will it work?

[valor]

Hi out there! I have just finished my very first batch of cp soap and am on pins and needles. I had some issues and I am so nervous that it didn't work.

I used 66% soybean oil and 33% olive. I know that the less saturated fat, the longer it takes to trace, but I stirred this stuff for 4 hours with a mixer. Yes, 4 HOURS!! I couldn't quite get trace. It was thick enough that it would barely run down the walls of my bucket, but it just would not hold trace. I got fed up and finally just poured it.

Does anyone have any guesses on whether or not it MIGHT work out? I got bubbles when I rinsed my bucket...

help...

 

[Norai]

How much lye'd you use? Sheesh 4 hours, good attention span lol.

 

[valor]

Hi,
I used 6.9 ounces of lye and 15.8 oz of water. The calc. I used gave me the perimeters and I followed a recipe for 48 0z. oil.

 

[kaseencook]

Reducing the amount of water you use (or increasing the lye concentration) and can really speed up trace. 27% water as a % of oils (ex. 270g of water to 1000g of oil) is a good concentration.
Soap with a lot of water in it can also warp when drying due to all the water loss, and may be soft for a while, and take longer before it is de-mouldable.

If the the oil and water/lye have separated in the mould then it will prob not work, but you could go back and mix it together again until it traces and keeps trace.

 

[kaseencook]

From what you have posted, if you reduced your water to 13oz it should speed up trace a bit or ever a lot!

 

[valor]

Thank you!

Next time I will reduce the water. I just don't know about this batch...is a batch that doesn't reach trace and is left to sit salvageable? I can't mess with it anymore tonight, but is there anything that I could or should do tomorrow? It was as close to trace as you an get without having trace.

 

[MikeInPdx]

Thank you!

Next time I will reduce the water. I just don't know about this batch...is a batch that doesn't reach trace and is left to sit salvageable? I can't mess with it anymore tonight, but is there anything that I could or should do tomorrow? It was as close to trace as you an get without having trace.

The two oils you used may take days to trace. If it separates, just keep stirring it over the next few days, several times a day, and you will most likely end up with soap.

Next time, I would suggest some coconut oil and less water. It will speed things up considerably.

 

[surf girl]

Hey, are you sure about your numbers? For 48 oz oils (33.3% OO and 66.7% Soybean), Soapcalc gives me a lye quantity of 6.5 oz for a superfat of zero. Most people superfat for at least 5%, which would require a lye amount of 6.1 oz. I fear that with a lye quantity of 6.9 oz, you will be lye heavy (your superfat is -5%, i.e. you have more lye than required for your oils).

I don't know that this would affect trace - perhaps some of the chemistry/physics buffs can comment. And, as far as I know, you don't need "trace" to get soap. Trace is just an indication of how well the oil and lye solution are emulsified. The two liquids just need to be well-mixed; "trace" tells you that they are, and are stable i.e. won't separate.

Sorry to hear your first batch was a bit of a challenge. I do think that sucker will saponify, but do test it for "zap" - I think that's the bigger worry.

 

[valor]

Thank you!

Next time I will reduce the water. I just don't know about this batch...is a batch that doesn't reach trace and is left to sit salvageable? I can't mess with it anymore tonight, but is there anything that I could or should do tomorrow? It was as close to trace as you an get without having trace.

The two oils you used may take days to trace. If it separates, just keep stirring it over the next few days, several times a day, and you will most likely end up with soap.

Next time, I would suggest some coconut oil and less water. It will speed things up considerably.

ARG! DAYS?? Are you kidding me? I was peeved about 4 hours! I'm such a newbie! LOL I certainly hope that something comes out of my "first time fiasco" that resembles something soap-like.LOL

 

[valor]

Hey, are you sure about your numbers? For 48 oz oils (33.3% OO and 66.7% Soybean), Soapcalc gives me a lye quantity of 6.5 oz for a superfat of zero. Most people superfat for at least 5%, which would require a lye amount of 6.1 oz. I fear that with a lye quantity of 6.9 oz, you will be lye heavy (your superfat is -5%, i.e. you have more lye than required for your oils).

I don't know that this would affect trace - perhaps some of the chemistry/physics buffs can comment. And, as far as I know, you don't need "trace" to get soap. Trace is just an indication of how well the oil and lye solution are emulsified. The two liquids just need to be well-mixed; "trace" tells you that they are, and are stable i.e. won't separate.

Sorry to hear your first batch was a bit of a challenge. I do think that sucker will saponify, but do test it for "zap" - I think that's the bigger worry.

Hi!

ACK!! Yeah, I think you are right. OOOHHHHH! I left out a little 0 when I wrote my recipe! Dang it! newbie mistake!!! or sleep deprivation I have a 3 month old and I don't remember what it's like to sleep for more than 3 hours a pop. I guess I'll have some pretty laundry soap or something to give to the mother in law when she ticks me off LOL Just kidding...sorta.LOL

 

[kaseencook]

Ok, I ran through soap calc too and got:

5% superfat is 6.199oz lye and 0% superfat as 6.525oz lye

Looks like the lye is definitely a bit on the high side, and the soap could be a bit harsh. Most people do a min 5% superfat to be sure the soap is not lye heavy.

 

[valor]

Yeah, from what I've seen on my own too, it is lye heavy, so I went back to the original recipe from teachsoap.com to see if I was crazy or what and this is what I found:

Beginner 4.5 pound Soap Recipe - makes just under 4.5 lbs of soap
16oz Canola Oil
16oz Coconut Oil
16oz Palm Oil
6.9oz Lye (5% superfatted)
15.8oz Water

I modified the oils, but not the rest of the ratios...I'm not crazy, right? Right. Oh lord, I just answered myself. :roll:

 

[topcat]

Valor, when you change your oils you need to run the new amounts and types through a lye calculator.....the 6.9 oz lye was the amount needed to saponify the original oils in the recipe. The water amount can change too. Each oil has a different sap value so when you changed to soybean & olive, you have used oils that need less lye to turn into soap....are you following this...?

A good information site to understand the soaping process is Millers. I have included a link here to their 'design your own recipe page' as that is what you did....very adventurous for a first batch! :wink:

http://www.millersoap.com/soapdesign.html

HTH!

Tanya

 

[surf girl]

Yeah, what she said.

Each oil has its own saponification factor, i.e. how much lye it takes to make it into soap. If you substitute one oil for another, you need to re-calculate how much lye you will need for the same total weight of oil. If you don't, you will end up with too much oil (not dangerous, but could go rancid more easily) or too much lye (harsh/dangerous). People generally "superfat" at least a little, to have a bit of a safety factor that ensures there is, if anything, a little bit extra oil.

 

[valor]

Valor, when you change your oils you need to run the new amounts and types through a lye calculator.....the 6.9 oz lye was the amount needed to saponify the original oils in the recipe. The water amount can change too. Each oil has a different sap value so when you changed to soybean & olive, you have used oils that need less lye to turn into soap....are you following this...?

A good information site to understand the soaping process is Millers. I have included a link here to their 'design your own recipe page' as that is what you did....very adventurous for a first batch! :wink:

http://www.millersoap.com/soapdesign.html

HTH!

Tanya

I guess I'm an adventurous sort of girl! I actually did run it thru a lye calc at metaphysicalfarms.com. It gave me the perimeters for the soy and olive. I just left out that little 0 when I jotted the recipe down, cause I was using both the lye calc and the recipe as guidelines. 6.9 and 6.09 appear similar.

Newbie mistake. I feel really silly! I came here with one concern and found out that it wasn't what I needed to worry about LOL

It's awesome to know that there is a place to come where I can get such great advice from such kind people. Thank you all for being so nice to this silly sudser. Maybe I'll change my name to that...Silly Sudser. LOL

 

[tosoross]

Why your recipe doesn't has coconut oil? Soybean and olive oil don't give lather too much.

Your recipe doesn't has hard oil such as palm oil ,shea butter,etc. It's a reason that It take very long time to get trace.

I think your soap can use but it will very soft.
Above is only my mind.

Thank you.

Invite to visit my blog and make some comments.
http://soaphome.blogspot.com/

 

[valor]

Why your recipe doesn't has coconut oil? Soybean and olive oil don't give lather too much.

Your recipe doesn't has hard oil such as palm oil ,shea butter,etc. It's a reason that It take very long time to get trace.

I think your soap can use but it will very soft.
Above is only my mind.

Thank you.

Invite to visit my blog and make some comments.
http://soaphome.blogspot.com/

I was trying to make a very mild soap that I could use with my 3 month old as well as myself. I don't care about lather as much as making sure that it is gentle. Besides, it was my very first go at it and I wanted to keep my cost low if I messed it up...like I did.

 

[topcat]

Keep an eye on it and be patient....if it has lye zap (wet your finger and rub on soap, then touch it to your tongue....if it is lye heavy it will zap like a battery!!! :shock: ) then rebatching is a terrific option. Being high in olive it may take a few days to firm up enough to unmould. Olive oil soap does get very hard - it just takes weeks instead of days.

Congratulations on having a go....it took me almost a year to get up the courage to make CP - and I was hooked the moment I started

Tanya

 

[valor]

Keep an eye on it and be patient....if it has lye zap (wet your finger and rub on soap, then touch it to your tongue....if it is lye heavy it will zap like a battery!!! :shock: ) then rebatching is a terrific option. Being high in olive it may take a few days to firm up enough to unmould. Olive oil soap does get very hard - it just takes weeks instead of days.

Congratulations on having a go....it took me almost a year to get up the courage to make CP - and I was hooked the moment I started

Tanya

Thanks! I am sooo happy with it at the moment. I unmoulded it last night with no problem and cut it into cute little bars. There is hardly any 'zap' in it and it lathers nicely when I rinse it off of my hands. I am pleased as punch! I'm going to try to post pics.

I made another batch last night and went ahead and added my precious coconut oil, palm kernal oil and sweet almond oil. This soap is even prettier and harder. I unmoulded it this morning and it was pretty hard already and I got gorgeous swirls. I cut them and have them set up labeled to cure for 6 weeks. Oh the waiting!!! LOL I'll post pic on the photo board.

It's addictive!!! I'm soo hooked!

 

[topcat]

That is excellent! And the new batch sounds wonderful too....I will look out for the pics.

Tanya