Zerby Pirkel's soap adventures!

[ZerbyPirkel]

Hi all! My name is Zerby. I live in Phoenix, AZ. I am a senior citizen. My interest in soapmaking goes way back. I started soaping when I was in Las Vegas, but set it aside due to traveling. I am eager to restart my adventures! However, I only want to make a simple white bar for awhile. I read some posts on making a white soap using lard. I dunno. What do you think? Will Crisco be better?

I also collect antique/vintage greeting cards with great stuff on them that I can turn into soap labels. I have been looking at how some of the more popular people (like Zahida Map) wrap their soaps up and getting ideas.

I do not make soap for a living. It is only for a few friends and family. Too old for a business; don't want one. I'll leave that to the younger folks who have all the energy! Anyway, I hope to relearn all that I have forgotten!

 

[earlene]

Crisco makes a very white bar, but it also develops DOS really fast, so it's not a good choice if you want to use a high content Crisco soap. That's my experience anyway.

Welcome. This is a great group of supportive soapers here at SMF.

 

[dibbles]

Welcome Zerby! It will be fun to follow your soapy adventures. Post pictures - we love pictures. And I'd love to see what you do with your labels too.

I think you will find most people will recommend lard over Crisco. I've never used Crisco myself, but lard makes a very nice soap.

 

[lenarenee]

Welcome - sounds like you're going to have a blast soaping and labeling!

You haven't used lard for soap before? You must try it. And if you still feel you need to try the Crisco for compare, we'll forgive you - and don't say "I don't you so" when you go back to using lard!

I'm over in S CA, send me a private message if you'd like me to send you a bar of my soap to try (I'll be sending out several soap packages to friends very soon)

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Welcome! Sounds like you'll fit in with the lardites here [emoji5]

 

[Seawolfe]

Hi and welcome! Ive used both lard and Crisco - lard is lots better. Feels better on the skin, lasts lots longer.
A nice recipe many of us have used is 60-65% lard, 15% coconut oil, 5% castor oil, 15-20% olive oil (or sweet almond oil, or avocado oil). If you use non extra virgin olive oil (so no green, light yellow) or sweet almond oil, it will make a very white bar.

 

[Dorymae]

Hi Zerby! I'm in Buckeye. Try using 75percent Lard 20 percent coconut oil and 5 percent castor oil. Makes a beautiful hard white bar with great lather. I use a 5 percent lye discount and the bar is very nice for this dry climate.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome Zerby! :wave:

Lard and/or tallow makes for lovely white soap.


IrishLass

 

[Susie]

Hey and welcome!

Lard is cheap, and it makes awesome soap. Just can't recommend it enough.

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum. Hope you have fun with your soaping adventures.

 

[shunt2011]

Hi Zerby, welcome to the forum!

 

[MySoapyHeart]

Hello Mr. Zerby, welcome to the forum!

You said you hoped to relearn all that you had forgotten? Well, I can assure you that you absolutely 100% will, and also learn something new everytime you come here!

Looking forward to seing your work! (pictures, we looove pictures *hint hint*)

 

[Dana89]

Welcome, this is a great forum, I have learned so much labels, lard and liquid soap Oh My. Lard is AMAZING in bar soap. If you have no personal, religious objections to animal fats I would start with lard, coconut oil and olive oil if you want to keep it simple until you get back into your soaping groove.
Those 3 fats make a great batch of soap.

 

[TeresaT]

Hi Zerby, welcome to the forum. I'll chime in with the lardites and extoll the virtues of lard: amazing soap! My first ever soap was 100% lard and it was great. I still make a 100% lard bar occasionally. However, my go to recipe is lard, olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil and about half of my batches get Shea butter. BTW: I love your name!!

 

[Arimara]

Hello there. I'm more of a beef tallow person. Lard is nice but my skin doesn't universally like it. Still, one can't deny that it makes a white bar of soap, especially when coupled with coconut oil and classic to light olive oil.

 

[Steve85569]

Welcome to the forum!
Enjoy experimenting with lard!

Welcome to the lard side ( we have cookies)!

 

[KristaY]

Hi Zerby and welcome! I'm in the northwest (& much cooler than you, lol) part of AZ. :wave:

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome to the lard side ( we have cookies)!

You know..... now that I have some awesome leaf lard from Fannie & Flo, I just might try that (i.e., use lard instead of butter to make cookies).


IrishLass

 

[snappyllama]

Howdy and welcome! I love your name by the way!

 

[ZerbyPirkel]

Thank you! I did buy lard at Walmart. I soap this weekend.
Hi Dana! Thank you for the advice! I have Sandy Maine's recipe and I thought I would try that. Olive oil is something that I want to start making myself. Since I saw the report on 60 Minutes on how our olive oil is adulterated - (they take sunflower oil and put chlorophyll in it to give it the green color) - I am thinking of using other oils until I get my olive oil press. I am making my own avocado oil today. That is so much fun! If I make my own olive oil, I will know that it is pure. The last time I bought olive oil, it didn't taste right. After the 60 Minutes report, I know why, and I won't buy it off the shelf. Take a look here as to why I am so concerned: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-overtime-how-to-buy-olive-oil/ and http://www.oliveoiltimes.com/tag/olive-oil-fraud and http://realfoodforlife.com/which-olive-oil-to-buy-the-olive-oil-fraud/. You know, this is so important to those of us that use oils, we need to let others that are soapers know about this, if it is not known by all, already. I will post a thread on it.

Hi and welcome! Ive used both lard and Crisco - lard is lots better. Feels better on the skin, lasts lots longer.
A nice recipe many of us have used is 60-65% lard, 15% coconut oil, 5% castor oil, 15-20% olive oil (or sweet almond oil, or avocado oil). If you use non extra virgin olive oil (so no green, light yellow) or sweet almond oil, it will make a very white bar.

Hi! What can I use instead of olive oil, since I don't trust it, at the moment. I would want something that would contribute to the white color. Thanks!

Hi Zerby! I'm in Buckeye. Try using 75percent Lard 20 percent coconut oil and 5 percent castor oil. Makes a beautiful hard white bar with great lather. I use a 5 percent lye discount and the bar is very nice for this dry climate.

Hi Dorymae! Been a long time since I ran into someone with that name! Can you see me waving from Mesa? Thank you for this. I want to make it this weekend.

Hi Zerby, welcome to the forum. I'll chime in with the lardites and extoll the virtues of lard: amazing soap! My first ever soap was 100% lard and it was great. I still make a 100% lard bar occasionally. However, my go to recipe is lard, olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil and about half of my batches get Shea butter. BTW: I love your name!!

Thank you! How do you make a 100% lard bar? Can that be done? I have used beef tallow, before, but I had to render it myself. Too hot in Phoenix to have to do that. And, thank you on my name. Yes, it is a moniker! LOL!!!