Visitors since August 2008
Soap ready to be poured into the mould. In this case, a cardboard flat lined with butcher paper.
Some dipped candles cooling. The bundle of sticks they are draped over prevents them form touching.
Soap-making is a great thing to do for many reasons. First of all, it’s easy.
You can make enough soap in a couple of nights to clean yourself, all your stuff, and most of your friends for a year. This is why soap-making was a big annual event to our ancestors. Prior to the early twentieth century, soap was mostly produced in the home for use by the immediate family. This soap was rich and creamy, and not usually very harsh by today’s standards. Most historical accounts that I have found are based on just a few standard recipes that were so common that few people seem to have bothered to write them down.
Where does soap come from?
Proper soap seems to have been introduced by the Moors and possibly the Arabs into Europe during the later Middle Ages probably after they got tired of sacking towns full of smelly Europeans and having to deal with stinking Crusaders and Pilgrims (early hippies) hanging around the Holy Land. Prior to this, Europeans (when they washed at all) either took to the saunas or washed with olive oil and scraped off the dirt, oil, and dead skin with a wooden spatula.
What does it actually do?
Soap is a surficant that breaks up dirt and grease and releases it from the surface to which it was clinging. Its secondary effect is as an anti-bacterial agent due to its extreme causticness. As a chemical note; skin (and all animal grease) is slightly acidic and soap is somewhat basic. This difference helps lift out grease and oil which is useful when working hides into buckskins or fur pelts.
How to make soap.
There are several good “how to” books available on making soap. Its probably a good idea to avoid any tricky or complicated recipes until you have made a few basic batches.
The process of soap-making.
Unless specified otherwise, measure by weight.
1. Measure oils (fats, tallow, beeswax)
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2.Heat oils and wax (if used) until melted and blended.
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3.Let cool to 54.5 ° C (130° F).
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4. In a separate container, mix lye into water (it will heat naturally).
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5. Let cool to 54.5 ° C (130° F).
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6. Add the lye mixture into the oils while stirring with a wooden spoon.
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7. Stir occasionally until it begins to “trace”. This is when it saponifies (becomes soap).
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8. At trace, this is the time to add essential oils, spices, other oils or fats, pumice, etc. and stir.
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9. Grease mould(s), pour in soap.
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10. Cover with towel or cloth and let set somewhere warm for 24-48 hours.
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11. If relatively solid, turn out of mould. If you used one large mould, this is the time to cut into bars.
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12. Let age several weeks.
Recipe 1:
Basic Castille Soap (Castille means no animal fats)
30 oz olive oil. You can replace this with all or part vegetable oil, but olive makes a nice soap.
2 oz beeswax. This makes the bars nice and solid.
10 oz water.
4 oz pure lye. Buy this in the plumbing section of the hardware or grocery store.
Up to 2 Tbsp of essential oils, fragrance, spices.
Mix oil and wax in pan, melt, let cool to 54.5 ° C (130° F).
Mix water and lye and allow to cool.
When both are 130 °, mix together and stir.
Stir occasionally. This can take 40 minutes or a little more. Do not let it fully thicken or it won’t pour.
Add extras, stir, pour quickly into greased mould.
Cover with cloth, let sit in warm place, and check in 12 hours.
If it has separated, don’t panic yet. Stir together and re-check in 12 hours.
After about 48 hours, turn out the mould.
Cover with cloth and allow to stiffen. Cut into bars.
Let stand for 4-6 weeks (2 weeks absolute minimum).
Recipe 2:
Simplest tallow soap
16 oz tallow (rendered), or lard or shortening (softer soap)
2 oz lye
5 oz water
Follow the same procedures as above.
Recipe 3:
Another Basic soap
16 oz tallow (rendered)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp lye
1 cup water
2-3 Tbsp essential oils
Follow the same procedures as above.
While you’re waiting for your soap to mature, why not make some candles.
Pages in this web site:
Archery, Bow Making, Osage Bows, Arrows, Spearthrowers, Hide Tanning, Boomerangs,
Gourd-working, Flint-knapping, Chicken-Raising, Soap-Making, Tools/Woodworking, Music, Furniture,
and other skills for simple living.