Volunteer guinea pigs in Canada?

[janesathome]

I haven’t wrapped the soap - when it arrived I removed it from the plastic bag (unwrapped it) and stored it in a dark cupboard where I cure my soaps (none curing in there now so it’s a low humidity spot). When I noted yesterday that it had hardened up over the last week I decided to give it a try as it was, I believe, at a 5-6 week cure.
I haven’t weighed it but will do that today and as I use it in future. I noted in the thread that you are being spare with water so I may cut the bar in 2 - go easy on water at the sink for handwashing on one half, and use the other half in the shower.

 

[janesathome]

This feedback is great! Thank you for testing my soap

It’s a pleasure to try someone else’s soap! I’ve never used KOH so it’s an education for me. Win-Win! Thanks for the opportunity!

 

[squidstings]

I haven’t wrapped the soap

Forgive me. I'm pedantic. Anally literal (Had to look it up). Only got dots on a screen to go by here lol

- when it arrived I removed it from the plastic bag (unwrapped it) and stored it in a dark cupboard where I cure my soaps (none curing in there now so it’s a low humidity spot). When I noted yesterday that it had hardened up over the last week I decided to give it a try as it was, I believe, at a 5-6 week cure.
I haven’t weighed it but will do that today and as I use it in future. I noted in the thread that you are being spare with water so I may cut the bar in 2 - go easy on water at the sink for handwashing on one half, and use the other half in the shower.

I've had a shower (maybe 2) and a bath with one piece about the same size and after a couple days hand washing at the kitchen sink. What's left wouldn't survive a good hand wash. NOT a bath "bar".

 

[squidstings]

It’s a pleasure to try someone else’s soap! I’ve never used KOH so it’s an education for me. Win-Win! Thanks for the opportunity!

I always enjoy good Quality attention A little goes a long way

I was aiming for a "Bar". It definitely functions as one, with special use. Great for trailer/camping/backpacking/outdoorsey use.
But I've wanted a convenient traveling liquid paste. This dissolves so fast, while being ideal for travelling to where its gonna be liquid. I agree with @LidiaG, I think I like it better as a liquid (3.5:1 is about where a foam dispenser doesn't clog overnight).
I'm torn which way to take it next. If any of you, @MGM as well, have thought on this topic over the rest of your evaluations, I'd love to hear your thoughts

 

[LidiaG]

I assume @LidiaG didn't leave it to dissolve over night because she expected it to complete in an hour.

Hi @squidstings
These were my notes that I had PM about the dilution:

I'm diluting some koh bar to make LS.
Used 3:1 water to soap ratio
60gr of warm water and 20gr of thinly sliced koh soap bar
Will see what it looks like in the morning

I had warmed up the 60g of distilled water and added the 20g thin slices of your koh bar in it. The soap was submerged in the water. No stir. Nothing else. In the morning it was fully diluted. I sent the images in the mason jars that are in this thread.

 

[LidiaG]

I was aiming for a "Bar"

You can try tallow, palm, stearic acid?
Something that will look super hard on the graphics, should made a firmer Koh bar. IMHO too much CO makes it drying to my skin.

Just not sure how this Koh bar would hold up in the summer and high humidity places as it absorbs moisture from the air.
Like @squidstings had mentioned "its thirsty"

trailer/camping/backpacking/outdoorsey use.
But I've wanted a convenient traveling liquid paste.

Yes this could work well to take along and just disolve at your destination

I'm torn which way to take it next. If any of you, @MGM as well, have thought on this topic over the rest of your evaluations, I'd love to hear your thoughts

I think a Koh bar would be a great idea for ease shipping and saving plastic.
It can be done in a size that can be ready to be diluted with 500ml or 1L.
It could get sticky and absorb moisture and leak during shipping and storage... it would probably need to be wrapped in a sealed wrapping to prevent problems.

For further info on Koh bars, there a post that DeeAnna had mentioned soap2go and beldi soap that uses Koh.

This thread has the info
Thread 'Making Hard Soap with Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)' https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/making-hard-soap-with-potassium-hydroxide-koh.71629/

 

[squidstings]

Hi @squidstings
These were my notes that I had PM about the dilution:

I'm diluting some koh bar to make LS.
Used 3:1 water to soap ratio
60gr of warm water and 20gr of thinly sliced koh soap bar
Will see what it looks like in the morning

I had warmed up the 60g of distilled water and added the 20g thin slices of your koh bar in it. The soap was submerged in the water. No stir. Nothing else. In the morning it was fully diluted. I sent the images in the mason jars that are in this thread.

not sure if I've asked you before. In your experiences, would you have expected that to be fully dissolved by the time the news was done? You have me using it out of a foam dispenser beside my kitchen sink. Don't think I would have liquefied without your preference. Thanks again

 

[squidstings]

You can try tallow, palm, stearic acid?
Something that will look super hard on the graphics, should made a firmer Koh bar. IMHO too much CO makes it drying to my skin.

Just not sure how this Koh bar would hold up in the summer and high humidity places as it absorbs moisture from the air.
Like @squidstings had mentioned "its thirsty"

Looking forward to finding out! very curious.
I have a theory. Experiment planned with future KOH dish soap.

Yes this could work well to take along and just disolve at your destination


I think a Koh bar would be a great idea for ease shipping and saving plastic.
It can be done in a size that can be ready to be diluted with 500ml or 1L.
It could get sticky and absorb moisture and leak during shipping and storage... it would probably need to be wrapped in a sealed wrapping to prevent problems.

Wax?

Love your thinking!!

For further info on Koh bars, there a post that DeeAnna had mentioned soap2go and beldi soap that uses Koh.

This thread has the info
Thread 'Making Hard Soap with Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)' https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/making-hard-soap-with-potassium-hydroxide-koh.71629/

Good resources.. Thank you again

 

[LidiaG]

fully dissolved by the time the news was done?

The warmer the water and more agitation. Should speed up the process. I'm never in a hurry to dissolve my LS. I just leave it be

You have me using it out of a foam dispenser beside my kitchen sink.

Happy to help!

Don't think I would have liquefied without your preference.

Not sure if I understood your question... do you mean like if left to dissolve longer it will liquefy more?
If this was the question. I believe it's the water to soap ratio that will determine the dilution rate/consistency

Too little water... the soap will not fully dissolve.

Too much water... the soap will be more diluted, runny and probably more prone to growing bacteria more easily

 

[LidiaG]

Wax?

That's what I had in mind. Not sure if there's vacuum sealer bags in wax paper

 

[squidstings]

The warmer the water and more agitation. Should speed up the process. I'm never in a hurry to dissolve my LS. I just leave it be


Happy to help!

Not sure if I understood your question... do you mean like if left to dissolve longer it will liquefy more?
If this was the question. I believe it's the water to soap ratio that will determine the dilution rate/consistency

No question. I was focused on a "bar". Just thanks for getting me thinking more

Too little water... the soap will not fully dissolve.

Too much water... the soap will be more diluted, runny and probably more prone to growing bacteria more easily

That reminds me... Part of the reason for the silver nano-particles was preventative. The thought of having anti-everything nano-particles on our skin could only help. Can you suggest where to start to test the silver? So I want a ratio that'll improve the chances of nasties growing. An experiment to sit in the corner. Testing the silver's effect.

 

[squidstings]

That's what I had in mind. Not sure if there's vacuum sealer bags in wax paper

Like you said... measured to size. Shouldn't be hard to come up with a thin film of wax that won't negatively affect the soap's function. Perhaps one that's used in soap?
I'm completely ignorant with any wax as an ingredient in soap.

I find soap affects wax paper too much in my mind. At least the stuff I've used lol

 

[LidiaG]

silver nano-particles was preventative. The thought of having anti-everything nano-particles on our skin could only help. Can you suggest where to start to test the silver?

Sorry! Can't be of any help with this!
Never used silver-nano particles

 

[LidiaG]

Like you said... measured to size. Shouldn't be hard to come up with a thin film of wax that won't negatively affect the soap's function. Perhaps one that's used in soap?
I'm completely ignorant with any wax as an ingredient in soap.

I find soap affects wax paper too much in my mind. At least the stuff I've used lol

I think you have to focus on separate things here.

Do you want this as a bar, to stay as a bar during use?

Or as a bar to be dissolved at a later use as a liquid soap?

I think, based on what you want the final use to be you need to formulate the recipe.
It will be harder to find oils to formulate a recipe that fit both purposes well

 

[squidstings]

Sorry! Can't be of any help with this!
Never used silver-nano particles

it's your soap experience I'm hoping to draw on here.
A soap to water ratio that you think would start to allow bacteria growth.
edited, pretend no silver.

 

[squidstings]

I think you have to focus on separate things here.

Oh yes!!

Do you want this as a bar, to stay as a bar during use?

Surface area. IF wax is something that needs to be solved.

Or as a bar to be dissolved at a later use as a liquid soap?

Ideally designed for the destination. I'm thinking shape would be where to focus on usability en-route. I'd suggest pill,rod shaped.

I think, based on what you want the final use to be you need to formulate the recipe.
It will be harder to find oils to formulate a recipe that fit both purposes well

Back to your first sentence.. That's the tricky part. We're phylosiphizing on this recipe. You're absolutely right! Which way to go lol

 

[LidiaG]

it's your soap experience I'm hoping to draw on here.
A soap to water ratio that you think would start to allow bacteria growth.
edited, pretend no silver.

I never tested it. It would probably be too runny to add too much water for the type of soaps that I have made, believe the water will start looking cloudy or milky if too much water is used for dilution.

Only a lab test will be determine and confirm bacterial growth.

In the idea of a koh bar to make liquid soap, it also would depend on the condition/cleanliness of the container that was filled with the diluted soap. hard to control that one. Probably something to preserve the soap should be included In the recipe.
Diferent conditions of where the soap is kept with more light and heat will also break down the soap more quickly.

What I have noticed in some LS that I made, the oils were starting to break down. The soap was starting to smell like bad rancid oil. This was after 1 year or so.

 

[squidstings]

I never tested it. It would probably be too runny to add too much water for the type of soaps that I have made, believe the water will start looking cloudy or milky if too much water is used for dilution.

Only a lab test will be determine and confirm bacterial growth.

In the idea of a koh bar to make liquid soap, it also would depend on the condition/cleanliness of the container that was filled with the diluted soap. hard to control that one. Probably something to preserve the soap should be included In the recipe.
Diferent conditions of where the soap is kept with more light and heat will also break down the soap more quickly.

We're on the same page. As someone who has nothing better to do, I have a collection of, neat junk. If I was marketing, I'd need a lab. Just wondering if I could reduce the amount used in a test so I didn't have to make a batch. Not that curious lol. I will figure something out, or move on Thank you for entertaining this whim lol Curiosity for down the road perhaps.

What I have noticed in some LS that I made, the oils were starting to break down. The soap was starting to smell like bad rancid oil. This was after 1 year or so.

I've heard that the oils do not lose their non-aromatic characteristics at that point. Just that it's the smell. Nutrition, and therefore I assume saponified characteristics (cooking related post) are the same. I've asked in a few places for confirmation but never get an answer.

 

[squidstings]

I started this on the 7th (1.7). Picture was taken 7 days and 2 hours later. That's almost 1 gram/day. It's definitely softer. Didn't go to mush when I unstuck it from the container (paper for weighing at this point) but it kinda felt like it might. Even though my finger only pushed in a couple mm on the side. Didn't have any batteries for my little hygrometers to see where it sat in there (to follow?). Just felt heavy. Back in for more time