Same! I usually use the microwave, and when I do use the stove, the fats go right into my SS stockpot. No faffing around with a double boiler for me.
Can Stearic Spots appear after cutting bars?
- Thread starter stanekster
- Start date
Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
I heat mine on the stove in a SS pot. I sometimes, umm, forget that I’m melting my fats and, well, well, let’s just say that this is how I discovered that your fats can get REALLY hot and are fine in soap.*
I use the stovetop mostly because I master batch my fats and the volume won’t all fit in the microwave. The whole batch goes into a large plastic tub that rests on a heated mat, covered with a towel. The fats are a consistent 95-98 degrees until I need to make soap.
*this is also why I frequently burn my morning oatmeal.
I master-batch my fats, too. Typically I melt the hard fats in batches in the microwave, and pour each batch into my big MB container. Then I add the soft oils, and whiz it all together with a paint-stirring paddle attachment on my husband’s drill. I don’t keep mine heated, so I do have to re-whizz them before using them. Once the container level drops, I can use my regular SB to remix everything.I heat mine on the stove in a SS pot. I sometimes, umm, forget that I’m melting my fats and, well, well, let’s just say that this is how I discovered that your fats can get REALLY hot and are fine in soap.*
I use the stovetop mostly because I master batch my fats and the volume won’t all fit in the microwave. The whole batch goes into a large plastic tub that rests on a heated mat, covered with a towel. The fats are a consistent 95-98 degrees until I need to make soap.
*this is also why I frequently burn my morning oatmeal.
Now that I’m making more LS instead of as much bar soap, I’ll probably get a smaller MB container. I do add ROE but would still prefer to keep the hard fats refrigerated until I make a MB that I will use within 6 mos. I’m also playing with my base recipe to see if I can come up with one that I like for both bar soap and LS. That would sure simplify things!
I'm assuming you're over the age of 50? Coz that's about when I started doing 'silly' things too*this is also why I frequently burn my morning oatmeal.
50+6 months.I'm assuming you're over the age of 50? Coz that's about when I started doing 'silly' things too
But I’ve been burning my oatmeal for years so that’s no excuse.
I have found I have less issues similar to this with test batches I have made when I heat all of my fats together, then let them cool together - both solids & liquids. Separating them makes absolutely no sense to me. One less dish to wash too 
So that's what I always do now....everything goes into my pot, gets heated on my gas stove on low heat, then I allow the well-mixed blend of solids & liquids to cool to room temperature, along with my lye solution. That gives me a couple of hours to mull things over as I go about other tasks as well ie: if I want to change up my design at all just for funsies
if I should reduce / increase the amount of colorants I'm using this time, and related topics
Then I get to the actual making
So that's what I always do now....everything goes into my pot, gets heated on my gas stove on low heat, then I allow the well-mixed blend of solids & liquids to cool to room temperature, along with my lye solution. That gives me a couple of hours to mull things over as I go about other tasks as well ie: if I want to change up my design at all just for funsies
if I should reduce / increase the amount of colorants I'm using this time, and related topics Then I get to the actual making
Speaking solely on my personal opinion ~ I had been trying to keep the temps low when melting to preserve as much of the natural beneficial properties of the oils, but have since learned it's better for the soap recipes to thoroughly heat/melt/blend the oils at slightly higher temps. I save the "gentle heating" for my topical body oils now
As long as you do not reach the smoke point of a particular fat, you are not adversely affecting the fat. I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “natural beneficial properties.’ Could you expand on that a little more?Speaking solely on my personal opinion ~ I had been trying to keep the temps low when melting to preserve as much of the natural beneficial properties of the oils, but have since learned it's better for the soap recipes to thoroughly heat/melt/blend the oils at slightly higher temps. I save the "gentle heating" for my topical body oils now
I keep trying to start a reply but when I try to attach more than one link my reply disappears, so to keep it simple here is one article that touches on the topic. I know smoke point usually is in reference to cooking and how much heat an oil can stand before smoking, but when you start going over 100°F some oils start to lose their beneficial properties, so for use directly on skin I heat the oils as gently as possible. I have since learned that strategy doesn't crossover well to soap making as the oils need to be heated at slightly higher temps so they make better soaps. Here's one article below, but you can search (Google) how heat affects oils and butters for skin care use for a bunch more.
https://skinfoodie.com.ng/heat-sensitivity-in-oils/
