Which tin can for Artisan soaps?

[Darkbulb]

I've only ever ordered Artisan soap from Stirling and had it arrive as 'just a puck' without a container and I'd love to have an inexpensive way to store them.
Another member posted a link to a company that sells very affordable tin cans and I am thinking about getting some.

Question: Does soap, when shipped without a container, often come in the same size (like 4 inches across) or does the sizes of the puck vary greatly between manufacturers? I know one option is to mash it down, melt depending on the ingredient, etc - but I would, if possible, like to just pop a new soap straight into a container and slap a label on it

The two options I'm looking at are;

1) 4 inches diameter, 1.4 inches tall ($0.97/tin)



2) 5.2 inches diameter, 0.8 inches tall ($0.85/tin)



I'm leaning toward #1 as I like the higher edges.

Any comments or suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[shevek]

Soap shape and size can vary greatly between venders. I also move my soaps into tins like you are looking, but i prefer screw tops. I just find them easier to open/close. You'll probably have to approach getting it into the tin differently for each soap type but its not too bad. I think you'll find more soaps can just be 'popped in' to your option 1 tin vs option 2. Probably any mug-size soap would just drop in. Also, some artisan soaps are quite soft so you can just press it into the shape of the tin with your hands.

 

[Virgilio]

Where do you get your screw tops shevek? I'm venturing into soap pucks too and have been tin shopping. I have a few 3.25's coming from WCS but you guys are making me worried that they are too small!

 

[Gustav]

Another container that springs to mind are the Nivea cream tins. I have a couple of empty ones but I have never actually got round to using them for shave soap because I have been afraid that they would start to rust. Is this a problem I should worry about?

 

[shevek]

Where do you get your screw tops shevek? I'm venturing into soap pucks too and have been tin shopping. I have a few 3.25's coming from WCS but you guys are making me worried that they are too small!

Mine are also 3.25. They hold up to 4oz of soap. I should note that some like a wider tin for loading with a big brush. I use medium size brushes and like my tins to be small enough to fit into my medicine cabinet.
I've been getting mine from ebay..the vender name is buddyburnerbuilder.

Update: I had the wrong ebay vendor. Fixed.

 

[mistercitizen]

One nice thing about most of the artisan soaps (at least all of the ones I'm aware of) is that they are "squishy". I actually can't think of one off of the top of my head that isn't..... even the so called "hard" soaps from most artisans are very moldable. QCS and Mystic Waters pucks are about the same size from what I remember. If I had to guess (and I do because I don't have them in front of me) they are about 3 to 3.25 inches in diameter. Mike's tins are 4 inches.... although his refills are not in puck from from what I understand. They are basically slabs of soap that are very moldable. I think that in terms of puck size the gold standard is something like Mitchell's Wool Fat or D.R. Harris..... WCS lists a puck of MWF at 75mm x 27mm (essentially 3 inches x 1 inch). In another thread I found someone stating that the D.R. Harris puck is 80mm (just over 3 inches) across the top and about 60mm (2.36 inches) at the base (the sides are curved)..... so the MWF puck and the DRH puck are basically the same size.

I'd say a 3.25 inch diameter container would ideal to fit most standard sizes..... although if you get a little bigger container, for artisan soaps, you can always squish them out to the edges, grate them, or just leave them in loose with more clearance to the edges. I like the 4 inch diameter size of the two you show..... but that's just my opinion. YMMV.

Ben

 

[gmgaj]

I'll take an opposing view. I had a stirling soap tin that I used for a puck of VDH Luxury, and it started rusting before I finished the puck. I won't use tin again. Plastic is reusable and tin (in my experience) is not.

 

[Ronnie Aloha]

I wipe the outside of my tins and let the puck dry before putting the lid back on. No rust so far. The Ikea Grundtals are stainless and work well too. Just a buck or so more.

 

[Haggises]

I prefer glass bowls with rubber lids....

 

[redrako]

Just yesterday I received some 4" tins from specialty bottle with the goal of saving space in the bathroom (and the super secret shavepocalypse storage areas around the house in wife[proof areas).

I have been using Old Spice mugs and 8 oz Plastic PET containers that I could lather right on top of the puck. These are both effective soap containers, but do occupy some space. Ever since trying Mike's Natural in tins (Mike uses the same size tin, although his are minutely thicker), I've been enamored with the 4" tine. I've packed one of them with Klar Kabinett and did a test lather last night and it was great.

I've used Specialty Bottle on a few occasions and find them top notch.

 

[bmilcs]

Ikea Grundtals are a near perfect solution for storing soaps. They're the ideal size and stack nicely if you take off the magnet. The clear tops are great for putting labels underneath but I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do so. I'm thinking of building a shelf of somekind, like a thin piece of rigid plastic to glue the label to and then push it into place. Otherwise moisture tends to make it bend out of shape.

 

[Darkbulb]

Thanks, I looked up the Ikea Grundtal containers (3 for $7.99) w/ the dimensions: 3.75 inch diameter, 1.5 inch high - and made out of stainless steel (may be even better when it comes to the concerns of rusting).

View attachment 373636

Thanks, nice option.

 

[Jarick]

Check out The Container Store. They have a 4" tin like the top one that you can pick up in person.

 

[shevek]

To get some perspective, here are some shots of some 3.25 inch tins in action..

1. Stacked..


2. One with a mystic water puck that had been pressed/molded to fit. The other is a haslinger puck that i just dropped in and started using.


3. Finally, with a Colonel X2L which is a 22mm.


Excuse the crappy handwritten labels!

 

[Darkbulb]

Btw, I just got the tin cans from Stirling - and to no surprise they are a perfect fit for their soaps. Very nice.

 

[Darkbulb]

The only ones I could find at the Container Store are these ones: Dimensions 4" x 2". Looks nice with a window on top. $2.99/each.

 

[bassopotamus]

Stirling fits perfectly in the specialty bottle 4 oz tin (3.2 x 1.1 TNF4) although it goes all the way to the top so it is maybe a tad messy.
If I had it to do again, I'd probably get your first one and smush it in. As others have said, many artisan soaps are easy to mash into place, and I generally prefer a slightly larger tin to lather from.

I've heard mixed things about specialty bottle's containers. a few threads had people that had rust problems with them, but I've been lathering from several for a few months now with no issues. My only gripe is that their shipping is high. I think I paid 10 bucks to ship about a dozen tins. It is still a better deal than I've found anywhere else, and they shipped quickly.

 

[Spotlit]

FYI, the WCS tins are made of aluminum, so if you're concerned about rust/corrosion they're a good option.

 

[Darkbulb]

Some other options...some more realistic than others:


1) Round wood boxes for $1.50/box
Pro:
You can have them made in any size you want.
You can have a custom logo put on them.

Con: You have to order 500 of them.


How B&B branded wooden soap boxes for $2 a pop? I'd buy a few

2) Another, more fancy round wooden soap box but for $3.51/each (no minimum order)

 

[theretroshave]

FWIW, the 5" tins will hold 8oz of soap nicely, and give a nice broad amount of surface space to load the brush. You would need to buy 8oz worth of soap to "fill" it though. Good luck choosing your container(s).