Teach Soap

Every now and then I run a new recipe through a soap cal or two, mostly BB and Soapcal. I never use more than 11.40 lye to 86oz of oils but the soap cals always say to use around 11.70 or 11.80 depending on oils. I never have soft soap or DOS (well DOS once) so my question is, is there another reason why I should use more lye than I do? Thanks.

_________________
Four Seasons Fine Handcrafted Soaps
& Specialties, Inc.
Laugh, Love, Live!

It depends how much you are superfating. More superfat (lye discount) the less lye you would need. The more lye the less superfat or lye discount.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks Soapbuddy, I was just wondering why I use less than what the soapcals state is needed for my 7% discount and my soap still turns into soap, granted it takes longer to cure than if I use the full amount of lye in my soap, but I find it more mild. Just was not sure if there was another reason the soap cals call for more lye.

_________________
Four Seasons Fine Handcrafted Soaps
& Specialties, Inc.
Laugh, Love, Live!

The SAP value of each oil has a range ie: 100-150. Different soap calcs use different numbers thus the lye difference. It shouldn't be too much of a difference.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I don't know about Brambleberry, as I don't use that lye calculator, but I believe SoapCalc's default superfat setting is 5%. If you are using a 7% superfat, but don't change the default on SoapCalc from 5 to 7, it will come up with a higher lye amount for a 5% than for a 7%.

Anita

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.