I'm Not Joking

[Cleanface]

So don't all laugh at once. I recently purchased Grooming Department Soap and Visage, which are both Mallard formula soaps. I'm not knocking the soaps as I enjoy them and use them in my regular rotation. I build my lather in a Captain's Choice copper bowl. I've had this bowl for years so any lacquer applied by the Captain has long worn off and the bowl has developed a patina typical of uncoated copper. After lathering both Soap and Visage the bottom of the bowl had quite a different appearance as seen the the attached photos. Appreciate any insight members can offer. BTW I don't feel anything different as regards irritation, etc. when using the Mallard soaps just noticed the shiny copper. I did reach out to Mo but have not received a reply.
Photos attached.
Before

After Visage

After Soap

 

[FarmerTan]

Is it possible that the soap removed any remaining lacquer?

 

[JCarr]

Hmmmm... Is the soap doing that...or could it be the brush? First class choices by the way...soap and lathering bowl.

 

[Cleanface]

Is it possible that the soap removed any remaining lacquer?

Not likely as I have had the bowl for about three years and this only happened with the last couple months with the use of the mallards.

 

[Cleanface]

I have eighteen brushes mostly badgers with some boars and I used a selection of them for lathering so it wasn’t just one brush that could have been responsible.

 

[FarmerTan]

Very strange indeed. Sorry this happened, as I like the looks of the "before" picture best.

 

[musicman1951]

Imagine what it's trying to do to your skin.

 

[luvmysuper]

While human skin is quite resistant to a fairly wide band of properties such as pH, some metals are much more susceptible to even minor variances of pH.
If my face feels ok, I'd not be concerned about changes in the appearance of a copper bowl as indication that my skin is adversely affected.
Vinegar can have devastating effects on aluminum, yet we regularly consume it in various food preparations.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Soap is probably a bit alkaline, that removed a layer of patina from the copper.

 

[BigJ]

Sorry!! I really appreciated the ‘before’ appearance.

 

[Jay21]

The hydroxide in soap will react with copper, forming an insoluble precipitate. This will then rinse down the drain. You are slowly dissolving your bowl. Some soaps may have higher hydroxide content, accelerating the process compared to others.

 

[Steve56]

If there’s enough unreacted lye in GD soaps to take the patina off copper, it isn’t going anywhere near my Hollywood face.

 

[bluewater23t]

If there’s enough unreacted lye in GD soaps to take the patina off copper, it isn’t going anywhere near my Hollywood face.

I find it impossible for there to be unreacted lye in the soap. Putting NaOH or KOH on your skin, you'd know it, cause you'd feel it burn. Only talking from experience here.

 

[ohansen]

If there’s enough unreacted lye in GD soaps to take the patina off copper, it isn’t going anywhere near my Hollywood face.

GD Soaps is one soap I can't imagine to contain unreacted lye. The soaps definitely contain large amounts of superfats! As @bluewater23t said, you'd know in sub-seconds.

It must be something acidic in some of the ingredients or the fragrance. I imagine many fragrances contain small amounts of citric acid.

 

[Hu3ir0 Hu3Hu3]

wipe with a dry steel sponge

 

[Hu3ir0 Hu3Hu3]

this only happened with the last couple months with the use of the mallards.

if they were domestic ducks this would not happen