layers
10. jcandleattic - I'll give it a try...
11. Sonya-m - oops, copied the wrong post and took space 10 in error
12. earlene - It has been SO long; I have to participate!
13. Mobjack Bay - I managed to get soap in the mold, so I'm in.

 

[amd]

The entry thread opens in roughly 9 hours!! You will be able to signup for the challenge up to the 28th, so if you haven't signed up but want to try your soap first you have time

1. Jersey Girl- Always up for a fun challenge. Never tried a stripe yet so now is as good a time as any!
2. dibbles - I see some 'learning opportunities' in my future
3. Bookreader451 - Staying true to my goal and trying another challenge
4. Primrose - always up for a new challenge
5. kafayat.learning is soo much fun
6. MarnieSoapien - I already have an idea or 5
7. jstheidi- I’m going to give this a try, never done stripe so I hope I can pour straight.
8. Arimara- @Mobjack Bay I'm adding her back in unless she posts otherwise.
9. Anstarx- I really need to try layers
10. jcandleattic - I'll give it a try...
11. Sonya-m - oops, copied the wrong post and took space 10 in error
12. earlene - It has been SO long; I have to participate!
13. Mobjack Bay - I managed to get soap in the mold, so I'm in.