Question about trace ..

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tklechak

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I was wondering what I could do to SLOW DOWN trace. I know a lot of people would like to speed up trace time, but I'm just the opposite. My soap is tracing so fast that I can barely get it into the mold after blending after only 2-3 minutes.

Here's my recipe:
15 % Coconut Oil
35% Olive Oil
20% Shea Butter
20% Lard
10% Beeswax

Thanks for your input !!!! Timm .....
 
I was wondering what I could do to SLOW DOWN trace. I know a lot of people would like to speed up trace time, but I'm just the opposite. My soap is tracing so fast that I can barely get it into the mold after blending after only 2-3 minutes.

Here's my recipe:
15 % Coconut Oil
35% Olive Oil
20% Shea Butter
20% Lard
10% Beeswax

Thanks for your input !!!! Timm .....
I would cut the beeswax, which you really do not need, to 2%, cut the shea to 10% and adding the balance to the lard. You could also split the difference between the lard and olive. In my humble opinion of olive oil in soap you already have plenty so I would up the lard.
 
I would cut the beeswax, which you really do not need, to 2%, cut the shea to 10% and adding the balance to the lard. You could also split the difference between the lard and olive. In my humble opinion of olive oil in soap you already have plenty so I would up the lard.
Carolynz ... Thank You!! I went and looked at my recipe and cut the beeswax to 3% and made up the difference in lard. I guess I'm too impatient, so we'll see how it comes out!! Timm ......
 
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Also the way you make your soap can have a huge impact on the time to trace. I can use one basic recipe and get 15 minutes or more of open time or under 5 minutes just by varying what I do. (But I do agree with the others about your recipe -- 10% beeswax is too much.)

So ... what is your general method? How do you use a stick blender ... or do you use one? ... how much hand stirring do you use? How long do you want the working time to be vs. how long do you actually get? If you ~think~ the batter temp is 110 to 120 F, obviously you're not using a thermometer, so how do you evaluate that?
 
You could also cut the CO to 10% as you have a lot of hard oils. I'd add all the extras to OO rather than lard because I like OO. Maybe try one with OO and one with lard and see which you prefer.

Newby has an excellent video on emulsion 2nd video in the 3rd post:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=60959

Just changing the temps in the same recipe can effect trace.
 
Also the way you make your soap can have a huge impact on the time to trace. I can use one basic recipe and get 15 minutes or more of open time or under 5 minutes just by varying what I do. (But I do agree with the others about your recipe -- 10% beeswax is too much.)

So ... what is your general method? How do you use a stick blender ... or do you use one? ... how much hand stirring do you use? How long do you want the working time to be vs. how long do you actually get? If you ~think~ the batter temp is 110 to 120 F, obviously you're not using a thermometer, so how do you evaluate that?
yes, I was using a thermometer. I only said 110-120 because I don't remember right off the top of my head. I changed the beeswax to 3% and changed the lard to 27%. This time I got impatient and added the lye water too soon (about 150 degrees). I now have a giant mess ......
 
yes, I was using a thermometer. I only said 110-120 because I don't remember right off the top of my head. I changed the beeswax to 3% and changed the lard to 27%. This time I got impatient and added the lye water too soon (about 150 degrees). I now have a giant mess ......


I use cold lye mix now and it makes a difference to trace.
Shea butter even at 10% speeds trace. If I'm doing fancy colour techniques I leave the shea out and it's a breeze - no other changes. So annoying.
 
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"...I now have a giant mess..."

Yep, I imagine you do. But I still don't have a clear idea of how you make the soap -- your technique. And what useful working time are you wanting to get?
 
"...I now have a giant mess..."

Yep, I imagine you do. But I still don't have a clear idea of how you make the soap -- your technique. And what useful working time are you wanting to get?
DeeAnna .... I'll try to explain what I do .. I measure out the oils, and then warm them until all are liquid. I then add lye to water. I wait until both are about 130 degrees, and then add the lye water to the oils. Stick blend to trace. After that, batter (??) seems to set up quickly ... can barely get it into the mold. And yes, I'm new to this, so I'm sure I'm probably doing a lot of stuff wrong. You asked what useful working time I am wanting to get .... For now, I would just like to get it in the mold and have it level and smooth itself out. Thanks for your help (and everyone else's) !!!!! Timm ......
 
Not DeeAnna, but have you checked out that link to the post with the video? How much are you stuck blending in comparison to that?

Maybe 2 minutes ... except for today. As soon as the lye water hit the oils BAM !!! Not sure, but I might have been able to save it ... Got to go ... have a mess to clean before my wife gets home ...
 
That's not a crazy strong lye solution.

I am struggling to see why this batter moves faster than a nymphomaniac on a tinder date, I really am.

I think the best bet would be to take time for a full blow-by-blow run down. Where do you buy each ingredient, what brand is it, in what do you heat it, in what do you measure it, in what do you mix it, with what do you stir.......really as detailed as you can be to see if there is something obvious that's not obvious (using aluminum pans to mix in, for example)
 
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