pH challenge by Dr. Kevin Dunn

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Ha! That video.. Honestly IMO he deserved that. Couldn't even show the proper respect to his opponent in the beginning.. Very disrespectful not to bow to your opponent and to shake with one hand.
 
Oh.
My.
God.

She filled the mold halfway with glycerine ...

I was going to write a rant - I settled for voting it down.
 
I am not at all surprised there have been no submissions. The people that claim their soap is pH 7 are using syndets, are lying, or are just plain wrong. Anyone using syndets in the bars are automatically exluded (because syndets are not soap), anyone lying has no interest in being caught lying, and the people that really and truly and sincerely believe they are correct will never trust someone else's results.

True believers will always find a rationalization. Always. That scientist guy could just say whatever he wants, whether he tested anything or not, we are supposed to just believe what he says? The video linked in this thread, if that guy has any followers that really believe he can just knock people over without ever touching them, I am certain will come up with a way to claim the fight was fixed. There must have been a magnetic field or something.

As for the glycerin and MP question, oh yes people do believe it. I have seen threads with people complaining that they bought 2 gallons of glycerin and it isn't hardening. They REALLY think that glycerin and MP soap base are synonymous, they do not know the difference. They have and will argue that their soap is pure glycerin and uses no lye.

People will almost never change their minds. Once they "learn" something, that's it, there is no amount of fact or evidence that will sway them. That is the problem with so many things on the internet. If a beginning soapmaker reads that you should use a specific oil as a superfat in CP soap, then use that method for a period of time, you will have a very hard time convincing them that they are wasting their time. That probably plays a part in the MP vs CP wars, wherever you started and what you "learned" in the beginning dicates the attitude about the process. Same with testing pH in general. Well, the person I learned from used strips to test every batch, and I have always tested every batch, that's how I know my soap is safe. Once the mind is made up, don't bother trying to confuse them with facts.
 
People will almost never change their minds. Once they "learn" something, that's it, there is no amount of fact or evidence that will sway them. That is the problem with so many things on the internet. If a beginning soapmaker reads that you should use a specific oil as a superfat in CP soap, then use that method for a period of time, you will have a very hard time convincing them that they are wasting their time. That probably plays a part in the MP vs CP wars, wherever you started and what you "learned" in the beginning dicates the attitude about the process. Same with testing pH in general. Well, the person I learned from used strips to test every batch, and I have always tested every batch, that's how I know my soap is safe. Once the mind is made up, don't bother trying to confuse them with facts.

Perhaps that is true of very narrow minded people, but I don't think it is true of everyone. I try to learn new things and if they conflict with something I learned then I do a bit of research to see if the new idea has merit or whether there is a flaw in the way I learned. Many times I find that what I thought was important was not or that what I thought was a benefit really made no difference at all.

For me without this thought process we no longer grow but become stagnant in our ways and methods.
 
Here is a visual as to what happens to your liquid soap when you attempt to lower the pH beyond what it wants to be - soap is an alkaline product and trying to change the chemical reality of that will alter the make-up of your soap converting it non-soap components and slowly reduce your overall soap content. This in turn reduces the lathering capabilities and the overall functionality as a cleanser.

I have just concluded several tests on lowering pH and how too more accurately measure pH keeping several variables in mind that will affect readings thanks to the many helpful chemists out in the soaping world who so willingly share their knowledge.

All the images and reading results are on my blog (link in signature) as it is way to much information to post it all here.

pHtest6-419.jpg
 
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