If you met someone who said they made soap…?

[J-Soaper]

could you tell whether that person:

1. had never made so much as a single batch of soap?
2. had made a few batches but was still very new to soap making?
3. was, by no means a novice, but neither an expert?
4. was just shy of what you'd classify as an expert?
5. was a soap guru?

What would be the "tells"?

Of course, you would not be permitted to ask how much soap the person had made or anything along those lines. Rather, you're just talking about soap making with this other person. But, for example, when the person said _____________ or asked ______________ you immediately knew this person had never made a batch of soap in their lives. Or that they were fairly experienced. Or an expert.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

When I meet a "Soaper" my instant thought is "I'm w/ my tribe" and regardless how much experience they have or haven't, its an instant connection. ❤

 

[J-Soaper]

When I meet a "Soaper" my instant thought is "I'm w/ my tribe" and regardless how much experience they have or haven't, its an instant connection. ❤

I'm not placing any value judgement on their level of expertise (or lack there of), just curious about what "tells" would make it clear to you where they were on that road.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

I'm not placing any value judgement on their level of expertise (or lack there of), just curious about what "tells" would make it clear to you where they were on that road.

Right I got that, & as the conversation continues you discover their soap journey.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

That's of course very dependent on the situation. First, I'd be very alert if my conversational partner themselves try to ask me such questions (since, as we know, all the soap gurus are already carefully watching SMF threads like this one ).
Then of course there are some litmus things like attitude towards syndet soaps, superfat, EO vs. FO, or legal trickery that can help identify the level of skills/mastery. But I'm always aware that, with addressing such things, I'll reveal a lot about myself too!
An infallible, though rogue trick is to apply Cunningham's Law: self-confidently state something utterly wrong, and wait your counterpart to contradict (or not).

 

[KimW]

@ResolvableOwl - I had to give a giggle to your reply because that is EXACTLY what my old boss would do to interviewees. It used to make me want to crawl under the table and hide until I realized the wisdom and deft success in culling of the masses.

To answer the OP. An interesting question, but I don't think there are really any tells to quickly determine a soaper's true experience level. Even with what @ResolvableOwl has stated, there are soapers I've recently learned about who do things I would assume an experienced soaper would not do and, as with any craft/art, there are strong viewpoints even on this forum of what would be a right vs wrong thing to do in soaping - like mixing lye in a glass container. Also, and again just as with any craft/art, there are so many facets to soap making that one shouldn't, for example, assume that someone who had never tried or heard of High Temp Hot Process wasn't an experienced soaper. Finally, as I've discussed with someone on PM, there can be a vast difference between someone who's been soaping for ten plus years all alone and only soaping once a week or once a month compared to someone who's only been soaping a few years but is actively learning on forums and makes soap almost everyday - there will be gaps in the knowledge of each that can be filled by these two soapers kindly and respectfully sharing of experiences and ideas. On the question of someone who's never actually made soap, there's so much information out there, and here on SMF, that it would be fairly easy to "fake it until you make it". To coin an old phrase, it's not like we're practicing rocket science here.

All this to say, I think the full answer to your question boils down to what @Peachy Clean Soap said in that "as the conversation continues you discover their soap journey."

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

To answer the OP. An interesting question, but I don't think there are really any tells to quickly determine a soaper's true experience level. Even with what @ResolvableOwl has stated, there are soapers I've recently learned about who do things I would assume an experienced soaper would not do and, as with any craft/art, there are strong viewpoints even on this forum of what would be a right vs wrong thing to do in soaping - like mixing lye in a glass container. Also, and again just as with any craft/art, there are so many facets to soap making that one shouldn't, for example, assume that someone who had never tried or heard of High Temp Hot Process wasn't an experienced soaper. Finally, as I've discussed with someone on PM, there can be a vast difference between someone who's been soaping for ten plus years all alone and only soaping once a week or once a month compared to someone who's only been soaping a few years but is actively learning on forums and makes soap almost everyday - there will be gaps in the knowledge of each that can be filled by these two soapers kindly and respectfully sharing of experiences and ideas. On the question of someone who's never actually made soap, there's so much information out there, and here on SMF, that it would be fairly easy to "fake it until you make it". To coin an old phrase, it's not like we're practicing rocket science here.

All this to say, I think the full answer to your question boils down to what @Peachy Clean Soap said in that "as the conversation continues you discover their soap journey."

Well said & agree .

 

[J-Soaper]

I appreciate the responses thus far and would enjoy reading what others might have to contribute.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

To answer the OP. An interesting question, but I don't think there are really any tells to quickly determine a soaper's true experience level. Even with what @ResolvableOwl has stated, there are soapers I've recently learned about who do things I would assume an experienced soaper would not do and, as with any craft/art, there are strong viewpoints even on this forum of what would be a right vs wrong thing to do in soaping - like mixing lye in a glass container. Also, and again just as with any craft/art, there are so many facets to soap making that one shouldn't, for example, assume that someone who had never tried or heard of High Temp Hot Process wasn't an experienced soaper. Finally, as I've discussed with someone on PM, there can be a vast difference between someone who's been soaping for ten plus years all alone and only soaping once a week or once a month compared to someone who's only been soaping a few years but is actively learning on forums and makes soap almost everyday - there will be gaps in the knowledge of each that can be filled by these two soapers kindly and respectfully sharing of experiences and ideas. On the question of someone who's never actually made soap, there's so much information out there, and here on SMF, that it would be fairly easy to "fake it until you make it". To coin an old phrase, it's not like we're practicing rocket science here.

All this to say, I think the full answer to your question boils down to what @Peachy Clean Soap said in that "as the conversation continues you discover their soap journey."

That's of course very dependent on the situation. First, I'd be very alert if my conversational partner themselves try to ask me such questions (since, as we know, all the soap gurus are already carefully watching SMF threads like this one ).
Then of course there are some litmus things like attitude towards syndet soaps, superfat, EO vs. FO, or legal trickery that can help identify the level of skills/mastery. But I'm always aware that, with addressing such things, I'll reveal a lot about myself too!
An infallible, though rogue trick is to apply Cunningham's Law: self-confidently state something utterly wrong, and wait your counterpart to contradict (or not).

(Cunningham’s law)
I had to it up

There is a saying in French – “prêcher le faux pour savoir le vrai” which means
“preach the falsehood to know the truth”.

Hmm who knew .

 

[TheGecko]

A person can know a lot about making soap without ever having had made so much as a bar. And a person can have been making soap for long than you've been out of diapers and not know anything about soap making beyond the recipe that was handed down.

If someone were to say to me that they make soap without Lye, I wouldn't immediately assume that they didn't know what they were talking about, but that perhaps their experience is strictly with Melt & Pour from a craft shop.

 

[J-Soaper]

… but that perhaps their experience is strictly with Melt & Pour from a craft shop.

I was talking with a non-soaper and mentioned that I make my own soap and he asked, "You mean you buy that stuff that you just melt and then pour into a mold?" I said, "No, I actually make my own soap." I think that was the first time I'd even heard of melt and pour.

 

[Misschief]

I had a customer at my table a few weeks ago who asked me what makes my soap soap. It caught me off guard but I answered her and we had a lovely conversation. It turns out she used to make soap but no longer does. She was testing me and I passed.

 

[J-Soaper]

I had a customer at my table a few weeks ago who asked me what makes my soap soap. It caught me off guard but I answered her and we had a lovely conversation. It turns out she used to make soap but no longer does. She was testing me and I passed.

Seems like a lot of people don't know what makes soap.

 

[KimW]

Seems like a lot of people don't know what makes soap.

Agreed. Recently had an interaction similar to yours with the non-soaper. Very dear friend of mine said she wanted me to come over and teach her to make soap, but as the conversation developed I realized she wanted to learn how to do M&P. She had no idea there was any other way, except on an industrial scale, to make soap.

 

[Andy7891]

I went to a fair a couple of years ago, after having been making soap for a few years, off and on. I said, only to name drop, "So, do you do hot process or cold process?". I think maybe someone asking esoteric questions like that is kind of a give away of new soap maker. I think I got the impression the seller was a little tired and not amped up to sell, and I wanted to talk shop with them, maybe let them know I wasn't someone who didn't really care how the soap was made. But at the same time, they probably didn't have the energy to entertain me being proud of myself for knowing a little about soaping. I've never met another soaper in person, that I know of.

 

[Sally Scheibner]

I'm not placing any value judgement on their level of expertise (or lack there of), just curious about what "tells" would make it clear to you where they were on that road.

I went to a fair a couple of years ago, after having been making soap for a few years, off and on. I said, only to name drop, "So, do you do hot process or cold process?". I think maybe someone asking esoteric questions like that is kind of a give away of new soap maker. I think I got the impression the seller was a little tired and not amped up to sell, and I wanted to talk shop with them, maybe let them know I wasn't someone who didn't really care how the soap was made. But at the same time, they probably didn't have the energy to entertain me being proud of myself for knowing a little about soaping. I've never met another soaper in person, that I know of.

A great soaping conversation start I’ve used too. I ask if they’ve ever hot processed to limit the cure time. That is a good tell. I HP because my dry eyes don’t allow any curing in the house. The draw back is it doesn’t stay fluid enuf!! for molding. Every once in a while if temps stay low it works better.

 

[J-Soaper]

I've never met another soaper in person, that I know of.

Neither have I. But I find that's the case with a lot of things I do.

 

[TheGecko]

Very dear friend of mine said she wanted me to come over and teach her to make soap, but as the conversation developed I realized she wanted to learn how to do M&P.

I had this happened with a crafting group earlier this year when I offered to bring supplies so folks could make their own soap, I was going to bring a couple of small buckets of my Master Batch to keep it simple…heat the oil, add in the MB’s Lye Solution, scent, colorant and pour. And since it’s a three-day event, you come back the next day to unmold and then wait six weeks. Oh no…they want to make the stuff that you melt, pour and can use right away.

 

[Kafayat Adebowale oyeniyi]

I had this happened with a crafting group earlier this year when I offered to bring supplies so folks could make their own soap, I was going to bring a couple of small buckets of my Master Batch to keep it simple…heat the oil, add in the MB’s Lye Solution, scent, colorant and pour. And since it’s a three-day event, you come back the next day to unmold and then wait six weeks. Oh no…they want to make the stuff that you melt, pour and can use right away.

I feel you.people are no longer ready to patient to cure soap bars.Its either they have no knowledge of the benefits of the longer cure or they do and they just want to sell on time turnover and make more soap with no care for the final consumer who bears the brunt of their practices

 

[earlene]

I went to a fair a couple of years ago, after having been making soap for a few years, off and on. I said, only to name drop, "So, do you do hot process or cold process?". I think maybe someone asking esoteric questions like that is kind of a give away of new soap maker. I think I got the impression the seller was a little tired and not amped up to sell, and I wanted to talk shop with them, maybe let them know I wasn't someone who didn't really care how the soap was made. But at the same time, they probably didn't have the energy to entertain me being proud of myself for knowing a little about soaping. I've never met another soaper in person, that I know of.

I have noticed that soap sellers at boothes such as that are really there to sell their product, not talk with other soapers who are not going to buy their product. And I understand that completely.

Going to soapmaker gatherings, conferences, seminars (what have you) has given me ample opportunity to meet loads of soap makers face-to-face. I love to travel, so these are things that fit well with travel. In my former life, travel was a part of one of my jobs, and in another educational courses were also a frequent travel opportunity, so I have simply continued a long-time practice by attending these kinds of events.

I highly recommend attending such a soapmakers group event if you ever have the chance. It can be so much fun and you may find yourself meeting & making new friends.

As to the original question, I have not given it a lot of thought, as far as a face-to-face meet with someone who claims to make soap. HOWEVER, I did once talk with a gal at a soap maker's 'booth' (it was more like a cottage in an old crafts demonstration faire-type setting) who was not the maker, but an assistant or apprentice or just a helper. It was clear she knew very little about the process of soap making, other than what she had been told, and that she had no real experience or technical knowledge of soap making. I was disappointed because I wanted to learn a little more about how the soap that was being sold was being made, what the specific oils used were, and so forth. It as a place using recycled restaurant oils, but the gal had no clue what kind of oils were in the soap, just 'oil' and she didn't seem to have a clue that the amount of lye used in soap was dependent on the specific oils, etc.

But if you watch some soapers on youtube, one in particular I can think of, who have been making soap for many many years without a lye calculator, and their soap is successful, are they any less experienced at making soap? They may do it differently and for other reasons, than I, but their experience with their recipe is real and valid.