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Thread: Homemade Shaving Soap

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    DVW
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    Default Homemade Shaving Soap

    We made a batch of shaving soap today. I have been using our homemade tallow soap as a shaving soap for sometime, but this is the first batch that we have made specifically for shaving. The addition of Bentonite clay was the major difference between it and our regular soap. I'm curious to see how much of a difference that the clay makes. There were a couple of other minor changes as well. These were lavender scent. I hope I like them because this will last me about a year.
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    For those interested, I have posted the ingredients below. It is really fast and easy to make. We probably spent $5 to $10 including the bowls to make about $60 worth of soap.

    Tallow (We used deer, but beef would work as well). 4.8 oz by weight
    Shea butter, .8oz by weight
    Coconut oil, 4oz by weight
    Olive oil, 4oz by weight
    Castor oil, 2 oz by weight
    Avocado oil, .4 oz by weight
    Lye, 2.2 oz by weight
    Distilled water, 4.75oz by weight
    Bentonite clay, 1 level tablespoon
    Lavender essential oil (You can use any essential oil that you want), 30 drops

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    Senior Member MandoRob's Avatar
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    I'm curious to know how the shave is with the soap and if you are using a straight or de? I have purchased a few custom shaving soaps and have been disappointed with them, no good for shaving with a straight. Let us know how the performance is, I bet it is pretty good with the tallow and all the oil.

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    I've been using the same basic recipe without the Bentonite clay for a while and I really like it. The trick that I find is getting the right amount of water. I just get the brush wet and whip it over the soap. I do not pour water into the bowel/mug with the soap and let it soak. Not enough water and the lather dries too quickly. Too much water and it is more runny than a lather. But when you get it right, it is a nice thick lather that lasts long enough for you to shave. The razors are either a shavette or a DE. I have not tried it with a true str8 yet. Although I do have a couple of them, they both need honed.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth Steel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MandoRob View Post
    I'm curious to know how the shave is with the soap and if you are using a straight or de? I have purchased a few custom shaving soaps and have been disappointed with them, no good for shaving with a straight. Let us know how the performance is, I bet it is pretty good with the tallow and all the oil.
    +1 here too
    What a curse be a dull razor; what a prideful comfort a sharp one

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    Senior Member MattCB's Avatar
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    I'm curious as to how the soap holds up. I am always leary of such a high % of olive oil. It has some great properties, but I find can make it difficult to lather. You may want to look at sunflower oil. Very similar properties, doesn't seem to affect lather, and cheaper than olive oil Let us know how it goes!
    The older I get the more I realize how little I actually know.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MattCB View Post
    I'm curious as to how the soap holds up. I am always leary of such a high % of olive oil. It has some great properties, but I find can make it difficult to lather. You may want to look at sunflower oil. Very similar properties, doesn't seem to affect lather, and cheaper than olive oil Let us know how it goes!
    That is interesting about the sunflower oil. I have been kind of wondering about the olive oil as well. The castor oil and coconut oil help make a good lather though. I'll definitely look into the sunflower oil. Thanks!

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    Senior Member jsuiters's Avatar
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    I didn't see it posted, but how long was the cook time? I have never made soap but do want to give it a go one day.
    John.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jsuiters View Post
    I didn't see it posted, but how long was the cook time? I have never made soap but do want to give it a go one day.
    John.
    Screw that, I want to know exactly how its done from step one. I have been trying to learn for a while now but every where I find directions it seems like you already have to have some knowledge about the process or its like a crappy melt and pour recipe.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cosperryan View Post
    Screw that, I want to know exactly how its done from step one. I have been trying to learn for a while now but every where I find directions it seems like you already have to have some knowledge about the process or its like a crappy melt and pour recipe.
    OK sure, I can post the steps. It will be later tonight though after I get my real work done and gather up all the instructions. This is not a "melt and pour" recipe where you are simply melting soap and re-pouring it into molds. Also, there is no cook time. It is called the "cold process" method. Basically you just add the fats to the water-lye mixture at the correct temps so that it will "saponify".
    jsuiters likes this.

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