[euge]

I just noticed your recipe says 300-400ml of water. Why such a large variance? I went to the calculator website and they tell me 312-469 ml of water. That's a huge difference I would think.

It appears as a big variance but once you start making soap the amount of water will seem negligible.

Less water= a harder bar sooner, but I shoot for somewhere in the middle and let my soap cure and finish saponifying. My observation is that the more water one uses a better reaction one gets and while less water allows for a firmer bar sooner, the soap is more harsh initially. Still needs to cure for a few more weeks.

[punatic]

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Sodium-Hydroxide-500g-P15962C670.aspx

Thanks Phil, a good backup if I can't find it locally.  Or maybe a good primary if I can't find a decent price.

NaOH ships as a hazmat so expect to pay substantially more for shipping.

[tschmidlin]

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Sodium-Hydroxide-500g-P15962C670.aspx

Thanks Phil, a good backup if I can't find it locally.  Or maybe a good primary if I can't find a decent price.

NaOH ships as a hazmat so expect to pay substantially more for shipping.

They quote $11 for shipping ground, which is about what I would expect.  No air shipping allowed.  I'm working on the UDS project though, the soap project can wait

[The Professor]

Fantastic thread.
Just too cool for words.

I remember my Grandma making soap in the backyard.  (And my Grandfather made beer and wine).
I may just have to try this out!
Thanks for the great info.

[phillamb168]

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Sodium-Hydroxide-500g-P15962C670.aspx

Thanks Phil, a good backup if I can't find it locally.  Or maybe a good primary if I can't find a decent price.

NaOH ships as a hazmat so expect to pay substantially more for shipping.

For whatever reason, shipping ain't expensive. 7 euros shipping for about 5 pounds of the stuff (http://www.conrad.fr/hydroxyde_de_sodium_p_48674_59664_647399_1010026_FAS). Doesn't have to travel as far, though. NaOH right? The guide (in german) says "Ätznatron zum Entwickeln von belichteten Platinen" which basically means you use it for stripping paint, I think.

[punatic]

Ätznatron zum Entwickeln von belichteten Platinen

Caustic soda for developing exposed circuit boards

[phillamb168]

Ätznatron zum Entwickeln von belichteten Platinen

Caustic soda for developing exposed circuit boards

This is why I dropped my German language class ;-) So, it sounds like this is what I need, though, right?

[thirsty]

Fantastic thread.
Just too cool for words.

I remember my Grandma making soap in the backyard.  (And my Grandfather made beer and wine).
I may just have to try this out!
Thanks for the great info.

Yeah, very cool thread. I have a book about old fashioned crafts that includes soap making, but also how to make your own lye from wood fire ashes.

[tomsawyer]

The honey does cause things to heat up more and my oatmeal/milk/honey soap was a nice warm orange color.  I think a key is to not add a whole lot to the blend, after all you really aren't looking to slather yourself with honey.  I'm not entirely sure what the honey is supposed to do, but it sounds nice.  Here's a little blurb on using honey in soap.

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/tipstricks/a/honeyinfo.htm

Coloring soap is an interesting proposition.  You can use some food colorings but they do wierd stuff when in the presence of strong base.  I never managed to make a blue soap, blue would turn purple as I recall.  I think green and pink were possible.  I never used official soap colorings.  Pure olive oil Castille soap would come out very light beige, lard-based soap was a little more yellow.

[EHall]

Less water= a harder bar sooner, but I shoot for somewhere in the middle and let my soap cure and finish saponifying. My observation is that the more water one uses a better reaction one gets and while less water allows for a firmer bar sooner, the soap is more harsh initially. Still needs to cure for a few more weeks.

what do you mean 'more harsh initially'? scent wise, harder on the skin or something else?

[EHall]

I use liposuction fat cells to make my soap.   

It puts the lotion in the basket or it gets the hose!

[tomsawyer]

[what do you mean 'more harsh initially'? scent wise, harder on the skin or something else?

Some of the lye has the possibility of remaining unreacted, and this is harsh on the skin.  Its why "Grandma's lye soap" had a reputation for taking off both dirt and skin.  Of course Grandma made lye from wood ashes so she wasn't quite as able to tell just how much of each component to use.

[EHall]

tell me that if someone making soap had it come out to 'harsh', they throw it away?

[euge]

tell me that if someone making soap had it come out to 'harsh', they throw it away?

There's a taste test. Just lick the soap and if it tingles like a battery it isn't ready yet.

[punatic]

tell me that if someone making soap had it come out to 'harsh', they throw it away?

There's a taste test. Just lick the soap and if it tingles like a battery it isn't ready yet.

Like when you put your tongue on a new 9-volt?