Can Tallow soaps go rancid?

[Brush_with_Fame]

Received a used puck of Trumpers Violet in Tallow... seems to have a light brown coating and the smell is disturbing... hits me and a friend of mine right in the gut. something doesn't seem right...

have Trumpers Sandlewood in Tallow, and no problems there... just wondering if Tallow has a shorter shelf-life or needs special storing... Thanks!

 

[TMH478]

That's a great question! I have Tabac and have had the same puck for quite awhile. I am trying to get it into my rotation as I am more of a cream guy. I suppose creams may be a tad more vulnerable than soaps? I look forward to the future replies to get an answer as well. Hmmmmm.

 

[AZShaver]

I had some MWF that I hadn't used all summer, smelled a little off. I rinsed the top layer, seemed ok.

 

[Go West Young Man]

The tallow in soap has been saponified, so it's not going to go bad. You can buy soaps from the 50s and 60s on eBay that are good today as the day they were made.

 

[mmack66]

Anything is possible, though folks here are constantly finding, and successfully using, vintage tallow soap that presumably had not been stored in any special manner. I would contact whomever you purchased it from and attempt to ascertain that you got the proper stuff.

 

[SliceOfLife]

The overfat % maybe can? But it's stored in hygroscopic salts (Soap is salt), so probably not.

 

[Munxcub]

I had my proraso get a weird smell, almost moldy smelling, gave it a good rinse and it's back to normal. Try washing/scraping the top layer off.

 

[mretzloff]

All soaps can go rancid, regardless if they have tallow in them or not.

I would suggest trimming the top layer off and go from there. Sometimes people report some Yardleys from eBay smelling a bit off and this usually helps.

 

[Brush_with_Fame]

Thanks everyone... I just scrubbed the entire puck with an old boar brush for 10 mins, noticeably reducing the size... the smell is definitely better, but i want to say it is still there a touch.

That said, the soap felt amazing. Performance does not seem to be affected. And now I feel better about diving in, face first.

 

[_JP_]

If the rancid problem was true, then the vintage Yardely soaps that we spend high dollar for wouldn't be worth a plugged nickel.

 

[BladeRunner001]

All soaps can go rancid, regardless if they have tallow in them or not.

I would suggest trimming the top layer off and go from there. Sometimes people report some Yardleys from eBay smelling a bit off and this usually helps.

Big +1...what I found that works for me is that I store cremes that I don;t use in the refrigerator. it works great...no problems

Soap, I don't know yet...limited space in refrigerator . I keep mine in a cool and dry place. Two things can make soaps go rancid and bad: 1) Oxidation, and 2) Bugs. The latter grow when conditions are ripe...heat and humidity (bugs already have the foods part...your soap). But, it doesn't have to be bugs...you can have oxidation going on too that will make things go bad.

 

[DamnFineBob]

The tallow in soap has been saponified, so it's not going to go bad. You can buy soaps from the 50s and 60s on eBay that are good today as the day they were made.

I'm happy with my 60 year old Yardley! (which I paid $2 for!!!)

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I'm currently using vintage Williams, Old Spice, Surrey and Barbershop brand soaps that are of unknown age. The Williams was made sometime before 1960 and none of them are rancid or have any bad smell at all. The other pucks of Surrey and Williams I have stashed likewise smell fine.

 

[Brush_with_Fame]

Think I figured out what happened... Cleaned the soap up, and had a wonderful shave with it. But when I came back to it later I noticed it began to discolor again....

The wooden Trumper's bowl that was sent with it has a layer of shellac coating it, inside and out. That's gotta be it. I'm gonna transfer it to another wooden bowl, where it can breathe properly. I'm almost certain its having some kind of reaction...

 

[Seraphim]

I don't think many soaps go rancid, but I have had experience with modern Williams going rabid, lots of foaming at the mouth and that puck had to be put down....it was the only humane thing I could do for it. I called that soap "Old Yellow".

 

[yatyat]

handmade soaps do go rancid and the discoloring is a sign of of oxidation of the oils. most soaps are made with a superfat percentage (meaning extra oil is included to make sure the soap is not lye heavy). depending on the oils used, some soaps keep better than others.

theis soap should be used up quickly.

 

[joshmpdx]

handmade soaps do go rancid and the discoloring is a sign of of oxidation of the oils. most soaps are made with a superfat percentage (meaning extra oil is included to make sure the soap is not lye heavy). depending on the oils used, some soaps keep better than others.

theis soap should be used up quickly.

Thanks for jumping in!

Welcome to the B&B!

 

[guenron]

handmade soaps do go rancid and the discoloring is a sign of of oxidation of the oils. most soaps are made with a superfat percentage (meaning extra oil is included to make sure the soap is not lye heavy). depending on the oils used, some soaps keep better than others.

theis soap should be used up quickly.

Absolutely correct, especially given the description.. Usually indicates an old, super fatted soap that has been exposed to higher than usual temperatures.

 

[yatyat]

Thanks for jumping in!

Welcome to the B&B!

thanks!

 

[dr3dv]

handmade soaps do go rancid and the discoloring is a sign of of oxidation of the oils. most soaps are made with a superfat percentage (meaning extra oil is included to make sure the soap is not lye heavy). depending on the oils used, some soaps keep better than others.

theis soap should be used up quickly.

I'll agree! I recently had a 1 year old tallow handmade soap that had a slightly rancid odor when I took it back into my rotation. My solution was about 15 seconds x 2 in the microwave and then a stir with a toothpick. Smoothed out and the rancid smell is gone ... but I'm hurrying to use it up. Sandlewood scent.