Melting Triple Milled Hard Soap?

[Livingston]

Does anyone have any experience melting a triple milled soap? I have a bigger bowl now and would like to melt some Trumper's down to fill the bowl as the puck is considerably smaller than the bowl.

Can this even be done? I know with the absence of glycerin, and the fact that it's triple milled might be a problem.

Any advice? I'd rather not ruin a puck of such good soap if I can avoid it.

Thanks in advance.

[rtaylor61]

First, don't. Second, you will probaby try anyway. This ain't easy! You don't microwave this kind of soap.

Break out the cheese grater and get busy. Grate the soap down.

Break out the double boiler, and that's where the melting occurs. Heat it up slowly. Poke it, prod it, stir it, gain a new meaning for "a watched pot never boils". Eventyually, you should start to see resuls. I've never tried this in real life. It takes too long, makes too big a mess, and could still ruin a good soap.

Randy (NOT responsible of you screw up the soap!)

[Gramps]

Well, brother Randy answered this pretty well, but I'll add my 2 cents worth anyway.....'


He's right, DO NOT use the microwave... you end up with a piece of discolored, bubbly "stuff" resembling what the cat might have puked up....
Not good. This hard-milled soap cooks like meat (tallow) or vegetables (vegetable oils and fats)

Like Randy said it has to be heated slowly.
I use a small pan, I wipe some olive oil in, then set it into a slightly bigger pan, which has water in it ... bring the water to a slow rolling boil."
Put your chopped and slivered pieces in slowly, a bit at a time. Keep stirring with a popsicle stick."
When liquid add a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of JoJoBa oil.... this "Superfats the soap". stir it in well.
Then turn off te heat to the "underpot", now you can add you scents if you wish.
Some say to turn in a teaspoon of that clay stuff,,, I never have.
Pour it into your preheated shaving mug, then set on the counter to cool and set it up.
WORKS REALY WELL WHEN I have done it with two pucks of Williams and it REALLY make superflous lather!

Good luck,
-Gramps

[Livingston]

Boy, thanks Randy & Gramps.

I did exactly what you said Gramps...it came out beautifully. I shaved with it this morning, and it seems to be a different soap than before - in a good way. It lathers up easier and it seems to have more slip (due to the olive oil maybe?).

Anyway, thanks for the advice. I took it almost painfully slow, and in the end I'm sure that's what saved me from ending up with a pot full of "what the cat might have puked up." (good one Gramps )

Randy, you're right...I couldn't resist. I suppose it's better to try and fail than never try at all. After all, what's the worst that could happen right?

Thanks Gents.