when to cut - your preference..

[serenaglynn]

For you seasoned soapers, when do you like to cut - after taking from the molds, or after leaving to cure for a few weeks? Im after a uniform, neat edged bar, have cut my first few batches straight from the mold but the edges dont come out too clean.. Is it going to be too hard to cut if i make a loaf and cut it after the curing process?

 

[Ruthie]

I'm not sure I am such a seasoned soaper. I had a soapmaking business 10 years ago but just started back at it. But I do have preferences when it comes to cutting. HP- I make one day (usually evening), take it out of the mold the next morning, but like to wait another day before cutting. CP- I wait at least 24 hours before removing from the mold. Then prefer to wait about 3 more days to cut the log. I do not like waiting too long as it does become more difficult to cut. Plus I think I get a more even cure this way. Oh, and I always trim the edges where they were cut, though I wait til curing is completed and do that when I am ready to label.

 

[WallFlower]

I cut 24 hours after pouring into a mold. Or sometimes if it hasn't set up enough I'll wait another day. To get the best cut you'll need a cheese slicer. A wire cutter.

 

[Hausfrau007]

I tend to cut after 20 to 24 hours, but I've cut as early as 10 hours after pour. That was too early, no question.

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

I think it depends alot on your recipe. and the amount of hard vs liquid oils. and if you gel or not.
I have forced gel on a lard batch and Had to cut it 2 hours after pouring.

 

[Genny]

Depending on your recipe, if try to cut after a few weeks the soap will be really hard to cut through. I forgot a soap loaf in a mold for about 4 weeks once and it was such a pain to try to cut nicely that I just gave up and chopped it into pieces.
And I use high olive oil recipes that are pretty soft for a while.

After I take my soap from the mold, I wait about 24 hours before cutting. Sometimes it's really hard to wait though and I end up doing it sooner & get drag marks from cutting

 

[deb8907]

I usually cut the CP loaf after taking it out of the mold, 24 hours after pouring. If it feels soft, I will give it overnight or another few hours. Edges can always be cleaned up with a vegetable peeler. And as the others noted, it does depend on the recipe's oils.

 

[elope80]

If the "loafs" are very big. Curing time can be quite long up to a week before a loaf is ready for cutting.
We cure batches of 150 kg in ca. 10 kg loafs and they surely need an absolute minimum of 3 days.

If you cut with heated strings etc. you are less dependent on the hardness of the "loaf".

 

[cmzaha]

If the "loafs" are very big. Curing time can be quite long up to a week before a loaf is ready for cutting.
We cure batches of 150 kg in ca. 10 kg loafs and they surely need an absolute minimum of 3 days.

If you cut with heated strings etc. you are less dependent on the hardness of the "loaf".

This is a very old post and I only see one member that is here occasionally. But it depends a lot on the recipe. It makes no difference how big my batches are using my go to recipe, they have to be cut in 8 hrs or my wires will break. Mine "Cure" 2 months before taking to market

 

[ashdigger]

I usually remove the soap from my wood molds around 18 to 24 hours after pouring and try to let the loafs dry a few hours (6-8) prior to cutting, seems to work for me.

 

[cmzaha]

I usually remove the soap from my wood molds around 18 to 24 hours after pouring and try to let the loafs dry a few hours (6-8) prior to cutting, seems to work for me.

It really depends on several factors including trace, formula, water content, gel, etc. If pouring at emulsion it can take longer to de-mold. For example I poured to batches last night that were just at emulsion, with 50 % palm and full water replacement with vinegar. Normally this recipe would be rock hard in eight hrs, it is now 11 hrs and they are still to soft to de-mold. It is best to check a corner for hardness or softness