Lots of handmilling questions. Read at your own risk!

[adoptapitbull]

So far I understand that an ugly batch (or batches) can be melted down and re-molded (I know, it's not a word). Is this a correct assumption? How many more steps are needed?

Can you melt only batches with the same recipe together? Say my first two batches, a goat's milk with PO, CO, and OO, or my castile with water, OO and teeny bits of CO and canola/soybean....could they be handmilled?

What is the cure time? Same as a new soap?

Can you add more fragrance or color to the soap before you mold it?

Are there any big "no-no"s for handmilling? For example, two soaps you should never handmill together?

So sorry for all the newbie questions. I just saw someone handmill all of her shavings, scraps, ugly bars together and then sell it for more than regular soaps! I suppose it's good that you have no wasted soap though

 

[carebear]

the only no-no is don't add too much liquid. if it is fresh soap then you needn't add any; if cured soap then just a tablespoon or so. I personally think milk works better than water, but don't ask me why.

try not to let the mass dry out.

there are instructions on here somewhere - probably a few places. key word = rebatch.

 

[KellieT]

I don't know if my opinion matters for anything since all I do is handmill and I don't make my own cp soap. For cured soap you need a fair amount of liquid something like 1/2 cup of liquid to 2 cups of soap shavings as well as adding more oils to make your finished product even richer than it was before.

I apologize if I spoke out of turn.

 

[KellieT]

By the way, I love the name, I have 2 pitties myself, Chloe who is my service dog and Isabella a 5 month old sweet pea, they fit in great with the rest of the dogs and farm.

 

[carebear]

I don't know if my opinion matters for anything since all I do is handmill and I don't make my own cp soap. For cured soap you need a fair amount of liquid something like 1/2 cup of liquid to 2 cups of soap shavings as well as adding more oils to make your finished product even richer than it was before.

I apologize if I spoke out of turn.

kellie, even for cured soap that's a LOT of water. I'd not go beyond 1-2 tablespoon per pound, else you will get a lot of shrinkage as they "cure".

do you heat yours, perhaps, on direct heat?

where do you get your soap?

 

[KellieT]

I heat mine in a double boiler set up. Currently I'm buying soap from the store, not sure if it's alright to mention the brand, but a woman I worked with has agreed to make goat's milk lye soap for me if I got her everything she needed, so I'll need to weigh out the costs and see where it gets me.

As for shrinkage, I've got bars that are over 2 months cured and I've seen little shrinkage in them. Maybe I've just got lucky.

 

[carebear]

Or maybe the base (feel free to name names) is very very dry?
I know if I rebatch my own that'd be WAY over the top!

But whatever works!