Olive Castile Soap

[NeilMacleod]

Made some soap last couple days, been making it for about ten years now.
Olive oil soap been around for centuries, Castile soap was originally called that because the Oil came from Castile Spain.

"The English began making soap during the 12th century. In 1633 King Charles I granted a 14 year monopoly to the Society of Soapmakers of Westminster.
According to Alison Sim, in her book “The Tudor Housewife,” wealthy ladies of the Tudor period (1485-1603) used a scented toilet soap or ”˜castill soap’ for their daily washing. This soap, made with olive oil and imported, was very expensive. A household instruction manual written during this period included recipes for soap which suggests that people of all levels of society were interested in personal hygiene."
William Colgate starts a starch, soap and candle business on Dutch Street in New York City in 1806 and eventually developed the well known Palmolive Soap for the common people.
I use 90% Olive Oil and 10% Coconut oil to increase lather, Ground Lavender flowers for scent. Other batches add different herbs.

 

[Kansas Jake]

A person could get all lathered up about soap making. We've made soap in the past, but not with olive oil.

I read your post to my wife and she asked if you would share your recipe.

 

[bubba.50]

I'd be kinda interested in that recipe too.

 

[NeilMacleod]

The most important part is to add the proper amount of lye so you don't burn yourself.
I use this site https://www.thesage.com/calcs/LyeCalc.html
My basic recipe is 80% Olive oil, 20% Coconut Oil and Coco butter when I have it (2l Olive Oil, 200ml Coconut oil, 2oz Coco butter). 20% coconut oil max for hardening and lather of the Soap.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Hey that is excellent! Soak making is something I haven't ventured into, however it's something I've been wanting to do for year's.

I always carry a bar of natural soap in my kit. I'm a big fan of being able to wash and keep clean. Hygiene is just as important in the woods to me as a properly functioning flinter. I'm certainly interested in hearing more!

 

[NeilMacleod]

Olive Oil has been one of those essential health additions.
https://soap.club/blogs/blog/79515334-top-5-benefits-of-olive-oil-soap

 

[coloradoclyde]

Great post!.. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

Castile soap and craft soaps are all I use...
A couple years back I tried to make soap with wood ashes...I eventually ended up with a brown soft soap....That did work, but that's a hard way to make soap.

 

[NeilMacleod]

Plus you don't know how much Lye you got

 

[Billnpatti]

My great grandma used to make her soap using wood ashes. She would run rain water through the ashes very slowly and collect it in a pot. then she boiled the liquid down until it would float an egg. Then it was ready to make soap. She used hog lard to make her soap. She would pour her soap into a wooden box and let it sit to harden up enough to cut into bars. Then she would set the bars on edge with enough space between them to let the air circulate between them. It was tan in color and you had to let it cure until it was through saponifying or it was pretty harsh on your hide. The soap was ready for use when it was hard. She used it for everything from washing your hands, to shampooing your hair, bathing, washing clothes or washing dishes. Many times I have seen her with a bar of her soap in one hand and a butcher knife in the other chipping up the soap to make soap flakes for the washing machine or to wash dishes.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Rain water is where I went wrong......I never could get a strong enough solution. My water was so hard that the lye kept trying to soften it.
Some day I'll have to give it another try.

 

[Crewdawg445]

I've gotta give it a go...

 

[coloradoclyde]

I've gotta give it a go...

Let me know how it turns out....

 

[Black Hand]

Another site: http://soapcalc.net/calc/soapcalcWP.asp

 

[BillinOregon]

Uh-oh. I sense a fresh project coming on. Dragonsfire, you start some wonderful threads here!

:applause:

 

[Kansas Jake]

Thanks for sharing your recipe.

 

[Black Hand]

Rain water is where I went wrong......I never could get a strong enough solution. My water was so hard that the lye kept trying to soften it.

Try distilled water from the store.

 

[pondoro]

I have ordered two pounds of food grade lye. I want to play in this game!

I intend to make my soap outside in an iron pot, just as they did in the 1961 Fellini film - Divorce, Italian Style. In my case the goal is to preserve my marriage!

 

[bubba.50]

My great grandma used to make her soap using wood ashes. She would run rain water through the ashes very slowly and collect it in a pot. then she boiled the liquid down until it would float an egg. Then it was ready to make soap. She used hog lard to make her soap. She would pour her soap into a wooden box and let it sit to harden up enough to cut into bars. Then she would set the bars on edge with enough space between them to let the air circulate between them. It was tan in color and you had to let it cure until it was through saponifying or it was pretty harsh on your hide. The soap was ready for use when it was hard. She used it for everything from washing your hands, to shampooing your hair, bathing, washing clothes or washing dishes. Many times I have seen her with a bar of her soap in one hand and a butcher knife in the other chipping up the soap to make soap flakes for the washing machine or to wash dishes.

your description of 'great grandma' sounds exactly like yer describin' my granny. plumb down to shavin' the bar to get dish or laundry soap.

that soap would dry out after a while to where the 'Saturday night around the old wash-tub baths' me & my brother took it felt like you was bathin' with a sandin' block. but you was sure-'nuff clean afterwards.

 

[NeilMacleod]

Uh-oh. I sense a fresh project coming on. Dragonsfire, you start some wonderful threads here!

:applause:

Thank you !

 

[Crewdawg445]

I believe a complete DIY is of an order...