Tussah silk + master/batched lye

[Microchick]

I tried a method of dissolving silk seen on Youtube and it worked like a dream
Getting silk to dissolve was always hit and miss for me. So now, after weighing out lye I place the silk on top, dump it in the water, and stir as normal. Within a couple of minutes it is melted. I find I can use a lot more silk also and boy can I tell the difference in the shower!

 

[AliOop]

I tried a method of dissolving silk seen on Youtube and it worked like a dream
Getting silk to dissolve was always hit and miss for me. So now, after weighing out lye I place the silk on top, dump it in the water, and stir as normal. Within a couple of minutes it is melted. I find I can use a lot more silk also and boy can I tell the difference in the shower!

Yes, that is the way I do it when I make fresh lye solution. Unfortunately, I made a big master batch of lye that will last me many months... and I didn’t add the silk. So I’m looking for a way to add it after the fact to the cooled solution.

ETA: @penelopejane and @linne1gi have explained that I might be able to do this by adding my sugar water to the MB lye solution so that it reheats enough to melt the silk. I do intend to give that a try!

 

[Kiti Williams]

I use about 1 inch per pound of oils. But I just eyeball it - I certainly don't measure.

Thank you for the fast reply. I will be making a few batches and can add in the silk to see how they differ.

 

[linne1gi]

Yes, that is the way I do it when I make fresh lye solution. Unfortunately, I made a big master batch of lye that will last me many months... and I didn’t add the silk. So I’m looking for a way to add it after the fact to the cooled solution.

I add silk (Mulberry) to all my soaps & I master batch my lye. I pour out my lye amount needed, then I snip my silk very finely into that. In a separate container I measure out my water amount, to that I add my salt & sugar. I then pour my sugar/salt solution into my lye solution. This heats up the lye water enough to melt the silk. I also add citric acid to this solution & extra lye to compensate for the citric. Sometimes it’s not completely dissolved, but by the time I add my lye water to my oils, it seems to be pretty well dissolved. I’ve been doing it this way for over 2 years now & I’ve never seen strands of silk in my soaps.

 

[atiz]

I'm late to the party and partly OT, but I really like the silk peptides that you can get as a powder. It is very convenient. I just stick blend it with my oils, and that's it. They do make a difference in the soap, just like silk does -- and although I have only used tussah silk maybe once or twice, I could not tell the difference between the two.

 

[dibbles]

@atiz, what is your usage rate?

 

[TashaBird]

@AliOop what’s the difference in how the soap feels with the silk?

 

[AliOop]

@AliOop what’s the difference in how the soap feels with the silk?

I don't really know how to explain it except that the soap feels silkier in your hands. Some people don't like that and think it feels slimy, so you have to try it and see what you think. I'm happy to send you enough to try 2-3 batches if you want to PM me a mailing address. The bag I have will last me till I'm too old to stand up and soap.

 

[atiz]

@atiz, what is your usage rate?

I use about a ½ tsp PPO; I'm not very precise in measuring it. I have tried more, but much more than that makes my soap too slippery. I got a pouch of this stuff and have been using it forever (lovely in lotions too).

 

[dibbles]

I use about a ½ tsp PPO; I'm not very precise in measuring it. I have tried more, but much more than that makes my soap too slippery. I got a pouch of this stuff and have been using it forever (lovely in lotions too).

Thank you. I might try this if I ever get through the silk fiber I have. Which at my age will probably be never.

 

[TashaBird]

I don't really know how to explain it except that the soap feels silkier in your hands. Some people don't like that and think it feels slimy, so you have to try it and see what you think. I'm happy to send you enough to try 2-3 batches if you want to PM me a mailing address. The bag I have will last me till I'm too old to stand up and soap.

Ok! Maybe a trade?!

 

[TheGecko]

All I need is a bacon FO and I could name it “Vegan’s Nightmare,”

My oldest daughter LOVES bacon (she even has a bacon tattoo). I bought a jar of Rendered Bacon Fat and I was planning on an ITP swirl with some Indian Sandalwood Powder mixed with just a tad of Really Red!. Nature's Garden has a Bacon FO that is in my cart. If you don't mind, can I use the name for her?

 

[AliOop]

@TheGecko I love it, go for it!

 

[TashaBird]

My oldest daughter LOVES bacon (she even has a bacon tattoo). I bought a jar of Rendered Bacon Fat and I was planning on an ITP swirl with some Indian Sandalwood Powder mixed with just a tad of Really Red!. Nature's Garden has a Bacon FO that is in my cart. If you don't mind, can I use the name for her?

Triple rendered. This is my 3rd time using it. (We eat a lot of bacon.) and it might be my favorite soap!

 

[Wendlebee]

Wow! So much new stuff here; Silk; Master Batch Lye; rendered Bacon! What a wild fun world is soap making!
I eat a lot of bacon too, and every time I scrape the fat into garbage I wondered if people use this to make soap! Does one scoop it into a container and store in freezer until there's enough to be rendered? I am worried about spoilage.

 

[AliOop]

I eat a lot of bacon too, and every time I scrape the fat into garbage I wondered if people use this to make soap! Does one scoop it into a container and store in freezer until there's enough to be rendered? I am worried about spoilage.

I keep most of my bacon fat for cooking, bc it tastes so yummy. But you can certainly use it for soap. I save all my animals fats from cooking and store them in the fridge or freezer till I’m ready to render. They have never spoiled, but I do make sure to separate out as much water and other bits before storing them.

What I end up with is a mix of pork fat and beef fat, with a titch of lamb fat and chicken fat (schmaltz). I render it all together, add about 20% CO and 5% castor for bubbles, and make what I call Barnyard Soap. We only use it at home, but it’s actually quite nice.

 

[Wendlebee]

I add silk (Mulberry) to all my soaps & I master batch my lye. I pour out my lye amount needed, then I snip my silk very finely into that. In a separate container I measure out my water amount, to that I add my salt & sugar. I then pour my sugar/salt solution into my lye solution. This heats up the lye water enough to melt the silk. I also add citric acid to this solution & extra lye to compensate for the citric. Sometimes it’s not completely dissolved, but by the time I add my lye water to my oils, it seems to be pretty well dissolved. I’ve been doing it this way for over 2 years now & I’ve never seen strands of silk in my soaps.

Does it matter which type of silk to use in the soap making?

 

[cmzaha]

Does it matter which type of silk to use in the soap making?

No, I use cocoons in mine. Just make sure you add the silk into your hot lye solution. As for using bacon grease in your soap, just make sure you strain it well or heat it with some water melting the grease fully, pour it into a container then freeze completely. The solids will freeze on the bottom of the ice chunk which you will be able to scrape off. The little bit of bacon scent will not stick in the soap.

I love O'side, had my boat in the Harbor for a long time.

 

[Wendlebee]

No, I use cocoons in mine. Just make sure you add the silk into your hot lye solution. As for using bacon grease in your soap, just make sure you strain it well or heat it with some water melting the grease fully, pour it into a container then freeze completely. The solids will freeze on the bottom of the ice chunk which you will be able to scrape off. The little bit of bacon scent will not stick in the soap.

I love O'side, had my boat in the Harbor for a long time.

Wow! I heard it is hard to get ones boat in that harbor! We love the Fish n Chips shop there!
Thank you for the info! Greatly appreciated!

 

[Orla]

Hi all, several participants in this thread add silk to their masterbatch lye. Some, I have seen, eyeball it. Has anyone come up with a calculation of silk weight per masterbatch lye weight?! I just put up a separate post on this, but perhaps the people most likely to know are the people in this thread. Thank you in advance, best wishes, Orla