Teach Soap

My original focus with soapmaking wasn't actually to make soap, but rather, to learn about something that was done prior to the year 1600 CE and how it was done. Now that I've got a few "period" soap recipes (that is, soaps that were made in my time period of interest), what I really need is some period methods for implementing the recipes.

Stainless steel wasn't available. Copper pots are ferociously expensive; ceramic pots of the size I need (5kg batches, ideally) aren't much better. Living in an apartment building with no yard, I can't dig down and make an underground oven to heat soap pots above ground. Tin melts at too low a temperature. Cast iron...

...Actually, cast iron would be perfect, if it doesn't react with the lye and throw off the saponification. Does anyone know if it does, or if there are any other medieval-or-prior solutions I haven't found yet?

What a neat idea! Every time I make soap I think back to the days when it was a necessity rather than a hobby/luxury.

When I was little I went to a 4H camp where they told us about making soap, but we didn't actually do it, because it was too dangerous and they told us about the quality of handmade soap (hard chunks of harsh soap). Scared me to death! I'm glad I've learned if you know what you are doing, and have proper equipment hand made soap is wonderful

I'd love to hear about the historical information you've dug up!

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Nikki
www.bamboosoapcompany.com

me too

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Dawn

My grandmother made soap outside over a fire. I was too small at the time to notice what type of a material her pot was, but it was definitely cooked. Her wood molds were lined with very damp, closely woven cloth.

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

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

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Shelia
Newbie still learning.....