Troubleshooting: cutting soap with herbs in it

[azalea.air]

Hi everyone.

We cut our soap with "the tank" cutter. The issue is when we cut bar soap with herbs in it- like lavender buds or rosemary. It pulls the herbs through the soap at the wire, making a crescent grove from where the wires catch on the herb, to the bottom of the soap.

Does anyone know how to prevent this?

Thanks, and much appreciated.

 

[Pamela]

That's so funny you asked this question....did some Lavender Lemongrass soap with lavender on top..cut it yesterday with my tank and had the same problem. I make 5 lbs at a time and my loaf is 22" long so I had to cut it half before I put it in the cutter...first log I did the lavender drug through and made those nice groves :cry: Second log I put on its side and didn't drag any through at all...now I only had the lavender on top not through out the soap since everyone says they turn brown and look like little mouse turds

 

[Yvonne]

If i'm cutting soap with herbs on top, i turn soap loaf on the side and that way herb are not dragged all way down, but i cut with waivy or regular big knife

 

[azalea.air]

Yeah, but I love the look of of some herbs, like rosemary IN (throughout) the soap. I made a really nice lemon rosemary bar that is very pretty, only it now has groves from catching the rosemary herbs within the bar.

I have seen bar soap with herbs inside and no "crescent groves". How do they do it?

Could you wait until the bar is harder before cutting? Do they use different molds to get a single layer soap in a tray and then cut out single bars from there?

Hmmm... :?:

 

[tryanything]

I made a log with ground lavendar buds and tea leaves in it. I used a large putty knife to cut it and I didn't have any drag marks. I think I let it cure about 2 days in the mold before I cut it. I don't know why I don't have the grooves, whether it's the knife or sitting a few days before I cut.

Edited: this pictures a bit better:

 

[judymoody]

Pretty soap!

To the OP, maybe grind your herbs down to a smaller size?

And yes, I'd wait a couple of days before cutting. Maybe add some sodium lactate or beeswax (at 1%) to make a harder bar?

 

[LisaMarie]

I've turned mine upside down or on it's side to cut it, this way the herbs don't drag through. You have to be kind of delicate though so all the herbs don't fall off or get too smashed