Old Spice Puck - Melt or Grate?

[korgscrew]

Ive got Puck of 50's Old Spice Shaving Soap, still in its mug. I love the stuff but as it is there in all its glory, I cant stop myself from using it for every shave, even though ive got numerous creams and soaps!

Ive got a little steel bowl i would like to put a quarter of the OS soap into as its so rare that i never want it to run out! I also want to use the Mug as a travel lathering bowl.

Can the OS soap be melted? Or will it have to be grated? Im not sure if it a milled soap or tallow based.

Thanks in advance!

 

[djh]

Ive got Puck of 50's Old Spice Shaving Soap, still in its mug. I love the stuff but as it is there in all its glory, I cant stop myself from using it for every shave, even though ive got numerous creams and soaps!

Ive got a little steel bowl i would like to put a quarter of the OS soap into as its so rare that i never want it to run out! I also want to use the Mug as a travel lathering bowl.

Can the OS soap be melted? Or will it have to be grated? Im not sure if it a milled soap or tallow based.

Thanks in advance!

I'm 99% sure that a soap of that vintage would be tallow-based. Please don't microwave it.

 

[bluesman 7]

If you want the soap to last, I would not grate it either. It seems that grating result in close to doubling the amount used for each shave.

 

[korgscrew]

Haha, ive sorted it!

I put a quarter of the soap into the steel dish, then filled a glass with hot water and made a make shift ban marie. The soap started to melt like butter before my eyes! I shaped it to the bottom of the dish and then ran cold water to the underside of the bowl to set.

As a bonus, the lid to my OS mug fits like a glove onto the steel bowl, the steel bowl then fits into the OS mug! I couldnt have wished for anything better! perfect for travel and storage!

The steel bowl I bought was meant as a lather bowl, but it was far too small for lathering.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200987453770?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Ive ended up buying a Steve Woodhead Large Pedestal bowl

 

[korgscrew]

Here are the results! Quite Proud!

 

[bassopotamus]

If you want the soap to last, I would not grate it either. It seems that grating result in close to doubling the amount used for each shave.

On the upside, they tend to lather awesome this way, but yes, perhaps better for something easily replenished

 

[bluesman 7]

So maybe OS is melt and pour. I was under the impression that tallow based soaps should not be melted by any means, double boiler or not.

 

[djh]

So maybe OS is melt and pour. I was under the impression that tallow based soaps should not be melted by any means, double boiler or not.

There is precious little chance of burning a soap with hot water.

 

[bluesman 7]

There is precious little chance of burning a soap with hot water.

Thanks David.

I didn't realize that burning the soap was the problem. I thought there was a separation problem when the soap was liquid. Does this mean that all soaps are melt and pour if the heat is low enough and applied sparingly?

 

[djh]

Thanks David.

I didn't realize that burning the soap was the problem. I thought there was a separation problem when the soap was liquid. Does this mean that all soaps are melt and pour if the heat is low enough and applied sparingly?

Whilst I wouldn't call all soaps "melt and pour", it is probably safe to try to shape them after using hot water. Glycerine soaps are often melted in the microwave and hence are referred to as melt and pour soaps.

 

[captaincaveman]

Thanks David.

I didn't realize that burning the soap was the problem. I thought there was a separation problem when the soap was liquid. Does this mean that all soaps are melt and pour if the heat is low enough and applied sparingly?

No small or large amount of heat melted Arko for me. Letting it sit in a ziploc bag with a little bit of water turned it to goo though. (I then cut a corner from the bag and squeezed it out like piping cake icing and it aerated into a very nice cream.)

 

[korgscrew]

No small or large amount of heat melted Arko for me. Letting it sit in a ziploc bag with a little bit of water turned it to goo though. (I then cut a corner from the bag and squeezed it out like piping cake icing and it aerated into a very nice cream.)

Pretty much what happened with the OS soap. I added a couple of flicks of water to the quarter of soap I cut out of the puck, placed it in the bowl over the glass of hot water and it went like stiff wet clay. Just enough to let me shape it to the bowl. The cold water instantly set it.

 

[rockviper]

Even with glycerin soaps, I grate rather than nuke.
Have to say that I haven't tried the "baggie in hot water" method yet.