Pros and Cons of a Kelsei Mold please........

[DebbieTX]

I have really wanted one of these for the last two years. I hate lining my log mold and want to have even bars. I cant cut a straight line to save my life. I would like to get the big one that will fit in my oven. Can you give me the pros and cons. I've done a search but other than having to mess with the dividers, and the bars not fitting the boxes, I haven't heard anything that would not make me buy. Also, they have some of the old ones listed for sale that they used to make years ago. They are wood on the outside but plastic on the inside. Anyone used these? Do the dividers come out? You cant tell from the pics. How would this work different than their newer ones? Thanks for any help.

[Carrie]

My pros and cons for my Kelsei

Pro:

No lining

Con:

You have to clean it after use

The soap is hard to get out of the mold

The bars are smaller than I like

I've started to use my log mold again. I use my Misty Creek type mold to cut it and the bars are even every time.

[thecandlespastore]

Try soaphutch.com if you are looking for linerless. I have yet to hear one "con" about Rich's molds, and he customizes the molds to your liking.

[itsmejeffd]

I also make a no-liner mold out of the same HDPE material as Kelsei and Soap Hutch. I can make it to whatever size you want. Soapmaker man on this forum also makes high quality molds out of wood.

[Meridith]

I have no problem getting my soaps out of my Kelsie. For me, it is an ideal mold for salt bars.

[jbren]

I love my Kelseis. After a few batches, the soap just flies out of them. The trick is not washing them too thoroughly but leaving a slight oily film on them.

I'm thinking of a Jeff mold or a Rich mold after the holidays...I want a vertical.

[Mostly Lurkin]

I have 2 Kelseis'. 1 I'm selling - it's WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too big for my needs, and doesn't fit into my oven either. The other is the 9 bar. I use this one all the time. I just fill to the top and can cut the bars in half. Fit perfectly into soap boxes then.

I have had no troubles with getting bars out ever. I do have a devil of a time re-assembling it though.

[mystical_angel1219]

If I was going HDPE~ I'd get a mold from Jeff.

Kelsei molds make a smaller bar than I like. They are great as a linerless mold, however they are a PITA to assemble, IMO. Just don't get a Do Right. LOL!!

[Scented]

Here I was thinking once a Kelsei is worn in it isn't so difficult to remove the separators. Don't have a Kelsei though as I went with a log mold from Soap Hutch and another slab mold from Soap Hutch and a Jeff mold (who really will make anything to your specifications, which is fabulous!) and waiting to get my TOG mold (that I had to gift myself).

[8-GRAN-ONES]

I really like my tog mold with the liners and divieders...you can with either size, fill up to make double the bars, you then have to cut them in half....they have 12/24 or 24/48 bars..I just wish it was the upland type of liner, all one piece..but other that that I have no complaints..

I also bought one of those IKEA files with the 9 drawers, I then lined them with the craft foam they work great as a log mold, and pretty cheap too..$12.99 for for 9 log molds and each one will make 9 1" bars..

I have heard good things of the other ones mentioned here also, I just don't have any of those....

[amillion3147]

I had a love hate relationship with mine for a bit but that has since worn off. I like them for the bars being so even. Yeah I have yet to find a box that these would fit but I use Dan's Bands anyway so it doesn't matter. Yeah it's a pain to clean but its a fair sacrifice for not buying a tank to cut up some log molds.

[swamp_deb]

I love my Kelsei molds, for my hand they make the perfect size bar. I noticed on their site that they will make custom molds for the size bar you want, so that would be good if I wanted another size bar. I sold my 42 bar Kelsei because it was too big and heavy for me to use (shoulder problems). I have no problem unmolding soap and absolutely love it for salt bars.

Pros;

Love not lining

Love the bar size

Easy to clean

Easy to assemble

Easy to make beautiful swirls

Love, Love not having to cut the soap

Cons;

Can't think of any

[Fire and Ice]

http://www1.freewebs.com/duanesworkshop/soapmolds.htm

Yes these are wooden mold that you have to line but you can cut the bars evenly directly in the mold. The prices seem reasonable too. You'd have to have a soap knife ir a long tapeing knife from Lowes.

Fire

[mystical_angel1219]

http://www1.freewebs.com/duanesworkshop/soapmolds.htm

Yes these are wooden mold that you have to line but you can cut the bars evenly directly in the mold. The prices seem reasonable too. You'd have to have a soap knife ir a long tapeing knife from Lowes.

Fire

Those were my absolute favorite molds- the Misty Creek type.

The main issue I had with a MC mold was the slack in the cutting guides. Which these don't seem to have.

I wonder what the bar size is? Note to self, no more molds. HA!!

The second PITA was lining them.

A chore I despise. It is easy to do with the template, that comes with a MC mold. Still, I don't like doing it.

I wonder if they are going to come out of hiatus. LOL!

My favorite now is the TOG molds.

[Fire and Ice]

Those were my absolute favorite molds- the Misty Creek type.

The main issue I had with a MC mold was the slack in the cutting guides. Which these don't seem to have.

I wonder what the bar size is? Note to self, no more molds. HA!!

The second PITA was lining them.

A chore I despise. It is easy to do with the template, that comes with a MC mold. Still, I don't like doing it.

I wonder if they are going to come out of hiatus. LOL!

My favorite now is the TOG molds.

I didn't think these were a bad choice for the price of the mould. I plan to start with wooden moulds and learn from there. Of course I wish Upland would figure out what they are doing and come back but I think they might be gone for good since they were supossed to reopen their site in August. That was months ago and still nothing. Nobody seems to know what the heck is going on with them! And it's a darn shame!:undecided

Fire

[jbren]

Kelsei molds make a smaller bar than I like. They are great as a linerless mold, however they are a PITA to assemble, IMO. LOL!!

You're not taking the side pieces apart are you? The small screws are not meant to be removed.

What I do with my Kelseis is...I fill my sink with warm water. First I remove the dividers and throw them in the sink, then the 4-sided piece and that goes in the sink. While I'm taking the bars off the bottom to put upright on a rack to dry some more, they are soaking themselves clean of any residue. If there is any soap left in the grooves, I just use a soft vegetable brush to remove it.

Then I just take the pieces out of the water and lay them on a towel...no further washing, scrubbing or rinsing. Wipe gently with a paper towel to remove any water beads and that's it! Leaving the oily film seasons them like you would a cast iron fry pan.

[Sara]

Y...Leaving the oily film seasons them like you would a cast iron fry pan.

Yup, yup.

Top of my head, I can not think of any problems with these molds at all, they're great.

[jwahlton]

I do just like Jackie and I've got the heat resistant mylar on the bottom. I've got 2 of the 18 bars and 1 9 bar and love them

[Camay]

I have a log and a 9-bar and I love them. They are just the right size for the 2-pound batches I make. Putting them back together was hard, but it has gotten a bit easier each time.

[jbren]

are those of you who have a hard time putting them back together removing the small screws from the side piece?

I asked this above...maybe you didn't see. That 4-sided piece is NOT meant to be taken apart.

[eugenia]

are those of you who have a hard time putting them back together removing the small screws from the side piece?

I asked this above...maybe you didn't see. That 4-sided piece is NOT meant to be taken apart.

Oh yeah, did that the first time! I wrestled with my Kelsei for the first batches, then it was fine. The bars are 3 x 2. I like a larger bar, 3.5 x 2.5.

I have no complaints with my MC style mold, although I'd LOVE to have an Upland slab mold and patiently wait for them to re-open!

e

[CareBear]

I find my kelsei log mold very hard to get the soap out of even though I have tried every bit of advice given. Now it sits there looking at me (ok, I use it for small batches once in a while).

I love my kelsei slab but have a couple of suggestions:

1. Buy Vise Grips - they are wonderful for pulling the dividers out.

2. Cover the bottom of the mold with plastic wrap - it pulls nice and tight when you put the sides on.

3. Don't wash the mold unless you really need to, and if you do give it the LIGHTEST coating of mineral oil...