What's your typical superfat?

[surf girl]

I know superfat % can vary, but I'm wondering if people generally stick to a particular % range when they soap.

I typically have been using 5%, occasionally 7%. There's the odd exception, but that's what I use as a rule. I'm interested to know if people have distinct preferences.

PS I had a >15% option, but the poll limits it to the choices above.

 

[Imblebee]

I've only been going by the default in soap calc. Looks like I need to do a little more experimenting!

 

[Lindy]

Hey Surf Girl - I generally SF @ 8%....

 

[LJA]

I do 7% usually...

 

[rubato456]

i'm between 5 and 8%

 

[Guest]

Between 5 and 6% but for my salt bar I did 15.

 

[Guest]

Mostly 5% here , sometimes a little higher.

Kitn

 

[michelleB]

I voted 6-8% but I actually superfat between 5.5% - 6.5%

My only two exceptions are salt bars and my grannys lye soap

 

[surf girl]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Looks like the general upper end is 8% for a "this is my usual" superfat.

 

[IrishLass]

5% is my usual superfat for most of my soaps.

If I'm making a 100% goat milk soap, I lower it to 3%.

If I'm making one of those really high % coconut oil recipes, I superfat between 15% and 20%.

IrishLass

 

[renaissancemom]

are you all refering to the discount you take overall or the amount you add at trace that does not saponify?

 

[surf girl]

renaissance, as far as I know, adding oil at trace makes no difference to what oils saponify and what oils don't - at the time of trace, there's only a very low level of saponification that has occurred (I am referring to CP, not HP). So the percentage is the overall discount.

Maybe the HPers can comment if they do two separate discount calculations?

 

[Guest]

renaissance, as far as I know, adding oil at trace makes no difference to what oils saponify and what oils don't - at the time of trace, there's only a very low level of saponification that has occurred (I am referring to CP, not HP). So the percentage is the overall discount.

Maybe the HPers can comment if they do two separate discount calculations?

I've never actually added any extra base oil at trace to SF. The way I do it is just following the lye calculator looking to see what 5-6% is. I was going to try adding some at a light trace but reading that, I won't bother.

 

[IrishLass]

I've never actually added any extra base oil at trace to SF. The way I do it is just following the lye calculator looking to see what 5-6% is. I was going to try adding some at a light trace but reading that, I won't bother.

That's the way I do it, too- type in the superfat % you want and then combine all the oils together up front. A whopping 85% to 90% of the lye is still active at trace (meaning that only a mere 10% to 15% of the oils/fats have actually been saponified by then), so it's really more trouble than its worth to add any oils/fats at trace unless one is doing HP.

IrishLass

 

[renaissancemom]

I've been superfatting by 10% but according to the poll an extremely small percentage of you discount that high. I am now wondering if I am discounting too much. What would be the benefits or the harm in taking this type of discount?