Do you bevel your edges?

[welovesoap]

Thus far in my soaping career, I have mostly NOT bevelled the edges of my soaps -- they've been just for friends and family, and frankly, my friends and family are such that they just don't care about these things.

A couple of times, when the mood struck me, I've used a vegetable peeler to bevel the edges of my soap. I didn't think it looked that great. Still very homemade-looking edges, IMHO. (Maybe it's just my technique that's bad, though?)

However, in looking at soap supplies this past week, I saw that some places actually make soap bevelers. The results (for the ones that showed results) look pretty good, and I think I'd like to have a more polished look to my soaps, as I start preparing to sell them.

Do you bevel your edges? Why or why not? And do you have a soap-specific beveler? Would you recommend it?

Thanks for your input.

 

[fiddletree]

I'm in exactly the same boat as you! I eagerly await responses.

I love nice looking bevels, but mine (with a veg peeler) just make the soap look worse usually....

 

[debbism]

I bevel my soaps and combined with the tank soap cutter, I get perfect even straight bars.
I tried beveling when I was hand cutting with a mitre box BUT since the blade always bowed, the beveler couldn't get a good line (if that makes any sense.

I have used this one from forcraftssake.com
http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index ... ucts_id=38
BUT it leaves scuff marks on the bars


BUT I like this one MUCH MUCH better as it only contacts the beveled edge AND can plane soaps if needed
http://www.etsy.com/listing/26724406/ne ... d-bar-loaf
It takes some adjusting since you don't have a flat surface to set the soap against BUT the up ide on that is that it doesn't leave a scuff mark on the sides of the bars

 

[welovesoap]

Hmm, good to know. I've looked at both of those.

What about this one: http://www.soap-making-resource.com/soa ... oapbeveler

It reminds me of the one you like, debbism, only it has sides and looks easier to clean. Has anyone used it?

 

[krissy]

i used to but i ended up with buckets of scraps and i dont like the look of most confetti soap so i just had the pieces piled up everywhere.

:?

 

[IrishLass]

I bevel my soaps because I hate sharp edges/corners, and because it just looks prettier to me.

I have 2 bevelers. One of the is the acrylic beveler/planer from soapmakingresources, and the other one is just a beveler (no planing) from Lotioncrafters.

I like the one from Lotioncrafters best for beveling. The one from soapmakingresources is a great planer, but when beveling it leaves an unsightly indented line across my soap from how you have to angle the soap so that it's resting against the side the planer/beveler for stability in order to get a good, straight bevel. Doing so causes the sharp edge of raised acrylic side of the planer/beveler to make an indented score-line all the way across the part of my soap where the soap is resting against it. Not pretty. Mind you, the bevels themselves look great- it gives really pretty, jewel-like bevels- but I'm just not liking that indented line across my soap. Maybe I just have to change the way I'm angling the soap, or adjust how much pressure I'm exerting when sliding my soap across the blade, but since I also have the one from Lotioncrafters (which is designed differently and causes no unsightly indents), I just haven't bothered playing with it much apart from using it as a planer.

IrishLass

 

[green soap]

I still use a vegetable peeler. It might not look great, but I prefer the feel of the softer edges. Also, I make soap balls of the scraps and those are popular. Making soap balls in small amounts helps me figure good essential oil scent combinations, since I can experiment with a small batch. That was how I figured my autumn spice scent, which I now use in larger batches.

Thanks to folks that shared information on the bevelers. I cut my soaps with a mitre box and a dough scraper, so I do not always get perfect bars, so until I get a fancy cutter, the carrot peeler will do....

 

[ladydiana]

I have used a small block planer for wood that my husband bought me, but I would definitely need practice at it to make it look right. I really like the ones that you guys linked to. I will have to see if hubby can make one.

 

[Maythorn]

I cut some bars with a crinkle cutter and they were fun. But I don't want to do it with all my soaps and I think it would look odd to have some cut that way and others not.

 

[seaturtle]

I edge my soaps with the soap edger from soapequipment.com. It is a very handy tool. I can edge a bar of soap in just a few seconds. I have gotten positive feedback on the smooth edges from several customers. I think edged soaps are more professional and easier to use.

 

[foresthome]

I used to bevel them, but now I just run my thumb around the edges to smooth them out, right after I cut them.

 

[Sunny]

nope... takes extra time and I just prefer the look without the beveling.

 

[Bukawww]

I hate visiting soapequipment.com - it makes me dream too big

I always make this HUGE mental wishlist of which I may never be able to afford lol.

I use the forcraftssake beveler and unless there is a piece of stray soap, never have a problem with the surface of the soap getting scratched. I'm pretty quick with it now although I have always been curious about the edger from SE.

 

[Soapy Gurl]

I prefer using a soap bar with beveled edges. Those first few uses are just rough without it out it! Now do I bevel? Not always. Depends on who the soap is to. I try to make it look nice. I only have a potato peeler though!

I have a friend who bevels her entire bars, they look amazing! So smooth and slick looking. There is a lot of loss, but wow.

 

[ToniD]

My husband built me a beveler, I like the edges of my soap better now. I am not sure I will like spending the time to bevel. Seems to work best a few weeks into cure. So I will have to figure out how to make it part of the soaping routine.

 

[welovesoap]

Wow, thanks for all the replies!

After looking at all of them, I think the soapequipment.com one is going on my wish list. It's small, it looks well-made, when I turn my kids into slave labor (hehe!) they can't hurt themselves, and it's number one selling feature, IMHO? I can bevel soap AND watch Parks and Recreation! That's a winner, in my book!