Soap balls

[freckles]

Hello soapers
Firstly I never really post anything, I have been using this forum as a reference for a number of years and I really appreciate the wealth of wisdom it offers. I make and sell soap as my only job. I have been a soap maker for years but I still manage to have a fail every now and then which keeps me in the category of 'experienced' but not 'professional' I am sure you can all relate. I can usually find most answers on this forum but I am a bit stumped at the moment so thought I would reach out. I make cold processed soap with a good water discount - if that helps with the question below.

I have been trying to reproduce soap balls for some time.I have been making them from soap shavings (which has broken two food processors trying to process the soap into small pieces) and then adding small amounts of water and forming into a ball with my hands. Mine look very lumpy. I want mine to look like this photo - see attached. I would love any tips or tricks on:
1. how to process failed soap batches down into fine pieces successfully
2. how to reform soap into lovely smooth soap balls
Any help much appreciated.

 

[DeeAnna]

Please provide a typical recipe including the NaOH and water amounts as well as the amounts of fats. I think many people will have some good advice, but they'll need a recipe to know what's typical for you and then they can advise what could be done differently.

And about water discount. When folks say they use a "water discount", it's impossible to know what that means without additional explanation. There is no agreement on how this concept is defined, so what one soap maker means by "water discount" is not necessarily what another soap maker means.

Better to just say you use a lye concentration of, say, 33% or a water:lye ratio of 3.3:1. Either number defines the amount of water accurately and clearly without a lot of hand waving and explanation.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Those balls look like they're made from soap dough to me. Have you thought about making a batch of ciaglia to use up soap scraps and then forming those into balls while still malleable?

 

[bookworm42]

Instead of your hands have you considered using a bath bomb mold.

 

[TashaBird]

If I just wanted the look like above I'd make soap dough. If I wanted to use other soap I'd use the grater attachment on the food processor, not the blade.

 

[freckles]

Those balls look like they're made from soap dough to me. Have you thought about making a batch of ciaglia to use up soap scraps and then forming those into balls while still malleable?

ciaglia I will have to look this up thanks

If I just wanted the look like above I'd make soap dough. If I wanted to use other soap I'd use the grater attachment on the food processor, not the blade.

also a great tip, thanks

If I just wanted the look like above I'd make soap dough. If I wanted to use other soap I'd use the grater attachment on the food processor, not the blade.

I've never made soap dough before but I suppose it can't harder than making cold pressed soap

Instead of your hands have you considered using a bath bomb mold.

thank you - good thought

 

[Relle]

I've never made soap dough before but I suppose it can't harder than making cold pressed soap

You make your cold processed soap (not cold pressed) put it in a plastic bag, seal it so the air can't get in, leave a few days, then you can use it like play dough.

 

[freckles]

Please provide a typical recipe including the NaOH and water amounts as well as the amounts of fats. I think many people will have some good advice, but they'll need a recipe to know what's typical for you and then they can advise what could be done differently.

And about water discount. When folks say they use a "water discount", it's impossible to know what that means without additional explanation. There is no agreement on how this concept is defined, so what one soap maker means by "water discount" is not necessarily what another soap maker means.

Better to just say you use a lye concentration of, say, 33% or a water:lye ratio of 3.3:1. Either number defines the amount of water accurately and clearly without a lot of hand waving and explanation.

thanks DeeAnna your absolutely right I was just in a hurry for some quick tips. I am following up on some of the suggestions given...

 

[Hils67]

I’ve made soap balls…well much smaller but the same principle, from my end pieces when cutting a loaf. The soap is still malleable and you can squish an end pice until it’s smooth then roll into a ball…or what I do is press it into a small shampoo bar mould. I do this with all my end pieces and sell them at fairs for £1.50 each (30g). But if you specifically wanted to make soap balls, then making soap dough would be the easiest way

 

[cmzaha]

I have made soap balls by grating my soap with a salad shooter I bought at Goodwill really cheap. I then put the shreds in a zip lot sprinkled with water and let them sit 1-3 days depending on how dry the shreds are, then I form the soap balls.