High Melt Point

[knicelyr]

Here's one for the experts...

I have some soap that is from mostly soft oils. I am re-batching it, to bring it back to the gel stage I have to heat it over 200*F. When the soap is "hard" it’s very soft, but it does have a high content of soft oils.

So my question is, do you see this normally? I have not done a lot of re-batching as I HP and pH test my soap prior to molding.

In this case I wanted to add some hardening oils to help firm up the batch. And start playing with re-batching/milling.

 

[ilovedoxies]

Wish I could help. But I could never got on the band wagon for rebatching. I tried it once and just didn't get it. :cry:

Best of luck.

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

Here's one for the experts...

I have some soap that is from mostly soft oils. I am re-batching it, to bring it back to the gel stage I have to heat it over 200*F. When the soap is "hard" it’s very soft, but it does have a high content of soft oils.

So my question is, do you see this normally? I have not done a lot of re-batching as I HP and pH test my soap prior to molding.

In this case I wanted to add some hardening oils to help firm up the batch. And start playing with re-batching/milling.

Is one of your oils Olive? Olive is actually a hard oil, it just takes time for it to harden (Castille Soap)

Yes, soft oils will have a soft soap, if you want to rebatch it, use VERY little liquid and add a hard oil (i.e coconut, cocoa butter, palm, palm kernel) to it, it will go back through the stages like HP (vaseline look) and put it back in the mold.

Just know the more liquid you use (for liquid and oils) the longer its going to take to turn into soap. You dont want to use too much or it may NEVER turn back into soap.

 

[knicelyr]

Thanks smell!

Is it the palmetic and steric acid in olive oil that make the soap hard using it?

I've always though of olive oil as soft because it was mostly oleic acid. But I see by the Iodine value it is quite hardening.

My soap is mostly soybean and canola oil. So I add quite a bit of hardening ingredients. I use steric acid and myristic acid because the soaps that make up the soy/canola soap are in the biodiesel glycerin we use. In this case there was a higher percentage of soap in the glycerin, I should have added more steric acid.

Another question, when you re-batch at what temperature does the soap start to go back to the gel stage?

I am finding it’s actually well over 200*F. Is that a normal sort of temperature?

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

Thanks smell!

Is it the palmetic and steric acid in olive oil that make the soap hard using it?

I've always though of olive oil as soft because it was mostly oleic acid. But I see by the Iodine value it is quite hardening.

My soap is mostly soybean and canola oil. So I add quite a bit of hardening ingredients. I use steric acid and myristic acid because the soaps that make up the soy/canola soap are in the biodiesel glycerin we use. In this case there was a higher percentage of soap in the glycerin, I should have added more steric acid.

Another question, when you re-batch at what temperature does the soap start to go back to the gel stage?

I am finding it’s actually well over 200*F. Is that a normal sort of temperature?

I never tested the temp, I put it in the crockpot on high when I need to rebatch. I use alot of soybean, canola, and olive myself. Im not certain if its because of the Oleic acid, that is something to look into.