Where Does Everybody Purchase Their Lye From?

[cmzaha]

I buy mine from Gallade Chemical in Santa Ana. Just in case anyone is from So CA

 

[Lin]

I priced both the Lye guy and ED and ED was cheaper for the amount I was buying. I have much more time than money, so for me I always price things everywhere before a purchase. I also always Google for coupons after I've settled on a place, and the end result was my Lye for 1.92 a pound including shipping.

 

[ilovesoap2]

Lin, thanks for the tip. Never even thought of searching for coupons for ED. Good to know.

 

[Jencat]

Essential Depot here too.

 

[new12soap]

I have purchased lye from the hardware store, from Essential Depot, and from a local chem supply. I very much prefer the local chem supply place, I buy a 50% lye solution in a jug, no mixing or static and my lye is already masterbatched for me.

I know it is possible to make lye from wood ash but I don't personally know anyone that has done it, at least not in the last 70 years or so! And the resulting lye is potash or KOH, not the NaOH that we use for bar soap.

 

[Smauf]

I got a little frustrated comparing the prices also. I was looking at lyeguy
and Ed. Took out the calculator and just said forget it. I bought from ED.

Are you saying you took out the calculator, calculated the price and went with ED because it was cheaper? Or you tried to calculate the price, said "forget it" and just went with ED? Little confused on the wording

 

[athallr]

I used to buy local but it is do pricey, about $4.50/1 pound. I've been ordering from essential depot but will check out the lye guy next.

 

[Chandler Soap]

What is your favorite place to purchase lye from, and why?

For soapers in the Valley of the Sun, there is a new place open in Chandler. Chandler Bio sells NaOH and KOH in 2# to 50# quantities, and pricing is cheaper than anyplace I found. They also have essential oils. I made my first batch with their lye yesterday and it is great. I told them I was going to post to this forum when I joined (been meaning to come out of hiding), and he requested I also give you a link,so here it is.

www.ChandlerBio.com

Good Luck and thanks to all for the helpful forum posts.

 

[moonbeam]

I get mine from a chemical house in Berkeley, CA (pacific coast chemical) it comes in 50# bags

 

[hismrsfinnegan]

I purchase from Essential Depot online. I just got 16lbs. I make a lot of soap and sell, so I use alot. I like the 2 pound bottles they are just the right size. Not too little that I am always running out, and not too much that I can't manage handling the bottle easily. Right now, I store my lye in my kitchen in a special cabinet I have for my soaping supplies. I am in the process of moving stuff out to my shop in the garage.

 

[Moot]

I purchase from LyeGuy. When I ordered, the prices were a bit cheaper plus I love the simplicity of the website. On all materials it's best to compare prices/quality each time you order as they can always change.

 

[outlawsoaps]

What is your favorite place to purchase lye from, and why?

We buy locally because I am a miser on shipping costs. Our current local supplier in Oakland is Pacific Chemical in Berkeley, but we had another really great supplier in Los Angeles when I lived there.

We buy in 50# bags.

 

[outlawsoaps]

I buy mine from Gallade Chemical in Santa Ana. Just in case anyone is from So CA

Yeah, I think that's where we got ours from when I lived there. Really fine folks.

 

[Mellifera]

Lye Guy. He's "local-ish" to me, about 1.5 hours away, so while it isn't worth my time to drive there, I do get it very quickly.

 

[CherylS]

I'm an Essential Depot purchaser also Love them. And yes, that 2 pound bottle is good to handle instead of having to scoop it out. I used to get it buy the 7 lbs but got clumping. This just stays put in the bottle.

 

[houseofwool]

Deanna, what are the shipping charges like from the lye guy? That is my biggest hang up because I generally go to order late at night and the rates aren't published.

 

[heather s]

Lye Guy. He's "local-ish" to me, about 1.5 hours away, so while it isn't worth my time to drive there, I do get it very quickly.

Local-ish to me too. He's a super nice guy.

 

[margaret]

ED

I buy food grade lye from ED and that is a selling point for my soap. People think of lye as drain cleaner and are surprised to learn that pretzels take a lye bath. It gives some a safe feeling.. I buy in large quantities and love the 2lb bottles also the price break I get.

 

[shunt2011]

I too buy from Essential Depot. I have purchased it locally from a restaurant oil supply company but it came in 55 lb bag and was such a hassle to transfer it. It was also the flake kind and I had some issues with it totally dissolving sometimes. I tried the ED food grade and though a bit more expensive it is so worth having the ease of the 2 lb bottles and they are easier to store. I just purchased 64 lbs earlier this month but was lucky as my parents were down in Florida and picked it up and brought it back to me so I saved the shipping.

 

[ca_soap]

Essential Depot as well. Great price, great service, great product and the two pound bottles are very easy to handle and store. I buy either 32lb or 64lb at a time and they are very consistent bottle after bottle.