Is it sticky or is crumbly?

[sl567]

I can't decide whether to describe my soap as sticky or crumbly. When I cut the soap using my wonderful soapmakingresource.com mold/cutter, the soap is coming apart. (Pics attached) I have 2 recipes and one is worse than the other (the one with honey, oatmeal and shea butter) From what I have read here, I wonder if my lye is a bit too much. I am superfatting at 5%. With goat's milk, should I use 3%? I use soapcalc to make my recipes and the difference in lye was only 3 grams when I played with that change. I was surprised that was enough difference to matter. I do weigh the lye on a digital scale in grams. (It only measures whole grams, no decimal places)

Haven't tried the zap test--why am I so squeamish about that?
Here are photos.

 

[judymoody]

Perhaps the soap you made with honey overheated? Sugars can contribute to a quick, hot gel.

5% is not too much of a lye discount and I wouldn't reduce it further when using milk (which can also contribute to overheating).

If you are using wood molds that will also trap the heat.

Could you post your complete recipe including water and lye amounts, all additives, soaping temperatures, etc.?

 

[sl567]

Thanks Judy--here is my recipe for a 3lb. batch
Coconut oil 11.84 oz. 37%
Olive oil 14.4 oz. 45%
Castor oil 2.56 oz. 8%
Palm oil 3.2 oz. 10%
Milk 12.16 oz.
Lye 132.048 grams
Essential oil 1.5 oz.

My scale only gives me 1 decimal point on oz. and none on grams so all above are rounded appropriately.

Re: temps: my milk is frozen in cubes when I add lye and I use an ice bath. Temp never gets past about 90 or maybe less--I only have a candy thermometer that doesn't read lower than 90-ish. Oils are lower than 90 when I add milk/lye. I keep an eye on temp the whole time. After I pour into molds, I put mold in fridge. Have tried leaving it there 24 hours up to 72 hours and still have the problem, though sometimes it is worse than others. The batch with the 2 colors you see in the photo was really bad.

 

[houseofwool]

Sometimes when I cut too soon, I get edges that break off like that. It isn't really crumbly like it is lye heavy, but more like a chuck of putty that broke off.


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[Ancel]

Have you zap tested it? That will tell you if it's lye heavy. I'm sure someone will run this through soapcalc and give you a better answer, but it looks like a lot of coconut oil. If you are soaping at rt and leaving in the fridge for a long time it shouldn't be a problem with overheating. You say it happens to both recipes, but this one more: what's your oil percentages for the other soap? What do you do differently?


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[judymoody]

Have you let the soap come completely to room temperature before cutting? If it's too cold it can break like that.

 

[SoapyGoats]

My soap does that quite often, as well.

 

[sl567]

Have you let the soap come completely to room temperature before cutting? If it's too cold it can break like that.

That is exactly what I am wondering. I do take it out of the fridge and cut right away so maybe that is the problem. will try next batch.

 

[sl567]

Have you zap tested it? That will tell you if it's lye heavy. I'm sure someone will run this through soapcalc and give you a better answer, but it looks like a lot of coconut oil. If you are soaping at rt and leaving in the fridge for a long time it shouldn't be a problem with overheating. You say it happens to both recipes, but this one more: what's your oil percentages for the other soap? What do you do differently?


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I did make my recipe at soapcalc and adjusted until I had all the soap qualities within the recommended ranges. Are you thinking a lot of coconut oil means it is too hard?

 

[sl567]

Any other thoughts on this? I tried letting my most recent batch come to room temp before cutting and there was no change in the result.

 

[shunt2011]

Too much coconut can cause your soap to be drying. I never go over 20% in my recipes. Also, it does help your soap to be harder. I think you are cutting it too soon instead of letting it come to room temp and then cutting it. Shouldn't crumble on you like that.

 

[TVivian]

Hmm.. My humble opinion is that you're cutting too soon. I would let the soap sit out at room temperature for another 24 hours and give it a try.


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[honor435]

I agree too much coconut oil, add more palm. Why do you put in fridge? just cover it and let it sit.