Confused, to melt or grate

I've read a bunch here, but I'm still confused. How do I know which soaps to grate and which ones to melt? Would it be safer to grate them all? Does the soap fuse back into a solid chunk after it has been grated and packed into it's new bowl? I like the way it looks melted and poured into the new bowl. Like it was made that way. But I don't want to ruin any soaps. I have a puck of Harris Lavender in one of those Wallmart sugar bowls. It fits loose, but has attached itself to the bottom. The problem is there is space around the sides. When I want to put some water on top to soften the puck, I actually have to fill the bowl until the water is a tad over the top, soaking the whole puck instead of just the top. Thanks for the help.:banghead:

Harris is a milled soap you cannot melt it like you can a glycerin based soap. You shouldn't have to fully submerge the soap. Just splash some water on the top of the puck and let it sit for a minute or two, but even this should be unnecessary.

I like to melt mine... it gets the bubbles out.

rather than risk ruining soap. i just grate soaps now.. someone advised grating williams and it really improved performance.

Victor,

+1

For soaps that are very hard (e.g. MWF), grating really does help the lathering process.

After I grated my MWF, and compacted it into a Tupperware box, it was so much easier to load the brush compared to the orginal puck :)

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Thanks. Grating it will be.

I grated my MWF and after packing it in a mug, added water to fuse it back into a solid mass. It worked OK, but over time, shrunk and loosened in the mug. I'm looking into a custom mug that will hold it snug from the start and actually grips the soap.

i grate and then pack down with the back of a spoon.. works for me..

I think I may change my mind on this.

MWF, I've grated and molded before with good results..Here's what I've been told:

If it's clear, or has that translucent look to it, like most glycerin based soaps, I.E. Mama Bears, SRD's, you can melt them...

If it's not, like MWF, Tabac, C&S 88 to name a few, you grate it....

Maybe a really stupid question, but why would you grate or melt a soap?:thinking:

I'm a "melter" myself...I use VDH...I just melt it in the microwave and add my fragrance of choice (3 right now...bay rum, Joop and Clubman) then let it solidify. No problem with the puck moving in the cup. I tried melting Tabac and it failed miserable...all it did was rise a bit like a cake and never did get liquified...plus it turns out I don't like the smell. The problem I have with the lathering taking longer is, I think, the result of the incredibly hard water we have out here...

Never melt Williams. i tried this today and it seemed to cook the soap which smelled really nasty. I have to pry the soap from my mug to put in my soap bowl and then rinse my mug with hot water to get the cooked soap out of it. VDH on the other hand melts great and holds to the bottom of what ever you put it in to cool down.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrickBag

Maybe a really stupid question, but why would you grate or melt a soap?:thinking:

---

To make it fit in the container of your choice....