math ace
Well-Known Member
Do you unmold your soap when it reaches room temperature? Do you totally ignore the temperature of the soap and judge it my its hardness? How do you decide when to unmold your CP Soap?
what temperature do you unmold your CP soap?
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I judge by the hardness. If the soap is hard enough that I cannot leave a finger imprint in it, then it is usually hard enough to unmold.
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
I do it different all the time--sometimes I go by how cool the loaf feels, sometimes if it is letting go from the sides. it depends on the mold I am using too--I have one with a handmade silicone liner that wraps like freezer paper that I can take out to let it cool quicker once it starts to harden (sometimes I just cant contain myself) I found out if its not cooled off enough the very inside can still be soft
Yes to all the above. The "finger-dent" test is also my gold standard. I would never attempt to cut a loaf that is still generating heat as that indicates there is still some gelling going on. My general cut-time is around 24 hours. Sometimes with unnecessary nuisances like work, it might stretch to 32 hours. I use a "wire" cutter fitted with 50lb fishing line, and I find that time frame, for my typical recipe at least, has the loaf about the consistency to modeling clay. Happy soaping!
I un-mold when it's hard enough to not dent for some 12-24 hours. Other's like salt bars I un-mold at 3-4 hours while still warm/hot.
Hendejm
Well-Known Member
I usually unmold and cut at the 7-8 hour mark. But I use a lot of hard butters/oils and soap with a steep water discount. Soap is sometimes still warm to the touch.
Funny story - I was at a farmers market this last Sunday and I went to go check out some of the soap at a booth (as one often does) and I picked up the soap to feel and smell and my finger went completely through the soap!! I would venture to say that they did not wait a sufficient amount of time to unmold and cut - let alone cure and offer for sale!! I sincerely hope that was a one-off oversite and not a regular practice by this soap maker.
Funny story - I was at a farmers market this last Sunday and I went to go check out some of the soap at a booth (as one often does) and I picked up the soap to feel and smell and my finger went completely through the soap!! I would venture to say that they did not wait a sufficient amount of time to unmold and cut - let alone cure and offer for sale!! I sincerely hope that was a one-off oversite and not a regular practice by this soap maker.
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
WOWSER--how do you not notice than when getting it ready to take to the sale??
Jaw --- Floor.
Hendejm
Well-Known Member
I have no idea. I should have taken a picture of it.
For the majority of my formulas, I unmold about 18 hours after pour. By then, my soap has hardened back up from gel and has cooled back down to room temp. If I unmold them when still warm, they tend to develop a light coating of ash.
For my salt bars, or my 100% CO soaps with a 20% S/F, however, I unmold and cut within 6 hours after pour- basically when the soap has firmed up from gel but is still quite warm. If I wait for those to come to room temp before cutting, I'll need a chainsaw to cut them because that's how hard they get! LOL
IrishLass
For my salt bars, or my 100% CO soaps with a 20% S/F, however, I unmold and cut within 6 hours after pour- basically when the soap has firmed up from gel but is still quite warm. If I wait for those to come to room temp before cutting, I'll need a chainsaw to cut them because that's how hard they get! LOL
IrishLass
Because it’s someone who just started and decided it was just fine to go sell.
Micchi
Well-Known Member
I do a little of both temp and hardness.
When I can't feel the heat through the bottom of the wooden mold, I pull the liner and soap out of the mold. From there, I usually let it hang out in the liner for a while longer, until the sides of the silicone liner pull away cleanly and it feels about like a good block of cheddar cheese.
I usually start checking at about 10 hours in. 12 hours is about when I can pop it out of the wooden mold, and it's usually ready to unmold and cut around 18-24 hours. I soap with a pretty steep water discount, unless I'm doing intricate swirls.
When I can't feel the heat through the bottom of the wooden mold, I pull the liner and soap out of the mold. From there, I usually let it hang out in the liner for a while longer, until the sides of the silicone liner pull away cleanly and it feels about like a good block of cheddar cheese.
I usually start checking at about 10 hours in. 12 hours is about when I can pop it out of the wooden mold, and it's usually ready to unmold and cut around 18-24 hours. I soap with a pretty steep water discount, unless I'm doing intricate swirls.
Hendejm
Well-Known Member
You’d think that would be the case but I checked out their Facebook page and they’ve been selling at this market for nearly three years. So hopefully just a mistake on their part and not reflective of their products overall.
Warmth doesn't necessarily mean the soap is in gel. Soap will get fairly warm during saponification even if it never gels. There are some types of soap that you have to cut while warm or they will be too brittle or hard to cut at all. Salt soap is an example. Some 100% olive oil soap can also quickly get quite brittle, but your mileage will vary on that one.
If you're just talking about regular bath soap, however, it's generally true that soap is usually going to only be slightly warm or at room temp when it's ready to cut. But I don't pay a lot of attention to the temperature. My rule of thumb is firmness -- I want to cut soap when has the texture of colby or young cheddar cheese. If it's like cream cheese or brie, it's too soft. If it's like parmesan or aged cheddar, it's too hard.
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