Post by 1shotwade on Feb 23, 2018 19:06:46 GMT
Growing up I had to help make soap when we butchered hogs.I remember it well but have not been involved with it since.
I have read that deer tallow makes a much harder soap so I saved some this year. I have also heard that using wood ash lye will make a soft soap but no a hard one.In order to get a hard soap you must add salt.I have no idea what is fact and what is fiction.
Last weekend I made some lye from wood ash and some lard from the tallow.A video I had seen on youtube showed a mixture of 3/8 cup of lye water strong enough to float an egg with a "quarter" size of the egg above the water line.This was added to 1 cup of lard(He used pork fat for his lard)This guy had a hard time getting a trace!
Since I had a limited amount of lye water made, I upped the recipe to 1/2 c lye water to 1 c lard.(I had extra lard to delute the mixture if needed) It traced in maybe 20 minutes and before I could grab something to scent it with it was already too stiff to pour!So I have ugly soap for not getting it poured in time but it seems t be hardening up fairly well.
I do have a couple questions. First, I noticed, just before it began to trace, it appeared to be separating! Can anyone tell me why this would happen?Or if it may affect the final product?
Secondly, can anyone tell me how to know when a soap recipe will make a hard or a soft soap?With this not being totally cured, it seems soft to the touch. I have also done the taste test and it has very little bite to it!Should I have maybe added more lye? Or maybe added the salt(1 tsp per cup lard)?
Any help would be great!Thanks,
Wade
I have read that deer tallow makes a much harder soap so I saved some this year. I have also heard that using wood ash lye will make a soft soap but no a hard one.In order to get a hard soap you must add salt.I have no idea what is fact and what is fiction.
Last weekend I made some lye from wood ash and some lard from the tallow.A video I had seen on youtube showed a mixture of 3/8 cup of lye water strong enough to float an egg with a "quarter" size of the egg above the water line.This was added to 1 cup of lard(He used pork fat for his lard)This guy had a hard time getting a trace!
Since I had a limited amount of lye water made, I upped the recipe to 1/2 c lye water to 1 c lard.(I had extra lard to delute the mixture if needed) It traced in maybe 20 minutes and before I could grab something to scent it with it was already too stiff to pour!So I have ugly soap for not getting it poured in time but it seems t be hardening up fairly well.
I do have a couple questions. First, I noticed, just before it began to trace, it appeared to be separating! Can anyone tell me why this would happen?Or if it may affect the final product?
Secondly, can anyone tell me how to know when a soap recipe will make a hard or a soft soap?With this not being totally cured, it seems soft to the touch. I have also done the taste test and it has very little bite to it!Should I have maybe added more lye? Or maybe added the salt(1 tsp per cup lard)?
Any help would be great!Thanks,
Wade