Teach Soap

Hi Everyone,
Is there a way to salvage my failed CP?
I'm thinking that either my lye and and oils were not hot enough OR I didn't get it to trace. My idea was to gently and slowly heat it up in a double boiler to 110 and blend it longer.
Any and all ideas are welcome
Also, if I start over, is putting the entire mix down the drain the best thing to do with it? Just double checking!

Thanks a million!

Jeannine

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

What was your recipe, method and superfat? I would NOT put that mix down the drain.

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

This was my recipe from Anne Watson's book. Lye mix and oils were about 95 degrees.
Shea Butter Soap
10.5 oz (298 g) coconut oil
10.5 oz (298 g) olive oil
9 oz (255 g) shea butter
8 oz (227 g) distilled water
4.2 oz (119) lye

Thanks for all your help Irena!

Jeannine

_________________
Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

Forgot to mention that I used 1.2 oz of bramble berry gingersnap FO

Jeannine

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

I would have soaped higher, like 110 degrees. It's possible that some of the stearic started to solidify and you got a false trace. For that size batch, I would have used 8 to 11 fluid ounces of liquid like water. I haven't used that FO, but I find that working with spices, it's easier to use the full amount of water. The rest looks ok to me. I find that much coconut for my type of skin drying though.

If you used an accurate scale and measured all the ingredients correctly, you can try to rebatch in a crock pot or the oven. Using a double boiler will take a looong time for the soap to melt. Be aware that rebatched soap is more the consistency of mashed potatoes or applesauce. You will be glopping into your mold instead of pouring.

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

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

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

Irena the lifesaver! I'm going to try this a bit later. I'll let you know how it goes

Thanks!

Jeannine (aka Irena's pain in the behind)

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

If that doesn't work out, just trash it. No need to waste more ingredients or your time. I would start very simple for your next batch. No color, no fragrance, no milk. That will give you a better idea of what trace looks like, you won't need to heat up your water at all (as the lye will heat it up plenty) and you can safely put this batch in the oven if you want to.

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

Figured this won't be my last failed attempt so got a crockpot after reading http://www.millersoap.com/trouble.html#remelt
I'm guessing I'll heat it to 110 then blend til I see trace...

Jeannine

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

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

Just rebatched it. Wow it got hot in the crockpot! Hope it worked or I'll just have to find a soapmaking teacher. I'll let you know how it goes.

Jeannine

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

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

No luck but I gave it a good try. Next batch I'll be following all the suggestions you gave me Irena like a more basic recipe

Jeannine

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Jeannine

~the journey is everything~

If you're using Anne Watson's book, I think she has an all veg oil recipe later in the book that might at least be cheaper to experiment with than the Shea Butter one she presents first. But she does use very little water, as you saw from your other post -- I think I calculated it out once to like, 28%. The soap will cure more quickly, but it doesn't leave you a lot of time to work with finicky FOs/EOs!

I think the first time I made that recipe I blended well past the first indication of trace, just to make sure! It was like pudding going into the mold, but it was definitely traced... I do use her "temperature" technique for trace when I need to work with early trace, but it helps if you know how traced soap should look, too Experience will get ya that!

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CP newbie who's turning into a soaping addict!