# How do you rebatch?



## tmfinley (Feb 21, 2008)

I know this is a dirty word to some of you, but I have about 11 pounds of soap that the fragrance has completely disappeared from. I know I can use it for laundry soap and I have used some of it, but am at least interested in finding out how some of you rebatch. I have searched the net and The Dish and here and there are so many different ways to do it. This one sounds pretty easy - http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/soapmaking/76624. Any opinions? Or other ideas for the scentless soap?

Tiffany


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2009)

The method in the link will work but I would shred the soap not cut it into pieces. The pieces will take forever to melt. Don't add more milk unless your soap is old and hard. Even then, just sprinkle a little over the shreds and let it soak before putting it in the oven. It will melt to a Vaseline consistency, not liquid that was misleading. 

Good luck,
Christy


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## tmfinley (Feb 21, 2008)

Thanks Christy!

I read in an earlier thread that Vicki recommends adding more liquid in the rebatch so the rebatch isn't real ugly looking. This batch is about 3 or 4 wks old and I have another one that will probably need it too that is only a few days old.

Tiffany


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

It's ugly anyway. I ordered a bar of someone we all know and love who HP's in the oven. Her soap is ugly, it is rough on the top like oatmeal cookies, and has tiny pits in other parts of the cut sides. So if this is as good as it gets from someone purposly HPing because it uses less scent, I am not interested  If you add enough liquid to get it thinner than vaseline, it then takes forever to cure, like a month or more, and always retains that sponge feeling when you press on it. I would shred the soap up and use it in your regular batches to extend your recipe making 1/4 more bars per batch, maybe saving some of the colored soaps to go in as confettie into a white batch.

I don't even like shreds of soap for laundry soap, once you use Potassium Hydroxide and make liquid soap, shredding up Sodium Hyroxide for laundry soap just is so much more sludgy  Filmy  Vicki


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I have rebatched many many times but shred and then pour little milk over the top and leave sit over night. Then I cook either in crock pot or top of stove adding a little milk if needed. to the vasiline stage or a little thinner. You then have to smash into a mold making sure you get all the air pockets out. Vicki is right it always looks crappy. Most of my shreds go in to other batches.


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## Narrow Chance (Oct 29, 2007)

I don't 'rebatch', I 'hand mill' :biggrin
I shred my soap with a food processer.. usually use the old hand turning shredder.. turn my old soap into little strings of soap. Place in a crock pot, pour a tad of distilled water over the top, stir to cover and wet all the 'hash browns'.. then place the crockpot on low for a while, turn to high and watch.
As it melt down.. I add a bit of shea butter to them before they melt all the way... then when it has gelled, I stir once more.. add fragrance..let it settle back to a semi liquid in the pot. When it is back to a jelly consistancy.. I dip into a mold real fast.. bang the thing on the counter... then add some large shreds to the top by poking them into the top while hot.. and wha la.. Let cool.. then cut. Hand Milled Shea 'whatever' Fragrance. Last I made was Hand Milled Shea Delish (white tea and ginger)
The large shreds I add to the top takes care of the ugly top that HP soaps leaves. Takes up some of those 'need to rebatch' BUS.


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## Linda Carney (Oct 27, 2007)

Vicki is right about liquid soap, so much neater and nicer. I bought a couple of soap books the other day -- trying to learn more! One hasn't come yet but is more about HP according to the description. I'll let you know if it is worth it or not. It's funnny, when you are staring out you have to try so many things so that you know what is going on. I have several shoe boxes full of soap that I am saving for "house soap" or laundry det.

One of the sites I was looking at showed pouring into a mold (HP of course) the soap was slammed to make the air come up and the rest of the hot soap was thrown up over the mold. When it had cooled they simply trimmed the top even with the mold. It looked nice. I am guessing that there are no true HPers here. Wanted to ask if anyone uses steric acid at rebatch? Does it make it firmer?

Linda


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

hand milled or rebatch is usually harder and no I don't use steric acid.


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## Linda Carney (Oct 27, 2007)

Sondra, not meaning to offend or accuse regarding the steric acid. I just for the longest time kept thinking that there had to be some kind of trade secret. 

I got my HP book yesterday and was amazed at the UGLY soap that was photographed as the proud display. I looked at a rebatch I did six months ago... my second try, I used aloe with it got it thin enough to put back into my pvc pipes, let it sit for at least 3 weeks, cut it wet with a wavy cutter and let it air on the shelf. It is no longer spongy but it has shrunk toward the middles. Not extremely bad and I will use it but don't want to sell it.

How do people like Lillian get a flowing clientelle using mostly hot process? Practice, practice, practice??
I would love to have a rebatch swap sometime, not now. Surely we can learn from one another!

Linda


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I felt alot better after looking at Linda's book today about my rebatched soap. I think mine was actually prettier than hers 

But I do agree, even after curing on my racks for at least 8 weeks, it was before christmas to be sure that it hit the racks, it feels plasticy on the outside and hard, but if you cut a bar it is spongy on the inside, not wet...even the outside on the long ends you can indent it with pressure from your finger (something my grandson loves to do with it for some reason everytime he walks by!).

But then there are those who use and love glycerin soaps, so go figure. vicki


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Well my rebatch is not spongy just ugly on the top sometimes. But then I started out making soap as crockpot soap and didn't know anything else until I went to Vicki's. Now when I rebatch I put all my shavings and I use my Kitchen Aid grinder to shred with the small shredder on. then I put a few oz of milk over the top of shreds and leave it set overnight. Next day put in the crock pot and leave stirring once in a while if it need alittle more liquid then I add an oz or 2 of milk and let it go. Usually I can pour into the mold and whac it good I then also put the mold in the oven 150 for a couple hours and leave in over night. just like the cold process. Have never had spongy insides unless was the orange oil crap I made.


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## Linda Carney (Oct 27, 2007)

I'll have to try it your way Sondra. Do you rebatch as fresh as you can? As far as the top is concerned maybe there are techniques that would be good just for your rebatches, one I saw was to drag a knife the same size as your mold across the top of the hot soap. Or only use a log mold and trim the top away smooth or with a pretty wavy cutter.

Linda


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Sometimes it is fresh but other time tis old soap just when I get around to it. Really the tops aren't too bad but could be cut and smoothed I guess. I am just too lazy.


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## Linda Carney (Oct 27, 2007)

lazy? ....energy efficient! <wink>

Linda


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