Stearin
- Thread starter janzo
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Comparing the two on Wiki, they can be used and will produce sodium stearate (or potassium stearate, if using KOH)
If you cool down melted tallow or lard or palm oil very slowly, part of the fat will turn solid and part will stay liquid. If you separate the two parts by filtration, the solid portion is stearin and the liquid portion is olein. The stearin has fats higher in palmitic and stearic acid and olein has fats higher in oleic acid.
Stearin and olein are both FATS, not fatty acids, so stearin is not the same as stearic acid. If you are using stearin to make soap, your soap will have a higher % of glycerin. Stearic acid adds no glycerin when it saponifies. Stearin will saponify slowly just like any normal soaping fat, while stearic acid saponifies very quickly being a fatty acid.
In the end, however, both stearin and stearic acid will saponify into stearic soap.
Stearin and olein are both FATS, not fatty acids, so stearin is not the same as stearic acid. If you are using stearin to make soap, your soap will have a higher % of glycerin. Stearic acid adds no glycerin when it saponifies. Stearin will saponify slowly just like any normal soaping fat, while stearic acid saponifies very quickly being a fatty acid.
In the end, however, both stearin and stearic acid will saponify into stearic soap.
Last edited:
nframe
Well-Known Member
SoapCalc does not list stearin. Should then select Stearic acid?
SoapCalc does have stearin, but it's listed as Palm Stearin with a saponification value of 0.142. If you're using a commercially produced stearin, it's likely to be from palm unless it states otherwise.
Stearic acid has a sap value of 0.141, so it's essentially the same.
Bottom line -- Either one will work.
Stearic acid has a sap value of 0.141, so it's essentially the same.
Bottom line -- Either one will work.
nframe
Well-Known Member
Thank you so much. What would we do without you?
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