Lye Heavy, Bad Ash, or Steric Acid?

[dcsharpe]

I made a batch of CP soap and did use soapcalc.net to figure everything. Added a tbs of pumpkin puree along with pumpkin pie fragrance from Bramble berry to half and did an ITP swirl. I got ash but I seem to get this every time I CP soap. This time I also got some streaks. They appear to all be on top after slicing. I tried to use my phenolphthalein drops to test then I realized that there is a good possibility that if it is steric acid streaks, duh, that's an acid so it would react too. There is olive oil, coconut, palm oil, and castor in my batch and distilled water. Here are a couple pics.

Is it just me or does this one look like a skully, who is angry?

Canker sore looking spot

The cut side

I used a potato peeler on the top of one and it doesn't go too deep. Do you think this is a safe batch or should I trash it or rebatch it or just shave it? Any thoughts?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

What sort of reaction do you get from the zap test? You didn't say how long ago it was and if you tried to prevent gel or make it fully gel or anything.

But assuming it should be safely saponified, have you tried zap testing it at all?

 

[seven]

2nd photo looks like a lye pocket... Cmiiw

 

[boyago]

The phenolphthalein will turn that bright magenta you see when in contact with a base (high PH) and just be clear when exposed to an acid (your oils) the reaction you took a picture of indicates a high PH which is not at all unusual for a fresh soap as your NaOH is still working in there when the soap is fresh. How old is this soap?

 

[dcsharpe]

Sorry, I made it last Wednesday so almost 1 week old. I put it in the oven but not with it warmed or on. Just to keep the heat in and protect it from children and pets while it did it's thing. It did gel. Actually, it is possible I didn't mix it as much as I should have because I was trying to pour at a thin trace. It did definitely have trails on the surface like it was traced but I guess it could have been a false trace? The streaks only seem to be in the part of the soap that has the fragrance and pumpkin in them, the parts darkened from the vanilla content of the fragrance.
I will go try the zap test now…….

No zap. Not even directly on a white spot.

Did I mention, I do not like the taste of soap, lol!

What sort of reaction do you get from the zap test? You didn't say how long ago it was and if you tried to prevent gel or make it fully gel or anything.

But assuming it should be safely saponified, have you tried zap testing it at all?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

..............Did I mention, I do not like the taste of soap, lol!

I don't think too many people do! Glad it doesn't zap, but then it seems really strange issues. :eh:

 

[seven]

i once had a batch with several white spots that look like lye pockets, similar like yours (not in every bar, only 2-3). did not zap. did not even burn my skin when i used it. still did not feel comfortable in selling it though, so i ended up just keeping the whole batch for my personal stash. that happened when i forgot to strain my lye solution.

 

[songwind]

that happened when i forgot to strain my lye solution.

You strain your lye solution? May I ask what for?

I've never done so, and more to the point I've never had anything strainable in it. (Aside from perhaps a bit of dust or such the time I forgot to wash out my mixing cup before making the solution.)

 

[seven]

You strain your lye solution? May I ask what for?



I've never done so, and more to the point I've never had anything strainable in it. (Aside from perhaps a bit of dust or such the time I forgot to wash out my mixing cup before making the solution.)

When i 1st started, i was using powdered lye and there were white floating bits. I have since changed to flakes which is a lot better, but it has become a habit. Also, i used silk and SL. And sometimes i also put TD in my lye solution, so straining is better me thinks.

 

[cmzaha]

It severly overheated which pumpkin pie spice fo can do. Next time put it in the freezer instead of the oven. Only you can really tell with the spot. It is zaps it is probably lye or it could be a blob of oil

 

[shunt2011]

I agree that it looks like it overheated. I too strain my lye water as I've had bits of undissolved lye in my mix when I was using flakes.

 

[dcsharpe]

Thank you!

Thank you for all the info. I feel better about it after the zap test (other than the taste in my mouth, lol!) Is overheating something that can cause ash? Every batch of CP that I try lately seems to get ash. Granted it has only been a couple batches. When I do hot process in my crock pot, it doesn't get the ash.

 

[boyago]

I don't think too many people do! Glad it doesn't zap, but then it seems really strange issues. :eh:

I read somewhere the whole "wash your mouth out with soap" thing came from the old fashioned homemade soap tending to be lye heavy and the punishment came from the lye numbing the mouth and making speech difficult. Not sure how true that is though.

 

[CaraBou]

Did I mention, I do not like the taste of soap, lol!

I read somewhere the whole "wash your mouth out with soap" thing came from the old fashioned homemade soap tending to be lye heavy and the punishment came from the lye numbing the mouth and making speech difficult. Not sure how true that is though.

Every time I taste my soap, I am pleasantly surprised. Now I know why!