How do you cut your soap?

[Servant4Christ]

Seriously. I have always used individual cavity molds and now I have a loaf mold on the way! I am just a hobbyist, not selling. I make for my household and friends/family as gifts. I am trying to decide if I want to cut by hand with a knife or buy a wire cheesecutter that I can easily modify for soap cutting. Suggestions welcome.

I think I just found my answer on a past thread. Seems like wire cutters are way more consistent at getting a nice even clean cut, so seems like a modified wire cheesecutter will be the way to go to see if I like it.

 

[Ford]

Hi, knife, crinkle cutter, wire, samuria sword. Several ways to cut soap. I prefer wire myself. Some people may use several methods. Depending on the soap they are working with.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

My first real soap making investment after molds was a wire cutter. It was a game changer for me.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I've never used a wire cutter - always a knife. But none of my bars weigh the same, so there is that to consider. It doesn't bother me that they differ because I sell the larger ones on the website, and the smaller ones on my market stall.

 

[Servant4Christ]

Hi, knife, crinkle cutter, wire, samuria sword. Several ways to cut soap. I prefer wire myself. Some people may use several methods. Depending on the soap they are working with.

This never would've occurred to me in my wildest of imagining!

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll just order a wire cheese cutter and modify it for an inexpensive way to try it out. My only concern with this is how to change the wire, if I ever need to.

I've never used a wire cutter - always a knife. But none of my bars weigh the same, so there is that to consider. It doesn't bother me that they differ because I sell the larger ones on the website, and the smaller ones on my market stall.

I don't sell, but I like consistent sizing or it will absolutely drive me nuts. The nonconsistent backs on the soaps I pour in individual cavity molds makes me bananas enough.

 

[Zing]

Hobbyist here. I used a manual soap cutter and/or knife for a long time and could never cut straight down to save my life. Saving up for a soap wire-cutter was a game-changer! Now I get uniform bars. I've had it for awhile now and still get a thrill when I use it.

 

[AliOop]

I purchased my first wire cutter on destash from a FB destash group (back when I was on FB). Prices have come down for new ones since then, so it might be worth a peak on Etsy or Amazon for new ones, or destash groups on FB, Craigslist, etc., for used ones. Sometimes putting out a “wanted” ad on CL or FB will work, too.

Now I love my Hercules cutting station. It is pricey but Christmas is coming.

Hope you find a great deal on something you like!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Hobbyist here. I used a manual soap cutter and/or knife for a long time and could never cut straight down to save my life. Saving up for a soap wire-cutter was a game-changer! Now I get uniform bars. I've had it for awhile now and still get a thrill when I use it.

Yeh - but i use one of those mitre-box thingies.

 

[Catscankim]

I bought a $15 cheese cutter as my first cutter. The only thing I did to make it more easy peasy than that was to glue a chopstick at the end as a stopper to make 1" soaps. I still use it sometimes.

 

[mx5inpenn]

I also had a cheap wire cheese cutter for a long time. It worked, but was far from perfect. I also have a Bud log splitter. Now I have a multi-bar slicer and just got a Caterpillar that makes me giddy.

 

[AliOop]

Yeh - but i use one of those mitre-box thingies.

I couldn't cut straight bars even with the mitre box! Honestly, I think the heavens opened and angels sang at that first loaf cut with my multi-bar cutter.

 

[Catscankim]

I hate cutting with a knife. I mean it gets the job done, but I am afraid I will cut a finger off LOL. Especially when trying to get the soap off the knife, because it sticks to it.

 

[Servant4Christ]

I couldn't cut straight bars even with the mitre box!

This would be me.

I hate cutting with a knife. I mean it gets the job done, but I am afraid I will cut a finger off LOL. Especially when trying to get the soap off the knife, because it sticks to it.

This too. I accidentally cut my fingers frequently enough in the kitchen.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I couldn't cut straight bars even with the mitre box! Honestly, I think the heavens opened and angels sang at that first loaf cut with my multi-bar cutter.

Yeah - but the PRICE! Hundreds of dollars

 

[CLMP]

Yah I have the same problem no matter how hard I try to get even bars with my cheap $40.00 soap cutter they are all different sizes sometimes crooked. So now I need to save up for a good one but it's hard to decided which one to get!

 

[MelissaG]

I have a single wire cutter. It's still hard to get the bars the same size. I really want a multibar cutter but they really are expensive.

 

[Ephemerella]

I use a knife too. I'm an amateur chef and love using my favorite chef's knife. It's the only double-duty equipment for soaping and the kitchen. I figure since the soap is cooked by the time I cut, I can get away with it, though I may get one of those ceramic knives strictly for soaping.

I started out with a miter box, actually this kit. I still use the molds too. I only use the last slot on the miter box, as the spacing for the rest of the slots is too skinny.

Mostly, however, I freehand it. There is something very satisfying about using a lovely heavy balanced chef's knife and cutting in to a loaf of soap

My workspace is the kitchen, so to protect the countertops, I use a silicone mat surrounded by newspaper. The mat has measurement markings on it, so I can keep my cuts more or less uniform.

I did get a wire slicer that's been good for horizontal cuts on slabs, Taiwan swirls, etc.

I do aspire to one of those multi-bar cutters, however, but I don't make nearly enough soap (yet) to justify the expense and the room needed to store it.

Funny, I can easily spend the cost of a cutter in a multitude of small purchases on FOs, and micas dribbled out over the course of a month, but plop it all down at one go for a big fancy tool? Noooooooo way

 

[Marsi]

badly ...

 

[Nicolesica]

Hobbyist here. I used a manual soap cutter and/or knife for a long time and could never cut straight down to save my life. Saving up for a soap wire-cutter was a game-changer! Now I get uniform bars. I've had it for awhile now and still get a thrill when I use it.

Same! My hand cuts were always in abstract as far as uniformity goes. But I now have a lovely 1” wire bar cutter and it pleases my adhd soul so much

 

[AliOop]

To all who said that the cutters are expensive…. They are, and more so for those of you paying shipping to various islands, far-flung continents, and such. Sorry about that.

I do see single-wire cutters for less than $100 on Amazon with good reviews. I’d also encourage you to search and advertise for destash cutters. I probably saw three on destash right after I bought mine. Even so, I don’t regret the cost at all. As noted above, I easily spend that much on a bunch of other ingredients over time. It didn’t hurt that I received a bonus or gift card or something like that which I used towards this, as well. It all came down to priorities (oh and cutting skills, which I sorely lack), which are so personal. Whatever works for you!