Well, I've stepped off the slippery slope and begun making CP soap. Coming out of the gate, I started with this recipe: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soaprecipes/a/cpshavingrecipe.htm It makes a GREAT soap but has the fatal flaw of short-lived lather. In fact, Shaver X's review of NYR Men (http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/nyr-men-close-shave-soap-review.35542/) could have been written for this recipe. Well, this first shave soap tricked me into the whole wide world of making soap. It's HUGE, y'all! And full of distractions. But it also got me thinking... Do we have enough people into cold process soaps that we can collect a few recipes evaluated by TSDers? NOTE: I've got more of the above curing, but have tweaked by adding stearic acid and glycerin. I also have at least two other tests on the curing shelf. I'll let you guys know the results.
I haven't dabbled in the cold process making, but I have read that adding castor oil to a recipe gives the soap terrific lather making properties. Let us know how you get on !!!
OK... as of yesterday, one of my batches hit 28 days. We call that cured (even though the soap's properties continue to change over time). The recipe came from here: http://www.soap-making-resource.com/shaving-soap-recipe.html I used this soap today. First impression is a "go." It is quite nice, but the lather is still somewhat short-lived, but lasts longer than the above. However, like the recipe above, this soap does wonderful things to your skin! My face feels like I applied a nice moisturizing balm, but I didn't. Today's shave was conducted with preshave - Palmer's Moisturizing Body Oil http://palmers.com/product/detail.php?ID=66 soap - the above AS - Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum My skin feels very nice. I'll use it for a week or so and give an update.
Castor oil will up the lather quotient a lot. I have made a dozen or so batches of CP soap but haven't made a shaving soap yet. One thing I use in every batch since I was introduced to it is tussah silk. A pinch of this in your lye solution greatly enhances the slickness of a soaps lather.
Well, this weekend marked my 60th (give or take a couple) batch of CP soap. My wife has identified four permanent keepers for the bath, but I have yet to make a CP soap that I consider good enough to call a shave soap. The only real failing is that I just can't get the lather to last. <sigh> I had a couple of e-mails with Rod at Sterling Soap. IIRC, he may use both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. I know at least one soapmaker who used both NaOH and KOH to create a FANTASTIC shave soap (I was lucky enough to be a tester for her)! My next move toward making a shave soap is to buy some KOH. SIDE NOTE: I have recently become interested in traditional herbal remedies. Did you know that the bane of lawn fanatics, yes the demon weed dandelion, has herbal mojo that is claimed good for skin? Use some google fu to learn details, but you infuse an oil with the weed, strain, and then turn that weed-oil into soap. Once I find my shave soap recipe, I will be weed-infusing that bad boy for some serious skin boost. Are there other skin weeds cluttering our lawns? Why yes there are! Three very common skin-weeds are dandelion, plantain, and chickweed.
You are quite dedicated. Sixty batches is a lot. In case it helps, here is a lanolin shaving soap recipe. I was going to buy a bar, but it was sold out before I got the chance. What you observed in the OP and I saw with the NYR Men seems to be rather common among shaving soaps. I also experienced something similar with Herban Cowboy, Route One Pumpkins and two other artisan soaps not reviewed. All great soaps with the Achilles heel of a lather that disappears quickly on the face.
hmm. well I have made about 10 batches of HP shave soap. From what I have read (I have not tried) that the amount of stearic acid required for most for shave soaps make the CP recipes seize immediately. If you want I can send you a few recipes I plan on giving it a try.
OK... it is official. I give up on finding a CP shave soap. I still believe that it is out there somewhere, though. I want to believe that someone can make a good cold process shave soap using only sodium hydroxide as the saponifying agent. It may not be possible, but I want to believe it! However, my personal search is over. I think I will stop looking and let it come to me in its own time. ON THE OTHER HAND... I ordered some potassium hydroxide from >here< and made the hot process recipe discussed >here< (and on that other shave forum as well). I used it this morning and have to agree with those who have gone before me: that was some wondrous, long-lived lather! It was a pretty simple process and required only three ingredients (well... four if you count the extra glycerin which some have chosen to forego). I may try a recipe that uses both NaOH and KOH. I'll start with HP, but believe this can be done CP, as well. If I make an interesting discovery, I'll post back here.
Thanks sharing Malted. I'm doing an mp these days, but do plan to take up the from scratch stick at some point down the road. I'm convinced that hp is the best way to go for shave soap since it might be easier and tends to produce a milder product. The question does beg though, that if you're getting positive results from the hp, why go cold process turkey. If it's not broke don't fix it lol...
I add pine tar, and I do use some olive oil, sodium hydroxide, babassu oil, coconut oil, castor oil, vit. E. The pomace olive oil I use seems to give a good lather. I have used some clay, but have heard it can dull a razor. I have been making CP soap for 10 years, but only recently tried shave soap. I have always used my regular pine tar soap in the shower to shave with.
