LindaColo Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 I did a batch of cp soap. Stirred the soap until it reminded me of pudding, but the soap had oil floating on the top when it was all in the mold. Well, figuring that it was a false trace, the soap when back into the bowl to be stirred for a while.I left the soap for a moment (saw something on the floor and put it in the trash). When I went back to stir, the soap was so thick the spoon refused to budge. The soap is too stiff to roll into balls now. I chiseled it out into a mold.Should I have left the soap alone the first time it was in the mold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindym Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 hmmmm that really sucks. What I probably would have done is thrown it back in the pan and put it in the oven to see what would happen. I may have added some more water, just don't know. Sometimes soap has a mind of it own. I may have just left it in the mold. But....... all that said, maybe if you post your recipe we may be able to find something there that caused it. May have been the fo not incorporating. Soap Fairy's are everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 hmmmm that really sucks. What I probably would have done is thrown it back in the pan and put it in the oven to see what would happen. I may have added some more water, just don't know. I agree. I just suggested that in another thread. When the soap seizes or rices, forging on with HP can save it. I'd only add more water if a discount had been taken as some of the water will evaporate in the HP process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaColo Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 920 g batch (the weight was due to the amount of caster oil that was in the bottle)10% Caster Oil . . . . . . . . 92 grams15% Coconut Oil (92) . . . 138 grams20% Palm Kernal Oil Flakes . 184 grams20% Mango Butter . . . . . .184 grams23% Safflower (High Oleoic) . 210 grams 3% Canola Oil . . . . . . . . . .25 grams 9% Palm Oil . . . . . . . . . . . 87 gramsWater 350 gramsLye 132 gramsHardness 43Cleansing 22Condition 53Bubbly 31Creamy 30Iodine 53INS 151Soap was made with cold process method.The fragrance oil used was Sola Kojiki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Recipe looks fine and Scented soaped that FO with no problems. Were your temps too high? That can do it. I've started melting my oils and mixing my lye the day before I want to soap. I find soaping room temp to be more manageable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaColo Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 Must be the temperature. Once the lye was dissolved in the water, I poured it into the just-melted oil.:embarasse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Must be the temperature. Once the lye was dissolved in the water, I poured it into the just-melted oil.:embarasseBada Bing. You just solved the puzzle. It takes hours for the lye water to cool to the proper temp, 100 or less. Oils should be the same. Soaping too hot causes all kinds of problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Its not too late to melt it down again and pound it into a mold. Or is it? Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Its not too late to melt it down again and pound it into a mold. Or is it? Anyone?That's what she did The soap is too stiff to roll into balls now. I chiseled it out into a mold. Should rebatch OK and lesson learned.e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carriegsxr6 Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 One thing I do is melt my solid oils then mix them with the liquid oils that are room temp. this cools the oils down fast. The lye water I put in the freezer and it cools down fast as well. I am able to get my oils and lye for a 2lb batch cooled down within 10min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmadness Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I am with e... I plan my soap batches the night before and I use room temp lye. It is the most predictable for me and I can use FO that normally causes a problem.When I use warm lye even below or at 100 my soap always turns out different and I do not like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I am with e... I plan my soap batches the night before and I use room temp lye. It is the most predictable for me and I can use FO that normally causes a problem.When I use warm lye even below or at 100 my soap always turns out different and I do not like it.Took me years of soaping to discover this. I could have avoided many problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmadness Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Took me years of soaping to discover this. I could have avoided many problems.Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaColo Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 I am definitely on the learning curve for making soap. Next time I'll try the freeze method for the lye so I can have more predictable results. Right now my soap looks like putty crammed into a mold. I'll rebatch the soap later on. I like the scent too much to throw it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littysmom Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I set my lye outside in 40 degree weather it cooled nicely. (in a safe protected area) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I use about 2oz less water to mix my lye, then add ice if it's still too hot. I don't wanna have lye around for a day or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaColo Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 Would adding ice be okay if I have hard water? Adding ice sounds better than trying to fit it in the freezer or trying to open the door to take the lye water outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I use 1/2 ice 1/2 water for my lye. Gets to be 95 degrees in less than 30 minutes. I wouldn't worry about the hard water Linda. I also wouldn't put my lye water in the freezer. The fumes next to food I'm going to eat? The high temp of the lye water also isn't good to have in the freezer for your food. It might raise the temp in the freezer to unsafe levels. How do you do it Carriegs? Am I thinking wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 I use coooooold water and then pop it in the freezer. I don't make much at a time (enough for a 4# batch absolute max, usually 2#ers) and I haven't noticed any difficulties in my freezer, like freezer burn on my foods or more condensation/frost or anything. But there's not much besides cold air in there anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 That might make a difference CB... I usually soap between 6-12 lbs at a time. But to have lye fume steam all over my food packaging? Yuck! Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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