# Soap Recipe Question



## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Would someone please help me with this recipe?

4 oz. Olive Oil
2.5 oz. Coconut Oil
1.5 oz. Palm Oil
1.15 oz. Lye
3.5 Oz. Frozen Goat Milk

My question is this, my scale does not show 1.15 oz. How do I figure this amount or what would be the amount of lye I would use?


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

On that small of a batch, just to be safe, I would round out the measurement to 1.1oz. Also, that is too much milk. Your bar will end up being too soft. I'd only use 2.5 oz. of milk.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Does your scale weigh in grams?? I'd definitely switch it to grams since it is such a small batch.

113.4 gram Olive Oil
70.8 gram Coconut Oil
42.5 gram Palm Oil
31.2 gram Lye
70.8 gram Frozen Goat Milk


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

lathermaker said:


> On that small of a batch, just to be safe, I would round out the measurement to 1.1oz. Also, that is too much milk. Your bar will end up being too soft. I'd only use 2.5 oz. of milk.


Thank you, I used your measurements on the batch of soap I made today.


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Does your scale weigh in grams?? I'd definitely switch it to grams since it is such a small batch.
> 
> 113.4 gram Olive Oil
> 70.8 gram Coconut Oil
> ...


Yes it weighs in grams ... but I couldn't figure out how to read it in grams. I know, you guys are thinking to yourself - and she wants to make soap?

I weighed the frozen goat milk in grams and that looked pretty much like the amount I'd been using (3.5oz.), I then weighed the lye and I can't remember now but however I was reading that scale as 31.2 grams was way to much lye ... therefore I KNOW I was reading it wrong. I've already botched up three batches of this same soap, I didn't want to make it #4 (not by using your measurements MullerLane, it's because I don't know how to read my scale in grams).

The batch I made this morning I used the 1.1 oz of lye and cut back on the milk to 2.5 oz like Lathermaker suggested. I'm so excited, this time I actually got a nice smooth mixture to pour into my mold, I want to peek so bad under that cover just to make sure it's stays looking like soap and not like my other messes. I do think maybe I figured out part of what I was doing wrong. I've never used a hand blender before when I made soap years ago using Crisco, I just hand stirred it. I'm thinking I might have been over stirring it. I'd have the hand blender in the soap and that's what I was using when looking for a trace. This morning I had my scraper in one hand and the hand blender in the other, I'd use the blender for a few seconds then stir a little with my scraper looking for a trace. I did that a few times and all a sudden when I checked with the scraper I got a trace ... I was shocked. I'm hoping I just wasn't able to actually see the trace trying to find it with the hand blender and won't be messing up anymore recipes. Ha, I can always hope anyway.

Thanks again for the help.

If nothing else I gave all you soap makers a good laugh.


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## homemaid (Apr 26, 2011)

I for one would not laugh at someones mistakes... It is costly and we have all done it once oe twice ourselves. I hope this batch turns out great for you..


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Laugh  at  you? I think not. Laugh  with  you, any time you want.

There's a learning curve and we've all been there.

Folks that laugh AT other people's mistakes is in my top 3 pet peeves.


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Laugh  at  you? I think not. Laugh  with  you, any time you want.

I should have made explained more when I made the remark "If nothing else I gave all you soap makers a good laugh". I meant a good laugh for the fact I didn't know how to read my scale when I set it to grams.

The batch of soap turned out OK, it's to soon yet to see if I like it or not in the shower.

I tried a new recipe the other day without using palm oil. It used castor oil, coconut oil and olive oil, goat milk and of course lye. I have to take it out of the molds today. I put it in little containers so I didn't have to cut it as that's what I have trouble with, the cutting of the bars. The soap wants to stick to my knife.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

If you're not opposed to using animal oils, try your original recipe but substitute lard for the palm. Remember to recalculate the lye amount.


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> If you're not opposed to using animal oils, try your original recipe but substitute lard for the palm. Remember to recalculate the lye amount.



Thanks Cyndi, I never once gave that a thought.

I just printed off three of the recipes you have on your web site and am wanting to try them also.

I'm not sure I know how to use the lye calc., I've messed with it a few times and will try again with substituting the lard for the palm oil but I'll post back here first (in a new thread maybe) to make sure I did the calculator correctly so I don't waste any more ingredients.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

uncleotis said:


> I put it in little containers so I didn't have to cut it as that's what I have trouble with, the cutting of the bars. The soap wants to stick to my knife.


Try cutting it with taut wire, like a block of cheese. I made a garrote with a piece of thin wire wrapped around a couple pieces of dowel, since my soap is about the same density as cheddar when I unmold, it works so much better for me than a knife!

Something like this:


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## uncleotis (Mar 14, 2005)

Thanks PlicketyCat for both the picture and idea, I'll give that a try.


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