First soap batch question

[adefrier]

OK--I need a little help here. I have been researching and reading about CP soap for months and months. Decided this past weekend to try my first batch. Made it Sunday evening. Recognized the whole trace thing (as far as I know) added my FO and a bit of color and such and then poured in the mold. Covered with a towel and let sit for 24 hours. Checked back Monday night and it certainly firmed up quite a bit but it was still the consistency of like jello maybe? Can easily push my finger into it and stuff--still like that this morning too. Now been sitting for 36+ hours. With everything I read I never found anything that tells me how the soap should feel before cutting it. It looks like it would just turn to mush if I tried to cut it. What should it be like when I go to cut it? Its still in the mold and I can remove it if I need to because I lined the box.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but Im really not quite sure where Im at in the process. Is it ready to cut? Should I let it sit in the mold another day or two? Should I remove it from the mold and let it sit on the counter?

Any help would be appreciated!

And if this whole batch turns out alright, I think I will be addicted!

[Kaybee23]

What was your recipe and how much water and lye did you use?

[adefrier]

Very basic recipe to see if I liked the whole process:

16 oz lard

5 oz water

2 oz lye

(found this recipe in a couple of different books I had looked)

also added a teaspoon of cinnamon for internal coloring and 2 drops of water based coloring on the top for a slight coloring and less than .25 oz of FO

[eugenia]

I get 2.14 lye. In a batch that small. the .14 could make a difference. That soap should have been pretty darn firm after 24 hours.

[Bunny]

Hmmm... According to MMS lye calc, it's a 10% superfat, the .14 definetely made a difference. Unless you scale is a jewelers scale or read to the tenth spot in grams (1.1 grams for example) I'd never make a batch that small for this reason without the small scale.

Give it a day or two more to harden up, and then cut it, and then give it a good long cure to get rid of the excess water.

Next time, try a batch between 2-3 lbs. I'd lean more towards the 3 lb. Or get a small scale that can read 1.1 grams or even more decimal points over.

[adefrier]

For future reference--what should the soap feel like when it is ready to be cut? I know you dont want it too hard or it will crumble but is there usually a grace period between letting it sit for 24 hours and having it too hard to cut? Just not real sure how you know when.

I just went and cut the soap (patience is not one of my virtues!) and it actually cut nice. Didnt turn to mush like I had thought but definitely no where near soap consistency. Ill let it sit and cure now for a good long time and hopefully it will turn out alright. So far it still looks good and smells good so Ill keep my fingers crossed.

Will try another batch here soon and will make it a much bigger batch! Working with these small quantities is a little tough--hubby just said that I can go ahead and buy a better scale. Am using the same one that Ive been using for my candle making for years but exact accuracy is obviously much more important here.

Thanks for all your input today and in the future--cuz I am sure Ill have many more questions for you all!

[Bunny]

Well, it's still not hard as a rock.. It won't be that for months/weeks depending on your recipe. I've cut my soaps 3 weeks after I poured it with no problems. Actually got a beautiful cut.

If you cut the end off, and it's tacky inside, give in another day or two. It'll look prettier!