Chopsticks aren't just for funnel swirls-CUT PIC

[jarvan]

I could have made a wood box around the mold to support it and might still do that, but in the meantime, these work! The supports are chopsticks.




The mold looks straight right now, so we'll see what happens.

Pray for my first attempt at a honey oatmeal soap

Oh, and on the list of strange soaping equipment, has anyone used one of these to cut bars? It's a cake leveler.

 

[gekko62]

Re: Chopsticks aren't just for funnel swirls

Oh, and on the list of strange soaping equipment, has anyone used one of these to cut bars? It's a cake leveler.

I never have any luck with wire cutters.Never get a straight edge-the wire/blade bends as its cutting,resulting in a wonky wavy look.Praps my soaps too hard-dunno.

 

[Lindy]

- that is too funny - I love it....

 

[Guest]

Very inventive I would say , I hope it keeps your mold straight for you.

Kitn

 

[jarvan]

Here's the cut:



I got partial gel on the loaf mold. I hope over time the color evens out a bit, but perhaps it is what it is.

This is an oats and honey soap that smells almost exactly like a honey graham cracker. Nice.

 

[ChrissyB]

Jen that is lovely! I love the colour!

 

[vivcarm]

Has a beautiful colour and texture well done!

 

[LJA]

Ooh, your stamp is pretty and I love the soap!

 

[oldragbagger]

I hate partial gel. Give me gel or give me no gel, but I hate having a big circle in the middle that is a different color. Arghhhhhhh

 

[Guest]

It turned out lovely , I wish I could smell it .
Partial gel is like ash to me , if it happens I embrace it :wink:

Kitn

 

[craftydad]

Looks GOOD to me! That is a great color.

Nice job.

 

[ChrissyB]

I'm with you Honor, on the gel issue.
I do prefer to gel because then I know the soap is "done", but I know some soapers have fabulous results when preventing gel. Nicer colours, creamy texture, not burning off fragrance.

 

[hem06]

Oh, and on the list of strange soaping equipment, has anyone used one of these to cut bars? It's a cake leveler.

Works great if the soap is relatively fresh and fairly soft. I thought the same thing and bought one a while ago.

 

[Jamn!]

It looks yummy! The stamp is very pretty!

 

[Guest]

The color will probably stay the same. The more honey you add, the more the honey will try to give your soap that golden honey color.

The first recipe is very white. Remember now, I use HP.

First, I will put my best advice at the top, now that I realize how long this reply has become. I add Almond to my recipe so it covers the scent of honey, thus my need to add so much more. You'd just double the beswax and honey.

My soap is Almond Oatmeal Honey Milk.

(my base recipe for a single batch uses 3 lbs of oils)
Melted with oils: 6 T beeswax (to help give that scent without comprimising the color as much)
FO'S added before molding: ½ oz almond oil, 2 oz Honey
Efoilant added before molding: 2 oz Oatmeal

For CP, you'd add these last two at trace.

Milk is added just before molding as well. (I don't have a measured amount, sorry. I pour and stir until desired consistantcy.) I over cook my soap a bit to make it drier so it absorbes more of the milk without making the bars too soap and let it cool more than the other recipes before adding the last three ingrediants. I do have to let this recipe cure longer than my other HP recipes but the milk helps molding it easier. Normally I have to work much quicker. I also add a little more salt to make a harder bar too.

For CP, you'd replace your water with frozen milk.

In the end, I had a couple of my testers tell me that they could not smell the honey. I doubled the beeswax and added more honey (agian I just poured cause I didn't want to measure :shock: ) which gave it the same color as your soap, so I probably added about the same as you.

PS, I have been helping in the kitchen/cooking since age two. My grandmother and mother taught me to eye ball and guessimate the amount needed, which I have gotten rather good at with baking.

 

[Guest]

honey will try to give your soap that golden honey color.

Yes, because honey is sugar and it burns in the lye.
Gravy coloring is nothing but burned sugar.
In the burning process, the sweetness goes away and so does the aroma.
What's left is (more or less) carbon.
I've burned honey before in the microwave and added it to soap
as a brown coloring agent. I'll probably do it again when I use my
button mold (brown buttons).

A little is golden -- A lot is brown -- Wonder how far I'd have to go with it to get black? Maybe, I'll try for black too -- one day.

------------I'm back to edit.
I had visions of someone doing this so I should warn you to use
a very big micro-wave safe container. It bubbles very high.
Also, when honey turns to carbon there is smoke galore.
It's not for the faint of heart.
Maybe it would be better to do this outside over a fire!
After you've burned the honey, you need to add an equal
amount of water and let it sit somewhere to dissolve to an even mixture.