Ok, let's see how many members can make a quality soap today.

[alex2363]

I shaved this morning with Arko.

Arko definitely lathers much more fluffy. It's more of a meringue as compared to a yogurt like foam of the lard soap.

Arko is nicely slick, but has never impressed me with its "cushion". The lard soap cushions well.

Arko has what I would call a "normal" after shave skin feel. The lard soap has a distinct after shave skin feel. Almost too conditioned, if that can be said. It feels like I have applied some balm. Nice, but I can see where this may be a put off to some.

I also have some of Maggard's Tobacco and Leather soap. Maggard's is a very nice soap indeed. The only thing I would say my soap out does it is after shave skin feel. Which, as I said before, may be too much for some.

Personally, if I were to make this again, I would lower the lard about 10%, drop the butter and replace it with 15% cocoanut oil to make it lather easier.

Maybe next batch...in 3017 when I run low...

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Do you mean coconut ?

 

[alex2363]

Seems to lather ok.

Will try a shave with it later.

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That looks better than some brand names lathers.

 

[alex2363]

I think the bit of cocoanut oil would help with the lather. My recipe doesn't explode with lather like the steric/cocoanut heavy recipes, but the lather is more dense.

I used it to shave this morning and was pleasantly surprised. Definitely very slick and the post shave skin feel was amazing. I'm not sure it would be popular amongst the people though because it won't leave you with an overabundance of lather like some soaps do.

I am going to hold on to this one for a few weeks and let it mellow a bit. Most shave soaps seem to gain a bit from aging much the same way bar soaps do.

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Such as the wines concept ?

 

[alex2363]

Well, that's part of the fun...for me anyway. Just trying different combos out. I have made the same basic recipe but with sodium hydroxide instead of potassium hydroxide and it lathers nicely in the shower. It's a very low and creamy lather as compared to the fluffy lather of cocoanut oil based soap. So, we shall see.

The main point of this batch was to shoot pictures so others can see the process and record the actual time taken for reference.

Glass shattering is one of the main reasons I put it in the sink. Also, I pre warm the container with hot tap water to reduce thermal differences and the resulting stresses from the quickly heating lye solution. I am on the lookout for another lye mixing vessel though.

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How baking bowls that can withstand high temperatures ?

 

[Effy]

Plastic is your best bet for mixing lye, and soaping in general. Things with 5 in the triangle are generally good, but if something can take boiling water with no issues it will be okay

 

[Ivanstein]

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So does the lard usually create such cushion reaction? .

Lard makes a very low creamy lather in its self. I suspect this is why the cushioning. I haven't made pure beef tallow soap so I am not sure how it works.

Coconut is a very easy to lather oil. It creates high volumes of lather that are light and airy. I suspect this is why most hand crafted soaps have it.

Stearic acid creates a long lasting low lather. So a SA and coconut soap has the best of both. SA and lard has a very creamy and low lather. Almost liquid like. Throw in some type of butter and some castor to condition and it is very nice.

I have used mine a couple more times and I am really liking it. I may keep tweaking this recipe to fine tune it.

If any of you are interested, I can PIF a couple small containers of the test batch. Just for giggles. Shoot me a PM. I only have about a pound of it, so it's limited.

 

[LBussy]

I've found Lard is generally better for bath and body soaps where tallow's qualities are superior for shaving. When you look at the fatty acid profiles they are close; but on the face, tallow is superior. Try both in an otherwise identical recipe and see which you prefer.

I've never needed/wanted castor oil and found it's inclusion merely takes the place of an oil which did impart qualities I desired. I do agree with a butter. I use a combination of shea and lanolin in small quantities to provide some conditioning and smoothness post-shave.

 

[cgsample]

I've used tallow and lard. Even with strong fragrance oils, I can still smell the pig from lard. No problem with tallow.

 

[Ivanstein]

I've used tallow and lard. Even with strong fragrance oils, I can still smell the pig from lard. No problem with tallow.

That's interesting. I just but the stuff in a block from the store and it has almost no smell. Beef tallow in the other hand has a very distinct odor.

I suspect home rendered lard may be more pungent.

 

[Ivanstein]

I've found Lard is generally better for bath and body soaps where tallow's qualities are superior for shaving. When you look at the fatty acid profiles they are close; but on the face, tallow is superior. Try both in an otherwise identical recipe and see which you prefer.

I've never needed/wanted castor oil and found it's inclusion merely takes the place of an oil which did impart qualities I desired. I do agree with a butter. I use a combination of shea and lanolin in small quantities to provide some conditioning and smoothness post-shave.

I appreciate your input. I would suspect if I were to procure the fat from around the kidneys of a pig, similar to that used for beef tallow, it would be closer to the same as well.

I may try to find a local butcher who has some fat to render and make some soap from that.

I do agree though, lard is really good at bath soap.

 

[alex2363]

Plastic is your best bet for mixing lye, and soaping in general. Things with 5 in the triangle are generally good, but if something can take boiling water with no issues it will be okay

..
Like baking bowls?

 

[alex2363]

I appreciate your input. I would suspect if I were to procure the fat from around the kidneys of a pig, similar to that used for beef tallow, it would be closer to the same as well.

I may try to find a local butcher who has some fat to render and make some soap from that.

I do agree though, lard is really good at bath soap.

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That's interesting, would odors be an issue from pigs kidneys and may need a cleaning or deodorizing process.?

 

[alex2363]

That's interesting. I just but the stuff in a block from the store and it has almost no smell. Beef tallow in the other hand has a very distinct odor.

I suspect home rendered lard may be more pungent.

. That's my question too

 

[alex2363]

I've used tallow and lard. Even with strong fragrance oils, I can still smell the pig from lard. No problem with tallow.

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So pig odor is an issue...

 

[alex2363]

Lard makes a very low creamy lather in its self. I suspect this is why the cushioning. I haven't made pure beef tallow soap so I am not sure how it works.

Coconut is a very easy to lather oil. It creates high volumes of lather that are light and airy. I suspect this is why most hand crafted soaps have it.

Stearic acid creates a long lasting low lather. So a SA and coconut soap has the best of both. SA and lard has a very creamy and low lather. Almost liquid like. Throw in some type of butter and some castor to condition and it is very nice.

I have used mine a couple more times and I am really liking it. I may keep tweaking this recipe to fine tune it.

If any of you are interested, I can PIF a couple small containers of the test batch. Just for giggles. Shoot me a PM. I only have about a pound of it, so it's limited.

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You're really generous

 

[Effy]

Plastic kitchen measuring jugs are very good - better pouring and general handling than a bowl full of caustic liquid!

As for lard "being" an issue, it's better to say that it "can be" an issue - heating it too hot or using poorly rendered lard can sometimes leave a piggy smell.

 

[dionesius3]

Plastic kitchen measuring jugs are very good - better pouring and general handling than a bowl full of caustic liquid!

As for lard "being" an issue, it's better to say that it "can be" an issue - heating it too hot or using poorly rendered lard can sometimes leave a piggy smell.

I have been hot process soaping for about six months now and use Lard. I have a great bath and shampoo bar recipe that is the best soap I have ever used. I am about to start experimenting with a shave soap recipe. I will never go back to factory made soap or shampoo. My bath bar is what I will use from now until I can no longer make it.

I used three different brands of Lard and the Armour brand is by far the best as far as not having a meaty scent. It has only an oily scent that is not bad to my nose. I have also rendered my own Lard and tallow. And if it is done correctly, over a low flame outdoors, for three hours the resulting lard or tallow is pretty much odorless for a few days. Without some preservative or regular remelting, it will begin to smell. Refrigeration helps prolong the scent less stage but in a little over 10 days it will start degrading without an additive like BHA or BHT.

Growing up with a dad who was a gunsmith and having been around and used older gun oils, which were sperm whale oils, I remember what stinky oil smells like. Those were some smelly oils. Lard and tallow never get that smelly. But they can be quite pungent. Castor oils and many of the butters also have strong scents so adding fragrance to you soap is almost a requirement. A mix of Rose, Lavender, and Bergamont essential oils makes a nice fresh outdoors scent. But the scent fades pretty quickly if essential oils are used. True fragrance oils from perfumers supply stores work so much better and last much longer.

And menthol additions to a morning bath soap makes for a great wake up.

 

[LBussy]

And menthol additions to a morning bath soap makes for a great wake up.

I would imagine washing some bits with menthol could be quite exhilarating!

 

[cgsample]

Got a question I've never been sure about? After you plop your hot soap into tubs, do you let it sit uncovered for a few days or seal it up right away? I let mine sit uncovered for a week, then put the lid on.

 

[Ivanstein]

Got a question I've never been sure about? After you plop your hot soap into tubs, do you let it sit uncovered for a few days or seal it up right away? I let mine sit uncovered for a week, then put the lid on.

I don't think it matters much. The latent water in the soap will evaporate faster, but I haven't found it to be an issue. With croap type soaps, you could easily add some moisture back in if you'd like.