Borax Hand Soap for Blacksmith or other dirty work

[VikingChick]

I just finished my first attempt at this soap. I used 45% lard, 30% coconut, 20% olive, 5% castor, with 5% orange 5x EO, 3% cedarwood EO, and 3% d-limonene. Colored green like Lava soap just because. I’m going to give some to my farmer brother up in Iowa, so that was part of the reason for the high amount of lard. I also threw in a little corn silk, which will probably end up being more gimmicky than anything, but it fits the theme!

I used the ratio of pumice that Earlene had put in the recipe she shared, but it didn’t seem like hardly any at all. What’s been y’all’s experience with that amount of pumice? Can you even tell it’s there in the final product?

 

[dmcgee5034]

Here’s the cut soap I made yesterday.
It did seem like a small amount of pumice, @VikingChick

 

[VikingChick]

Here’s the cut soap I made yesterday.

I like it! Something about the soft gray and the wavy cut is kinda soothing!

 

[AliOop]

Anyone want to offer me some additional guidance on dissolving borax? I tried 63g of borax in 25g fully boiling distilled water, and it was a thick sludge. I added a bit more boiling water at a time and must have added about double the 25g and possibly up to making a 50/50 borax-boiling DW mix. Even then, it was cloudy and needed constant stirring before I added it to my oils. Is this normal? What is your borax to boiling water ratio?

I seem to be the outlier who doesn't have trouble dissolving borax in boiling water, straight from my electric tea kettle. I'm not sure why mine doesn't require extra boiling; maybe it is a finer grind? Whatever the reason, I've read that quite a few folks add boiling water, dissolve it as much as possible, and then nuke it again (and sometimes again) until it is 100% dissolved. I think @Servant4Christ was one who did that?

 

[AliOop]

I just finished my first attempt at this soap. I used 45% lard, 30% coconut, 20% olive, 5% castor, with 5% orange 5x EO, 3% cedarwood EO, and 3% d-limonene. Colored green like Lava soap just because. I’m going to give some to my farmer brother up in Iowa, so that was part of the reason for the high amount of lard. I also threw in a little corn silk, which will probably end up being more gimmicky than anything, but it fits the theme!

I used the ratio of pumice that Earlene had put in the recipe she shared, but it didn’t seem like hardly any at all. What’s been y’all’s experience with that amount of pumice? Can you even tell it’s there in the final product?

Our mechanic loves it! And so did our (former) landscaping guy, who not only mows and blows for a living, but is also a master gardener who shared his amazing tomatoes every summer. Two different types of grime, but they both said that soap cleaned really well without drying out their skin. I used Earlene's ratio of fine pumice and borax, added to my usual recipe of 60% lard or lard/tallow combo, 20% coconut oil/PKO, 15% liquid oil, and 5% castor.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I used the ratio of pumice that Earlene had put in the recipe she shared, but it didn’t seem like hardly any at all. What’s been y’all’s experience with that amount of pumice? Can you even tell it’s there in the final product?

I found it to be not quite enough either - I used a bit more the second time I made it. But I also add ground orange peel to mine. I didn't want to be overly brittle by adding to much stuff. I also think I could do with a medium grind pumice rather than a fine grind. However - feedback on the soap is good - similar to @AliOop 's feedback.

 

[dmcgee5034]

@KiwiMoose - could you advise on how much “a bit more” is when you are adjusting? I used 33g in my first try. If my testers want more, would you bump to say 50g or go crazy and double it to 66g?

 

[KiwiMoose]

@KiwiMoose - could you advise on how much “a bit more” is when you are adjusting? I used 33g in my first try. If my testers want more, would you bump to say 50g or go crazy and double it to 66g?

yes - hallelujah, I did write it down! I'm notorious for saying 'a bit more' and not measuring it. My first batch had 30g Pumice, and my second batch had 40g (that's for 1000g of oils).

 

[dmcgee5034]

Thanks @KiwiMoose