Cafe-de-savon acrylic molds

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Cactuslily

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Messages
550
Reaction score
229
Location
Southwest
Hi soapers,
I'm in love with the cafe-de-Savon acrylic molds, but navigating the site is an exercise in frustration and futility. The translation is hilarious, but not so funny when I really want to order. The sizes seem very confusing, and oddly small if I'm figuring properly in mm. I emailed them, and recieved a lovely emails from them...in Japanese..Rakuten global market also carries them, but I run into same problems. Has anyone ordered from them? If so, please advise and help?! I really want these molds. Maybe I should learn to speak Japanese? I could do that....not in a million years. Anyone here speak Japanese? Help me please
 
I found this describing the sizes in a quick Google search:

img_0727.jpg


Source: Merry Day Soaps
 
I can help! Message me! I have lots of their molds and have ordered from the rakuten shop (I'm actually merry day soaps haha).
 
Hi Chloe! Thank you for your offer of help! How do I PM someone? I did see that pictorial, with measurements in mm, but it doesn't compute to me... Thanks to all who replied.
 
Got your message and replied! Just let me know what you want to know! :)
 
Hi Chloe,

I ordered one of the Cafe de Savon molds a couple of days ago (got the paypal invoice and paid today.) I sort of muddled through the site and couldn't figure out if any of the accessories - especially the pushing tool thingie which helps get the soap out of the mold - would have been helpful. If you see this and you have any advice for me, that would be great! If something from there is a no-miss, I'd like to add it to this order to save on shipping.

Thanks ....
 
Hi Chloe,

I ordered one of the Cafe de Savon molds a couple of days ago (got the paypal invoice and paid today.) I sort of muddled through the site and couldn't figure out if any of the accessories - especially the pushing tool thingie which helps get the soap out of the mold - would have been helpful. If you see this and you have any advice for me, that would be great! If something from there is a no-miss, I'd like to add it to this order to save on shipping.

Thanks ....


Not sure which item you're talking about. But I'll tell you about these-

So there is this styrofoam cube that helps push the soap out of the mold:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cafe-de-savon/item/a1110503/
It definitely helps! You'll want something to help evenly push out your soap. I'm sure you can just cut out some styrofoam to fit or find something else will help push it out. It was less than $2 so I just bought it and def don't regret it!

Did you buy the mold with or without the extra plate?
For example this "milk type" log mold includes the plate:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cafe-de-savon/item/a1081203/
And this one doesn't include the plate:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cafe-de-savon/item/a1081204/
I'd go with the mold that includes the plate. So after you make your soap and after gel/ or 24 hrs later, you remove the bottom tray (and Saran Wrap), and you place that plate underneath the soap and cube underneath the plate to push the soap out. So the cube isn't touching your soap when pushing out. The cube pushes on the plate which evenly and nicely pushes out the soap. It's nice and simple (even if I make it sound complicated)! Pretty much the plate helps not dent or harm your soap while pushing it out and fits perfectly.

Finally there's these handle-looking accessories:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cafe-de-savon/item/a1091106/
They're suppose to be for the "Milk type" or "cafe type" log molds. Looks like you're suppose to attach them to each end to help have a better grip while pushing out the soap. I don't think this is necessary at all but reviewers love them!

These are some items I love-
To mix lye solution:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cafe-de-savon/item/s1091107/
I have a big container with my masterbatch lye solution and use this one to measure out some of the solution for each use. I love the lid! No spillage! :)
And this is fun:
Alphabet stamp
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cafe-de-savon/item/f3140803/?s-id=borderless_browsehist_en
Doh! It's sold out!
 
not_ally, do you know anything about international shipping? I'm trying to find out for Cactuslily
 
Hi Chloe,

Thank you for all the tips, I am going to go back to the site to look at those things, but wanted to let you guys know about the shipping. I got the milk mold with the tray, and shipping was $17.80, almost as much as the mold itself. I really wavered on getting it, but I really want to see if acrylic molds let you see a little more of what is going on with swirls when you are doing them, so I caved. The cost might be a little different because they send you the total in yen, you have to convert it to USD (I just googled "yen to USD" and the converter popped right up) so the price will depend on the exchange rate on a given day.
 
Not_ally, did you incur any import fees? Can't find any info regarding this. I know it's cost dependant, but I'd like a rough approximation if you or anyone knows anything. Thank you both for your info and help! I know I've said it before, but the peeps on this site ( and in the soaping community in general) are the kindest people I've ever come across as a whole.
 
Hi CactusLily,

The $17.00+ shipping amt did not break down into export/shipping, the invoice just had the cost of the mold (@18.00 for the one including the saucer) and the @17+ plus shipping fee. So if there were additional fees, I think they were automatically included in shipping.

People on the boards are really helpful, aren't they? For the most part, if you are respectful, I think they are very good about offering advice. I can't imagine what learning about soapmaking would be like without all this readily available information on the internet, what was it like in the old days when you had to guess at everything?
 
Hi not_ally,
Thanks for answering. The only experience I've had was on eBay, and it mentions depending upon $ amount, a customs import fee can be added. I can't find any specific info on that, but I'm just going to order and hope for the best :) that is if I can navigate my way through checkout :)
Thanks to all who have helped, and a special thanks to Chole for her linguistic capabilities, and the time she took to help. Can you imagine the fun we'd have if we got all the soapers together?! What a great bunch of people you all are!!
 
I would love to get together with some nice soapers, will have to check out the meet up groups in LA. There are so many people here that there are bound to be a few soapers who want to touch base, no doubt it will be a geekfest, my favorite kind of fest :) Definitely a geek at heart despite my LA veneer.

FYI, it took several days - 2 or 3 - for rakkutan to respond to me with the shipping amount, so if they do not answer immediately, don't think it won't happen. The language thing is sort of problematic, I think Japanese to English must not translate as well as others, but you *can* figure it out, especially with help from people like lovely, helpful Chloe.
 
Awww I love the people on this forum too. I know I've received so much help here which is why I want to be helpful too! :)
 
Soapmakers do seem to be really kind. I am such a newbie that I can never offer advice on actual soap, I have only been doing cp for about 6 weeks, previously did mp for about a year. Although, consistent with my ADD-ishness, that 6 weeks has included about 40 batches, I keep meaning to stop until I can actually see fully cured results, but cannot resist making more. I am so enjoying learning about this process, and it is really nice to feel as if I can add a little back by sharing information on the scanty amount of singular information that I might have (eg, Cafe de Savon molds) that might be helpful. So thanks for letting me share, it is nice to add back in when I have received so much help to begin with.
 
Oh and handmade in Florida is using either the milk or cafe type mold too
 
I am interested in ordering one of these molds but I was also baffled by the website. Someday I'll wander over there again and see if I can figure it out, thank you for the advice given here about the plates, pushers, etc.
 
Back
Top