I typically soap with veggie oils, but am out of said veggie oils so I decided to get the lard out. I have only used lard once and that was probably a year ago, anyway I am wondering if it is typical for lard to be soft at first. My recipe is 80% lard and 20% PKO - this batch took a long time to trace from what I am accustomed to and then it slid right out of the PVC mold and is soft. Will it harden up or did I mess up along the way. I have looked at all my numbers again and they seem to be okay (unless my scale was off) I just can't explain what might have gone wrong.Or is soft lard soap normal?
Lard Soapers I need input
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I don't know the answer to this one so I will just keep you company while we wait for someone who knows to come by - btw - I'm curious too.... 
lathermaker
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Lard soaps are notoriously sloooooow to trace, but are usually pretty hard right out of the mold. I unmold mine at about 18 hours or so. How much water are you using, and what % lye discount?
I used the Soap Calc 9 default for this batch Water is at 38% and Lye concentration is 27.029%. I don't use deep water discounts yet.
Even today the soap is very soft. I am going to try another batch today. This time with a little PKO and Coconut.
Even today the soap is very soft. I am going to try another batch today. This time with a little PKO and Coconut.
Dixie
Well-Known Member
I'm just a newbie with only 14 batches under my belt, but....
I've used lard in four batches and they are not soft at all. Hope you figure it out.
I've used lard in four batches and they are not soft at all. Hope you figure it out.
i hate the term lard, lets say soybean oil! anyway, i use it but i havent used it in such high amt, mine seems to trace ok and harden ok, i did notice it cooks way faster in crock. Give it time, i think it will harden, my pvc soap took 4 wks to get real hard, i though it was going to be a rebatch.
Pug Mom
Well-Known Member
My first back with lard was VERY SOFT, I couldn't unmold it for over a week. I think it had something to do with no water discount. Now I heavily doscount my lard soaps, and all is right with the world... It whould harden if you give it time. That is what happened to mine anyway...
G
Guest
I have used lard and found it slower to trace and a lot longer to firm up.It was softish for about 3 weeks, now it is fine and it makes an awesome bubbly soft lather, skin loving soap.
Kitn
Kitn
I use lard quite often and it makes a nice bar of soap that is fairly hard within 12 hours after pour, but I use a 33% lye solution instead of the 38% default 'water as % of oils' amount on SoapCalc. Their default is just way too much water for me, and is most likely the cause of your batch being so soft right off the bat. Give it time and it will harden up nicely, though.
I would try using a 33% lye solution next time (28% 'water as % of oils' amount). A 33% lye solution is actually a pretty tame, middle of the road water discount, even for newbies, if I may daresay. I started using a 33% lye solution myself when I was still a 'wet-behind-the-ears-newbie' on the advice of an experienced soaper, and I've never looked back. It's an especially tame amount when using lard, too, since it (lard) helps to slow down trace. My lard soaps done with a 33% lye solution take about 15 - 20 minutes or so to come to full trace. My non-lard soaps with a 33% lye solution take about 8 to 10 minutes on average to come to full trace.
IrishLass
I would try using a 33% lye solution next time (28% 'water as % of oils' amount). A 33% lye solution is actually a pretty tame, middle of the road water discount, even for newbies, if I may daresay. I started using a 33% lye solution myself when I was still a 'wet-behind-the-ears-newbie' on the advice of an experienced soaper, and I've never looked back. It's an especially tame amount when using lard, too, since it (lard) helps to slow down trace. My lard soaps done with a 33% lye solution take about 15 - 20 minutes or so to come to full trace. My non-lard soaps with a 33% lye solution take about 8 to 10 minutes on average to come to full trace.
IrishLass
Well the original lard batch is still soft. I am now thinking I must have measured something incorrectly. I have since changed up my recipe a bit to add some coconut oil. I am now at 80% lard, 10% coconut oil and 10% pko. This new formula is rock hard and has awesome lather. I am not much for lard, but it is what I have one hand right now, and I am trying to formulate a working hands / gritty type soap - so lard works out actually very well for this type of soap.
Thanks all for your advice and input.
Thanks all for your advice and input.
My lard soaps are all nice and hard within 12 or so hours never really soft beyond a day tops if I use full water.
They're not the same thing though so that could confuse people.
Lard = from pig fat
Soybean Oil = well soybean oil or even shortening but it's vegetable not animal and they're way different in soap from lard.
They're not the same thing though so that could confuse people.
Lard = from pig fat
Soybean Oil = well soybean oil or even shortening but it's vegetable not animal and they're way different in soap from lard.
Peggi
Member
Lard = from pig fat
Soybean Oil = well soybean oil or even shortening but it's vegetable not animal and they're way different in soap from lard.[/quote]
Does anyone here know if vegetable shortening (solid soy) and vegetable oil (liquid soy) can be used interchangably in a recipe?
I have a recipe that calls for shortening and wondered if I could just substitute V-oil.
Soybean Oil = well soybean oil or even shortening but it's vegetable not animal and they're way different in soap from lard.[/quote]
Does anyone here know if vegetable shortening (solid soy) and vegetable oil (liquid soy) can be used interchangably in a recipe?
I have a recipe that calls for shortening and wondered if I could just substitute V-oil.
G
Guest
From what you've described -- slow trace, slid out of mold, very soft -- I'd say it was the high water content. I'd try discounting the water next time.
I've found in general that 38% is too much water for my soaps. I soap at 27-30% and get much better results!
I've found in general that 38% is too much water for my soaps. I soap at 27-30% and get much better results!
Peggi said:
Does anyone here know if vegetable shortening (solid soy) and vegetable oil (liquid soy) can be used interchangably in a recipe?
I have a recipe that calls for shortening and wondered if I could just substitute V-oil.[/quote]
You could sub it out, just be sure to run the new recipe thru soapcalc because shortening and liquid soybean oil are really 2 very different creatures.
http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalcWP.asp
Peggi
Member
shortening and liquid soybean oil are really 2 very different creatures.
http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalcWP.asp[/quote]
Thanks Rhonda....that's exactly what I needed to know!
P
http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalcWP.asp[/quote]
Thanks Rhonda....that's exactly what I needed to know!
P
Asil02
Well-Known Member
Some "shortening" is from soy. Some is from palm. Some are mixtures. But lard is a different "animal" all together. (pun intended :wink: )
honor435 said:
Most of it is soybean and cottonseed or just soybean, but when it's hydrogenated it changes it's properties so shortening and soybean oil are very different when it comes to the soaping qualities & properties.
Shortening properties from soap calc
Hardness - 24
Cleansing - 0
Condition - 49
Bubbly - 0
Creamy - 24
Iodine - 78
INS - 113
Fatty Acid Profile
Lauric - 0
Linoleic - 7
Linolenic - 1
Myristic -0
Oleic - 41
Palmitic - 9
Ricinoleic - 0
Stearic - 15
Soybean Oil properties from soap calc
Hardness - 16
Cleansing - 0
Condition - 82
Bubbly - 0
Creamy - 16
Iodine - 131
INS - 61
Fatty Acid Profile
Lauric - 0
Linoleic - 50
Linolenic - 8
Myristic -0
Oleic - 24
Palmitic - 11
Ricinoleic - 0
Stearic - 5
Asil02
Well-Known Member
Wow Rhonda good info. I have a can of hydrogenated palm (looks like Crisco)...how does that factor? And how do I put that in a calculator? TIA
