Stamping test bars/batches

[Todd Ziegler]

I am terrible at keeping records but I have narrowed down the amount of recipes to 4. With additives they become many more different recipes. I came up with a simple number/letter system for labeling each batch.

Here's the question does anyone stamp their recipe/batch information on their test bar's. I bought a set of numbers and letters and I was going to use them to mark my test bar's for easy identification without having to open up my records each time I inspect the curing soaps.

I have each batch recorded in a spreadsheet that I print out after each batch or day of soap making but I thought it would be handy to stamp them with a little information.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Andy7891]

I’ve thought about doing the same thing. Right now I keep a journal and give each batch a unique name which kind of helps me remember but I only soap once or twice a month and so far all my soaps are quite different from one another. Stamping each bar seems time consuming to me, though. Do you sell? Maybe labeling your soaps right away would achieve a double purpose? I’ve thought if I soap stamped I’d do a little coconut impression to remind me it’s my coconut oil heavy soap or maybe a straight razor if it was my shaving soap, etc.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I'm going to sell but not for 7 more months. I have 20 soaps curing on plastic shelves right now and I have a label for each one. When my soap hits 30 days I do my first test, then monthly after that. I cut the bar in half, so I was going to stamp the unused portion.

 

[Andy7891]

Cool. A few more ideas- if you just stamp one of the bars from each batch could that help you identify? Or maybe label the rack that they’re on? Or take a picture and add it to the spreadsheet that you print out? Just a few more ideas- hope they don’t hurt haha! So you don’t wanna wrap because you want to keep testing them, right? Maybe wrap all but test bar? Again- I’m just brainstorming.

 

[TheGecko]

When I was testing recipes, I used to just add a little color to the batch and then note the color on the paper. Made it really easy for my testers to tell me which soap they preferred (the pink soap is okay, but I like the purple one better). When testing FOs...I just put the empty bottle on the tray in front of the soaps. Not exactly scientific, but it works for me.

 

[AlexanderMakesSoap]

I print out two copies of the SoapCalc formula and put my notes on that - I keep one copy alongside each soap in it's drying area and also name each soap with a simple letter/number system.

In the shower, I keep the test soaps lined up (out of the reach of the kids) and above each piece on the bathroom fiberglass wall, I write in the letter/numeral that names each piece using these cool crayon type things the kids have for art, that wash off easily enough yet stand up to the shower conditions well.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Cool. A few more ideas- if you just stamp one of the bars from each batch could that help you identify? Or maybe label the rack that they’re on? Or take a picture and add it to the spreadsheet that you print out? Just a few more ideas- hope they don’t hurt haha! So you don’t wanna wrap because you want to keep testing them, right? Maybe wrap all but test bar? Again- I’m just brainstorming.

Right now each person that tests a soap for me gets a personal ID. I am going to stamp the date, batch ID and testers ID on the half that I keep. It is just redundancy because I keep separate testing records that I will print out a hard copy too, that way if one gets lost, I have back up copies.

When I was testing recipes, I used to just add a little color to the batch and then note the color on the paper. Made it really easy for my testers to tell me which soap they preferred (the pink soap is okay, but I like the purple one better). When testing FOs...I just put the empty bottle on the tray in front of the soaps. Not exactly scientific, but it works for me.

I wanted to keep it simple too but I have 25 different batches that are a week to 6 months old right now. Some are the same recipe, just a different color or FO.

I print out two copies of the SoapCalc formula and put my notes on that - I keep one copy alongside each soap in it's drying area and also name each soap with a simple letter/number system.

In the shower, I keep the test soaps lined up (out of the reach of the kids) and above each piece on the bathroom fiberglass wall, I write in the letter/numeral that names each piece using these cool crayon type things the kids have for art, that wash off easily enough yet stand up to the shower conditions well.

I also print out each recipe with a name and a number/letter system. I just thought that another layer of ID would help because I have a lot of people testing soaps besides myself.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

[Andy7891]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Sure thing. I’ve definitely thought about stamping dates on my soap to know when I made them at a quick glance. All the best. I’d say give it a shot to see how it suits you! I thinks stamps give visual interest anyway.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Sure thing. I’ve definitely thought about stamping dates on my soap to know when I made them at a quick glance. All the best. I’d say give it a shot to see how it suits you! I thinks stamps give visual interest anyway.

I have different designs that I stamp soap with too. When my letters and punctuation get here I will post a picture of what I stamp on them.

 

[TheGecko]

I wanted to keep it simple too but I have 25 different batches that are a week to 6 months old right now. Some are the same recipe, just a different color or FO.

I'm a Virgo so being anal just comes naturally to me, but methinks that you have gone too far down the rabbit hole on your R&D. So you give me a bar or two of soap to test. In order to test them, I need to use them. Using them involves water and friction. So what is going to happen to all those letters and numbers you have so painstakingly stamped into the sides of the soap?

I think I started with four or five different recipes, each colored with a different color of Mica. Each of my testers was giving a half a bar and then asked which colored bar of soap they liked best (or didn't like at all) and why. For me, I never saw any reason to use testers for colorants or scents...time in the shelves would tell me if the color changed or scent faded.

Another way of doing the later, is what Lisa at "I Dream in Soap" does...she makes pucks: How To Test Colors and How to Test FOs. She's in the UK and they have very strict rules when it comes to this stuff...once your soap has been assessed and approved, you can't deviate from it. I've been thinking of doing the same thing with the set of 15 Cavity Small Round Mold that I originally bought to do my mini Lotion Bars with because I don't want a bazillion jars of colorants or scents. Just a thought.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I'm a Virgo so being anal just comes naturally to me, but methinks that you have gone too far down the rabbit hole on your R&D. So you give me a bar or two of soap to test. In order to test them, I need to use them. Using them involves water and friction. So what is going to happen to all those letters and numbers you have so painstakingly stamped into the sides of the soap?

I think I started with four or five different recipes, each colored with a different color of Mica. Each of my testers was giving a half a bar and then asked which colored bar of soap they liked best (or didn't like at all) and why. For me, I never saw any reason to use testers for colorants or scents...time in the shelves would tell me if the color changed or scent faded.

Another way of doing the later, is what Lisa at "I Dream in Soap" does...she makes pucks: How To Test Colors and How to Test FOs. She's in the UK and they have very strict rules when it comes to this stuff...once your soap has been assessed and approved, you can't deviate from it. I've been thinking of doing the same thing with the set of 15 Cavity Small Round Mold that I originally bought to do my mini Lotion Bars with because I don't want a bazillion jars of colorants or scents. Just a thought.

You are right they would wash off but the stamps will only be on the half of the bar that I keep. The half that I keep will be stored on a rack with nothing but other half bars. Then I can look at them to see how they are curing and have the information right there and I don't have to look anything up.

I think I am the only one who likes this idea lol.

 

[AliOop]

If it seems like it will work for you, Todd, then go for it, and let us know your thoughts after you've given it a run.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

If it seems like it will work for you, Todd, then go for it, and let us know your thoughts after you've given it a run.

Thanks and I will let you know. However after thinking about it for a while, it might not be as practical as I first thought. Lol

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Here is an example of what I was talking about.