Help! My soap is all crumbly

[Missmoneypenny]

Three days ago i made a bar of soap with coconut, beef tallow, shea and apricot oil (200g, 200g, 50g and 50g respectively). I put it through a soap calc (from memory, 76g lye and 165 ml H20). I also added lavender and chamomille essential oil. Was not too careful about amounts, i reckon may have been a teaspoon of each.
Today when I went to cut it, it looked dry and just crumbled, like trying to slice shortbread. I am disappointed and wonder what went wrong. Can i rescue t? What about melting and re batching? I am pretty confident I used the right amounts of lye and water. Thanks

 

[cmzaha]

Your number for lye gives approx 3% superfat which if fine and what I usually use. You have an extremely hard bar of soap designed which I am guessing caused the crumbling. This recipe would be similar to cutting a salt bar which are usually cut within 2 hrs. I would lower the coconut down to 20% and add in some liquid oil, OO, sunflower, canola etc. I have never run into dos using canola @20% like some predict. With only 10% liquid oil you have a rock hard recipe. You could try full water, but I still do not think you will be very happy with this recipe. Cleansing is 30% which is quite harsh with 3% superfat.

 

[Missmoneypenny]

Thanks Carolyn. Is there anything I can do to rescue it? Like melt it and add a liquid oil ( but how much) and try re setting?

 

[Obsidian]

Rebatch it and add in 60grms of olive oil, that will raise the super fat to 12% which will help counter the cleansing value of this soap. I would suggest cutting as soon as it firms up enough to do so.

 

[Missmoneypenny]

Thanks obsidian I was actually thinking of adding olive oil n after what Carolyn said. Will try this and if it comes good I'll post and let you know. Would you advise against adding more water?

 

[Obsidian]

You will probably need to add some water. You want your cooked down soap to be the consistency of mashed potatoes or a little thinner. Too much water and it will take longer to for the soap to set up/dry. Too little water and it will be hard to get it stuck together.
I'd start by adding a couple Tbs of water, add in more as needed.

 

[Missmoneypenny]

Thanks so much Obsidian and Carolyn. i'LL be attempting to rescue all those quality ingredients tomorrow, and will let you know how it goes.
Helen