Soap Dimensions

[Millie]

Are there trends in soap size? What are your soap dimensions?
I had a lemony batch of soap that was an ok scent, but the thought of getting through a whole bar just seemed tedious, so I cut them smaller. Suddenly the bars seemed to smell so much nicer! And I started doing it with my other scents so I wouldn't have to wait so long to bathe with the next scent.

The current size is 2.25x2.75x1 inches. The old bars were 2.75x2.75 squares of varying thickness. They were nice to show off swirls, but a tad awkward for small hands. I still want a larger option, but I am rethinking my dimensions. I am curious what all of you do. ?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I don’t sell, which means I can make soaps in different shapes and sizes. Oval and flower-shaped soaps feel great in my smaller hands, but don’t offer much design flexibility. My favorite loaf bar size so far is 2.5”x3.5”x1.3” (three bars from a small test mold). I really want a bigger TS mold with those dimensions, but so far I’m holding back from buying one because it will lead me to make more soap than I should.

 

[Millie]

I drew out some rectangles for soap face sizes and the 2.5x3.5 looks really good. I'm reluctant to make new molds, but I think I will eventually, otherwise I'm stuck with 2.75 for one of the sides.

I don't sell either, just lazy and stingy I guess

Weird, I tried to edit a post and all the words came out backwards.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Very weird about the editing.

I could build a mold, but it seems like we always need a new saw blade and the closest place to get one is over 30 minutes away in a direction I rarely go. My default is always to go back in the house to make soap in a mold I already have...

 

[shunt2011]

My bars are the same as Mobjack Bay. Mine weigh about 5 ounces when cured. I like a solid bar of soap and so do my customers.

 

[dibbles]

Mine are 2.5 x 3.5 x 1.25 as well. When I started making CP, I already had several single cavity molds of that size. When I bought my first loaf mold it also made 2.5 x 3.5 soaps. I've tried to keep the size consistent since then.

 

[Millie]

Oddly enough, even my silicone lined loaf molds from amazon are 2.75 inches wide. Without the liner they are 3x3x10.25. Oh well. I like consistency too, and it helps me from splurging on all the pretty single cavity molds I see. I am out of control with the fragrances though, just no self control there

 

[Obsidian]

I like tall skinny bars, mine are 2 x 3 1/2 x 1

 

[amd]

This fall I switched to the tall skinny bars too - mostly because my labels fit better on the t&s bars. My loaf bars were 1/16-1/8" too short so there was always a flap on the label that wouldn't fold over. Drove my OCD crazy. The t&s bars are slightly bigger than my loaf bars, by about an ounce, and I cut mine 1.25" thick to get 5.5oz bars, roughly the same hxw dimensions as obsidians. My mold might be a bit wider, I think it's 2.875"x3.5"

 

[Millie]

Hmm, those sound more like tall & chubby bars

 

[dibbles]

LOL, my T&S bars are tall and chubby too. 2.5 w x 3.5 h.

 

[runnerchicki]

My TS bars are slightly narrower than most - 2.25" W x 3.5" H x 1.25" thick. I like a chubby bar, but not too wide. This size fits in my hand just right.

 

[atiz]

I don't sell but I find my 2.5 x 3.5 x 1 soap the most comfortable. I realized, unfortunately, that I really don't like flower shapes, and ovals are borderline-case...
Recently I also did a few batches which are 3 x 3 x 1 (square); the jury is still out on those (they are curing).

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I don't sell but I find my 2.5 x 3.5 x 1 soap the most comfortable. I realized, unfortunately, that I really don't like flower shapes, and ovals are borderline-case...
Recently I also did a few batches which are 3 x 3 x 1 (square); the jury is still out on those (they are curing).

I was cutting the soaps from my little 6” square slab mold into four 3”x3”x1” soaps, but I don’t like that size much, so I just started cutting them to 2”x3” and aiming for a bit thicker pour in the mold to give them more heft.

 

[Carly B]

I have a little 6" slab mold, and I'm still trying to figure out how to cut them to a size I like.

 

[Millie]

Do any of you slab molders have a special technique to cut your slab mold soaps? Mine always come out wonky shaped, so I rarely do them anymore.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Do any of you slab molders have a special technique to cut your slab mold soaps? Mine always come out wonky shaped, so I rarely do them anymore.

I’m getting better at cutting a 6x6 slab. I make one knife cut for two 3x6 pieces and then use my soap cutter to cut three 2x3 pieces from each of those. I can’t use the soap cutter if I cut them at 3x3 because there’s a bolt in the way.

 

[atiz]

I was cutting the soaps from my little 6” square slab mold into four 3”x3”x1” soaps, but I don’t like that size much, so I just started cutting them to 2”x3” and aiming for a bit thicker pour in the mold to give them more heft.

Yes, I'm not sure either yet whether I'll like them or not, also thought about the 2x3 option but then that seemed too small. Plus, this way, I only make 4 bars of soap at a time, which is really not that many, so I can justify making it more often (Which makes no sense whatsoever I know but still...).

I haven't got a good technique of cutting up the 6'' slab. I just lay it on a piece of wax paper that has a grid on it, try to more or less line it up with the grid, and cut in the middle with the bench scraper / soap cutter. So far it has been okay but not perfect.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Yes, I'm not sure either yet whether I'll like them or not, also thought about the 2x3 option but then that seemed too small. Plus, this way, I only make 4 bars of soap at a time, which is really not that many, so I can justify making it more often (Which makes no sense whatsoever I know but still...).

I haven't got a good technique of cutting up the 6'' slab. I just lay it on a piece of wax paper that has a grid on it, try to more or less line it up with the grid, and cut in the middle with the bench scraper / soap cutter. So far it has been okay but not perfect.

I make the slab thicker for the 2x3 soaps. That way they have more heft to them. I’ve also cut so,e 2.5 wide which results in a 1” wide end piece of guest/sample soap.

 

[blueginkgo]

My bath bar log molds are 4" wide x 2" deep, kind of like a tall and skinny flipped on it's side to make a short and squatty. I cut these at 1 1/8" to yield a 5 to 5 1/2 ounce bath bar. I also find that the shorter 2" bar is an easier to grip size than taller bars.