How to get smooth sides, pics added

[sandyfootfarm]

I've made a lot of progress with the presentation side of my soap lately but have a small issue I'd like to fix. I've been doing CP, putting the soap in the freezer to prevent gel then cutting the log after about 4-5 days. I've made a mitre box and tin cutter but as the soap is still a little soft there are drag marks left after cutting.

Should I leave the soap for longer before cutting, seems like it would still take a while before the inside hardened up though. I use caster oil (around 5%), coconut oil (around 30 %) and olive oil (around 65%) and goats milk so I don't think I'm making my soap too soft to start with.

What do you guys do to get super smooth soap? I'll set my light tent up tomorrow and show some pics of some freshly cut soap and what I'm talking about.

 

[judymoody]

Do you use a water discount?

 

[lsg]

I get a smoother soap when I pour at thin trace.

 

[newbie]

I also have problems getting the kind of smoothness I'd like at cutting sometimes, and sometimes not. I'm trying to discern exactly what the difference is when I do and don't get them. I have had good luck with bastile soaps (more than the 65% OO of the original poster, but....) if I freeze them and then cut while they're still cold. It can't be too cold at cutting, or edges break off, but those bars have looked excellent and glossy. The slab bars I've made with bastile will get a little ash on the faces, but the loaf bars cut after freezing don't.

I'm eager to hear how other people get their bars to look so good!

 

[soapbuddy]

I also don't gel. I use the Tank from forcraftsake. http://www.forcraftssake.com/shop/index ... 9c4d9700a7

 

[sandyfootfarm]

Oops, realised I hadn't answered about a water discount. I used the standard 38%, I'm soaping cool to prevent gel so don't want it to set up too fast.

The tank is on my wishlist don't worry! The soap itself is smooth because the sides and ends are lovely, it's just the faces that become rough from cutting. I've cut one more this morning using a fine wire, but I'll leave the rest of the loaf for a while to see if letting it cure a bit helps. I'll also try the freezer trick.

The best I've seen so far are the Inner Earth soaps, I've subscribed to their blog and have serious smooth soap envy, they looks so **** perfect! I'm happy with my Lyn tops this time and overall the soaps look great, it's just this issue that bugs me. Once I'm back from work today I'll do the pics.

 

[sandyfootfarm]

I haven't tidied up the edges so they are s bit rough, but you can see the front soap is an end and is nice and smooth, but the back ones are rough.

Same for this lemon verbena, but on this one I got drag marks from the lemon zest. Too much oxide as well, should be yellow!

Maybe I am cutting way too soon

 

[soapbuddy]

Very nice. If I use poppy seeds, I get drag marks too.