Homemade Multi-bar Soap Cutter

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EllieMae

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Has anyone been bold enough to make their own multi-bar soap cutter?

I've been eyeing them (on Etsy and sites such as BB) but I just cannot bring myself to spend $170-300 on a cutter since I'm only doing this as a fun hobby. But, on the flip side, I'm lazy as heck and my bars are always cut wonky with my knife and miter box.

So I started to wonder just how hard would it be to make my own...has anyone attempted it? Have any tips? Or am I biting off too much with this project....
 
I've actually considered making this one:
I bought the items needed, just haven't gotten around to actually making the device. It looks easy enough. I think you could also add hinges and a bottom piece to make it easier to use.

I saw this. I did think about it but I would need to get see how a Lowe's or Home Depot would charge for their wood. I would also need a place to store it.
 
I found a cheese slicer at a thrift store yesterday for 3 dollars.
upload_2020-3-10_18-54-16.png
 
Has anyone been bold enough to make their own multi-bar soap cutter?

I've been eyeing them (on Etsy and sites such as BB) but I just cannot bring myself to spend $170-300 on a cutter since I'm only doing this as a fun hobby. But, on the flip side, I'm lazy as heck and my bars are always cut wonky with my knife and miter box.

So I started to wonder just how hard would it be to make my own...has anyone attempted it? Have any tips? Or am I biting off too much with this project....

Do you have your heart set on a multi-bar cutter? I bought this one a couple of weeks ago; the maker is Canadian (BC), the price was reasonable and it works well.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/640376522/single-wire-adjustable-soap-cutter?ref=hp_rv-4&bes=1

il_794xN.2046122622_f5ya.jpg
 
I've actually considered making this one:
I bought the items needed, just haven't gotten around to actually making the device. It looks easy enough. I think you could also add hinges and a bottom piece to make it easier to use.

I saw this too (it’s what gave me the bright idea to attempt it myself) I just wonder how sturdy it is when cutting harder soaps since she rocks back and forth in the video. I know she says *not* to do this, but I wonder how smooth it actually cuts through all in one motion...

Do you have your heart set on a multi-bar cutter? I bought this one a couple of weeks ago; the maker is Canadian (BC), the price was reasonable and it works well.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/640376522/single-wire-adjustable-soap-cutter?ref=hp_rv-4&bes=1

View attachment 44419
I don’t have my heart set on multi bar - I just want a way that I can idiot proof the slicing so all the bars end up the same. Right now, even with my miter box, I’m somehow getting all different thicknesses and crooked cuts. So I figured the multi bar cutter might reduce the amount of user error I experience haha.

In all your experience, do the single bar cutters and cheese slicers make it a bit more consistent than just a miter box and giant knife?
 
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I don’t have my heart set on multi bar - I just want a way that I can idiot proof the slicing so all the bars end up the same. Right now, even with my miter box, I’m somehow getting all different thicknesses and crooked cuts. So I figured the multi bar cutter might reduce the amount of user error I experience haha.

In all your experience, do the single bar cutters and cheese slicers make it a bit more consistent than just a miter box and giant knife?

Until now, I've been using a mitre box and a giant knife as well. However, I bought a wire rack from the dollar store with wires about an inch apart. I use that to make the lines (little indents on both sides on top of the soap), then use the mitre box and knife to do the actual cut. That way each cut is the same size.

With the cheese slicer, I'm going to use square dowels on the top and side to prevent sliding and make it easy to get the soap in the right place for slicing. :) That's the plan anyway. lol

I keep going to thrift stores looking for cheese cutters. It'll be there one day.

Yep! I've been looking for a while too! You'll find one. :)
 
Until now, I've been using a mitre box and a giant knife as well. However, I bought a wire rack from the dollar store with wires about an inch apart. I use that to make the lines (little indents on both sides on top of the soap), then use the mitre box and knife to do the actual cut. That way each cut is the same size.

With the cheese slicer, I'm going to use square dowels on the top and side to prevent sliding and make it easy to get the soap in the right place for slicing. :) That's the plan anyway. lol
Indents on the top and side is genius. I only ever mark the top at the 1” marks. Marking the sides would definitely help me stay square when cutting. Thank you for the suggestion!!!!!
 
I don’t have my heart set on multi bar - I just want a way that I can idiot proof the slicing so all the bars end up the same. Right now, even with my miter box, I’m somehow getting all different thicknesses and crooked cuts. So I figured the multi bar cutter might reduce the amount of user error I experience haha.

In all your experience, do the single bar cutters and cheese slicers make it a bit more consistent than just a miter box and giant knife?

I've been using a wire cheese slicer for a couple of years and even though I've set up guides, my bars were still uneven. I also have one of the below and gave it up within a couple of uses. I wanted to use it with a crinkle cut blade but the blade doesn't fit in the slots. I think the bar cutter will be one of the best investments I've made.
61lTTFMQm4L._SL1000_.jpg
 
My husband made mine - I don't have pictures but you can see it in all of my soap cutting vids on YT. Of course... my husband works in a tooling shop so he was able to get alot of the parts he used to make the cutter look "professional grade" through his work (like the rubber handle grips), as well as have some of the metal frame fitted and cut to spec... My only complaint about the cutter is that it's closed on all ends, so I have to cut my 24" loafs in half to fit into the 15" cutter. I told him that if he hadn't spent $80 building it (it was my birthday present the first year we were dating) I would have made him build it over, hahaha. Just kidding, I wouldn't do that.... but some day I will be requesting slab cutter.
 
I've been using a wire cheese slicer for a couple of years and even though I've set up guides, my bars were still uneven. I also have one of the below and gave it up within a couple of uses. I wanted to use it with a crinkle cut blade but the blade doesn't fit in the slots. I think the bar cutter will be one of the best investments I've made.
View attachment 44469
I have this one myself and yet I still have different sized bars when I cut my soap. I know it's probably just me but go figure
 
My husband made mine - I don't have pictures but you can see it in all of my soap cutting vids on YT. Of course... my husband works in a tooling shop so he was able to get alot of the parts he used to make the cutter look "professional grade" through his work (like the rubber handle grips), as well as have some of the metal frame fitted and cut to spec... My only complaint about the cutter is that it's closed on all ends, so I have to cut my 24" loafs in half to fit into the 15" cutter. I told him that if he hadn't spent $80 building it (it was my birthday present the first year we were dating) I would have made him build it over, hahaha. Just kidding, I wouldn't do that.... but some day I will be requesting slab cutter.
What is your YT channel?
 
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