Teach Soap

Many of the soaps I have made are one extreme to another:

High olive oil recipes (50% or more....usually 70%)
High coconut oil recipes (70%-100%)

Some observation on the differences. You experts tell me if these are just my experience, or the real qualities of the two oils -

Even with low temps and non-accelerating FOs - coconut oil seems to trace pretty fast. Its such a different oil from slow trace olive oil I am wondering: is this a "norm" one needs to plan for in the future, or just my limited experience? Would one add MORE water to coconut oil batches to slow down trace similar to REDUCING water for olive oil batches to speed trace up?

Also - coconut oil batches, when they reach heavy trace, seem to be grainier - as if the molecules (?) of soap being created are bigger. Although I was anxious to get the batter into the mold as opposed to staring at it to try and figure out if it was that much different than tracing olive oil soap - so I am wondering. But I could swear both times I did high coconut oil the batter looked grainier than OO. Soaps are fine - my only gripe with my 100% coconut oil is that I should have superfatted at 20% instead of 10%.

Olive oil is normally a slow tracer. I find the exception to this if I use olive pomace. I don't get grains with a high coconut batch. At what temp are you soaping at? Normally, coconut will trace faster then olive.

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

Coconut needs a higher temp like 110. I would wait til your lye water is pretty close to that. The hotter the lye, the more chance that things can go wrong. Try a stainless whisk instead of a stick blender and pour at a thinner trace.

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

Couldn't you use canned air? Much less intrusive. I've had this laptop for about 5 years as I use it for back up. I've never taken it apart to clean it. It's in a fabric case when I don't use it and I don't eat in front of it.

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