What's your favorite swirling technique, tool?

[Candybee]

I am still working on mastering the mantra and using my homemade hanger tool for swirling. I have found the hanger tool can do quite a few swirls if your batter is just right.

 

But the majority of my soaps are pretty one dimensional. I just wish I had more time to play.

 

Just wondering what others like to do.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Candybee

[Jcandleattic]

I usually swirl my logs with a spoon. Just a plain SS kitchen spoon. I get very decent results with it. 

I've even used a spaghetti measure spoon, and a pasta spoon for my swirls. 

For my peaked and textured tops of my soap a simple paring knife that I've had with me since moving out of my parents house does the trick. I LOVE that thing. I will be lost without it. I've bought other paring knives, but they just are not the same... 

For my mantra's, peacocks, Taiwan. etc., type swirls in my slabs, I just use a plain wooden kabob skewer - you can get a 100 pack at the dollar store for - yep- a dollar.  

My hanger is also homemade. I use a cut to size dry cleaning hanger (you know with the sticky cardboard "rod"?) I just duct tape over sticky cardboard and can get about 8-10 uses out of one. My hub dry cleans his jeans and shirts - yeah, he's a cowboy, what can I say? - so I have a pretty good stash of them to use. 

But yeah, mostly I just use household items for my soapmaking tools. I rarely buy tools specifically made for soapmaking from suppliers... Mostly it's gimmick gadgets for my "tricks-of-the-trade"... LOL  

 

I am always eyeballing stuff when I go shopping or when I'm out and about thinking "hmm, I wonder what kind of swirls I could get out of that" Or, "hmm I wonder how I could use that for soaping..." LOL 

[chuck_35550]

I took a coated wire hanger and covered it with a ribbed drinking straw. The ribs pick up the soap and create very tiny patterns through the soap. I use it all the time. Skewers for the tops is a snap and thats about it.

[Candybee]

Where did you get the ribbed drinking straw?

 

Has anyone seen the swirling tools at Nurture Soap Supplies? http://www.nurturesoapsupplies.com/silicone-soap-molds/

 

For my hanger I use electrical tape and bamboo skewers. I wrap the tape around the skewer onto the hanger wire. When I finish swirling with my hanger I just wipe off the soap batter with paper towels to clean it off for next time.

 

But I would like to try the ribbed straw if I can find one.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Candybee

[Candybee]

I usually swirl my logs with a spoon. Just a plain SS kitchen spoon. I get very decent results with it. 

I've even used a spaghetti measure spoon, and a pasta spoon for my swirls. 

For my peaked and textured tops of my soap a simple paring knife that I've had with me since moving out of my parents house does the trick. I LOVE that thing. I will be lost without it. I've bought other paring knives, but they just are not the same... 

For my mantra's, peacocks, Taiwan. etc., type swirls in my slabs, I just use a plain wooden kabob skewer - you can get a 100 pack at the dollar store for - yep- a dollar.

My hanger is also homemade. I use a cut to size dry cleaning hanger (you know with the sticky cardboard "rod"?) I just duct tape over sticky cardboard and can get about 8-10 uses out of one. My hub dry cleans his jeans and shirts - yeah, he's a cowboy, what can I say? - so I have a pretty good stash of them to use. 

But yeah, mostly I just use household items for my soapmaking tools. I rarely buy tools specifically made for soapmaking from suppliers... Mostly it's gimmick gadgets for my "tricks-of-the-trade"... LOL  

 

I am always eyeballing stuff when I go shopping or when I'm out and about thinking "hmm, I wonder what kind of swirls I could get out of that" Or, "hmm I wonder how I could use that for soaping..." LOL 

 

I suck at spoon swirls. But then I haven't tried them much. BTW-- what is an SS spoon?

 

I forgot I use my wood piece from my soap stamper to put in the center of my slab mold for a column swirl. Then I do the same thing you do and swirl with a bamboo skewer or one of those free chop sticks I always save from the Chinese restaurant. LOL Its insane the lovely swirl work you can do with the simplest tools.

 

You know how soapers look at containers and think "I can soap with that" I do that with tools I see thinking "I wonder what kind of a swirl I can make with that."

[Jcandleattic]

I've seen those. An Etsy seller has them and the dividers. Unless they sold the design? Let me try to find her - LMAO nevermind, I just saw that Nuture's gets them from her. 

Great soap shop. 

[Jcandleattic]

I suck at spoon swirls. But then I haven't tried them much. BTW-- what is an SS spoon?

Oh sorry. Stainless steel. Nothing fancy - I just have some aluminum flatware that I use when camping, so wanted to let y'all know that I use ones that won't react with the soap batter.

 

Meant to add, that I have a video of me making soap that shows how I do my spoon swirl I think. If I find it, I'll post it. Trust me, if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it and get great swirls. It's the technique I used to make my second Forever Red soap that is posted here in the gallery. 

Also my Love Spell soap that I posted sometime in January was made using the spoon swirl. I get pretty swirls and pretty consistent swirls using the spoon swirl. It's my favorite swirl for my log molds.  

Edited August 26, 2014 by Jcandleattic

[soap_nut]

I am just starting to work on swirling, too and have tried the bamboo skewers.  It looks like such an easy thing to do but haven't had a ton of luck.  Once I master getting the right consistency of soap I'm sure it will be easier.   I'm used to having a nice trace when I soap but I guess I have to get over that   Will definitely have to try the hanger and spoon ideas!  I would love to see the video.

[Jcandleattic]

For me the spoon swirl works in any thickness of trace. I've had soaps almost solid and still was able to swirl. 

 

Here is a video of my soap (it is VERY LONG so) if you skip to the 12:20 mark (otherwise it's just a lot of me blabbering away - especially the very beginning) you can see how thick the soap is, and also how I do my spoon swirl. 

It was for the soap attached. 

 

http://youtu.be/tA98t31t9FM?list=UUH4uBDVo5nw4ualEznOEcsA

[soap_nut]

Awesome, thank you! I love the fun touches of gllitter

[nursenancy]

I use a crystal light container filled with change for my column swirl.  works great.

[Scented]

Janel, you crack me up! I had to listen to you chatter

 

My favorite swirl is with the hangar. I don't do a ton of different swirly things, but I like the flame-ish look I can get with the hangar. 

 

BTW FW on florals ... generally always. I love Ylang

Edited September 7, 2014 by Scented

[Jcandleattic]

Janel, you crack me up! I had to listen to you chatter

 

My favorite swirl is with the hangar. I don't do a ton of different swirly things, but I like the flame-ish look I can get with the hangar. 

 

BTW FW on florals ... generally always. I love Ylang

Ylang Ylang is my new favorite floral. I typically don't like them too much unless I mix but I fell in love with this scent. 

This was the first time I ever used an EO in my soap also. 

It's fun making the videos. I haven't done one in a while, but I think it might be time.  

[KrazeKelly]

Spoon swirl, round end of wooden spoon. I bought the hanger swirling tool from Nuture but it's too long for the Brambleberry 5lb molds   My husband modified it but it's still to long and he's going to have to adjust it again.

[Candybee]

Spoon swirl, round end of wooden spoon. I bought the hanger swirling tool from Nuture but it's too long for the Brambleberry 5lb molds   My husband modified it but it's still to long and he's going to have to adjust it again.

 

Pull an old wire hanger out of your closet girl and modify that! You can have a new hanger swirl tool in under 5 minutes. That's what I use. I just took a couple of bamboo skewers and taped those with a little electrical tape to make the wire a bit thicker but the wire by itself works great too.

[KrazeKelly]

Pull an old wire hanger out of your closet girl and modify that! You can have a new hanger swirl tool in under 5 minutes. That's what I use. I just took a couple of bamboo skewers and taped those with a little electrical tape to make the wire a bit thicker but the wire by itself works great too.

 

I have that too.....LOL!!! just got tired of cleaning or tossing them away all the time.....

[Scented]

Or leave the hanger intact and use the corners ... it works too, but more plunges into the soap. 

[KrazeKelly]

Or leave the hanger intact and use the corners ... it works too, but more plunges into the soap. 

OH!!!  Really?? I would have never tried that!!! I'll have to check that out

[ClaudDKLyons]

Have you tried Talltaly's thermal transfer method??? I've used it for the last few batches and... It works!!!! I am using a super fast tracing recipe - 63% solid oils - including palm & shea butter, and I have had time to Swirl, in fact, I have had to wait around to fluff up tops because it was still at thin/medium trace when i was done. I'm in love with this method!!!! I even used it for hp and works great!! Saves time,

[TallTayl]

Hip hip HUZZAH Claud!! So happy it helped with your formula.

[Crystal Daze]

Skewers,modified wire coat hanger and when soap goes too thick to use any of those my glass thermometer or round ended spatula. 

[Oceangazer1]

Homemade hanger. My hubby bent hangers for me to fit in almost all of my molds. There are times that I feel I should refrain from using the hanger but if it don't I feel a huge fit spilling over in me. But I live through it lol Thankfully I am always happy with my hanger swirls this one attached is actually one of the ugliest that I've done but it's the only one on my iPad. My iCloud is messed up so my devices aren't syncing together sigh!

Edited October 5, 2015 by Oceangazer1

[TallTayl]

I love just using the soap pot itself to swirl. Pouring bits of color around the main color in the pot then putting right in the mold takes no time at all. The colors can get deeper into the mold too.

[Punkin2x74]

I love the new gear tie you can get at the hardware store.

[Jcandleattic]

I love the new gear tie you can get at the hardware store.

I have one of those on order. I think I'll end up loving it.