Soap isn't hard enough?

[roadran422]

I've made a batch of soap using this recipe,

51 oz. of olive oil
31.5 oz. of coconut oil
28 oz. of chilled, brewed coffee (as the liquid base)
11.94 oz. of lye
3 tablespoons of ground coffee beans
1 cup of ground walnuts

But the problem is after about 4 days the soap is still firm and not hard enough. I try to push it out when it's still firm but it just makes dents in it. The mold is a 2inch diameter 3 long pipe.

 

[Genny]

How are you pushing it out? To get the soap out of a tube, it's best if you use a dowel or something that is almost as large as the mold, that way it pushes against the entire end surface area of the soap instead of just making dents in the middle.
Plus, about 60% of your oils is olive oil. Olive oil takes longer to not be soft.

 

[IrishLass]

Ditto what Genny said, I use a glass that I have on hand that that just so happens to be the right diameter to fit flush inside my PVC pipe mold, with just the right amount of give around the circumference so that my glass doesn't also get stuck inside my mold. I just press the bottom of the glass against the top of the soap and it slides right out. I should mention that I also line the inside of my PVC beforehand with freezer paper, which makes things easier. If you didn't line your pipe, I've heard of other soapers having good results by sticking it in the freezer for a few hours and then trying to unmold.

Your soap sure looks like it will be very exfoliating with the ground coffee, plus the 1 cup of ground walnuts.

IrishLass

 

[Lindy]

I like to coat the inside of the pvc with mineral oil, it slides out nicely with that but I also use a pusher to get it out.

 

[KD]

I don't oil or line my pvc pipe, but I do use about 15% cocoa butter in my recipe, 15% palm oil, and do a 3% sodium lactate addition to contribute to hardness. Good luck getting that soap out. You have been given some good advice that might just help. Your recipe is a very soft one for this purpose. Life would be so boring if we didn't have a few hiccups along the way.

 

[roadran422]

Well, my friend made me a piston head. I tried to push with all might might and even banging the head. It won't budge at all. I need to get it out of the mold so it hardens quicker...

 

[Genny]

Try freezing it.

 

[roadran422]

Eh well... Try fitting a 3 foot pipe in to a standard freezer...

 

[Genny]

Oh! When it said "3 long pipe" in your original post, I thought it mean that you had 3 pipes LOL

Do you have a friend with a chest freezer?

 

[roadran422]

I do have a chest freezer also XD, It is stocked with fish, shrimp, and meat... So, essentially I have nothing to store the soap in. My next resort is getting a dremel and cutting that dam*** thing in to pieces.

 

[Genny]

Cut it right down the length of the pipe. That way next time you want to make soap in it, you can just use clamps or something to hold it together to pour your soap in, then take the clamps off and the mold apart when it's done.

 

[Lindy]

I so understand that frustration.... My first one I couldn't get out and I had people recommend dropping it on cement. I did, several times, each time a little harder until I fractured it. That was so satisfying.....

 

[Lilahblossom]

Genny is right about olive oil. It may not be ready to come out yet. I have to give my olive oil two weeks to look like soap. I HP'd some shaving soap with mostly olive oil for Father's Day thinking I would get ahead of the game. It still took four weeks to incorporate and be soap. And take that pvc and roll it around in an ice bath. The idea is to shrink it. Then it will pull away and slide out. If it doesn't fit in the sink it should fit in a ice chest. Hope this helps you.

 

[new12soap]

that's an excellent idea, a 3 foot pipe will fit in a bathtub, fill with cold water and ice, roll the pipe around in it for a bit... perfect!

 

[Lindy]

I am really confused as to why people are having so much trouble with their olive oil soaps? I do 100% OO and it's ready to cut in 2 days and is hard as a rock within 7... What am I missing? :Kitten Love:

 

[judymoody]

I am really confused as to why people are having so much trouble with their olive oil soaps? I do 100% OO and it's ready to cut in 2 days and is hard as a rock within 7... What am I missing? :Kitten Love:

I imagine that you take a hefty water discount? And probably gel?