# Soap Cutting Apparatus :)



## Merry Beth

:biggrin I don't know about other newbies but cutting soap is a problem for me. My bars look like, well, all sorts of things. Can you guys give us new people any help in this area? TIA!!! Meredith


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## Sondra

I know Vicki uses a miter box, and some sort of tool for putty or something. Me I just use my big cleaver or knife.


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## hsmomof4

I use the crinkle cutter thingy from Pampered Chef.


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## nightskyfarm

I made 2 identical miter boxes, they really are very easy to make and put 2 cuts down in each one. The cuts are an inch apart. I have a scraper like the one Stacey mentions, only flat. I put the blade down the second cut, push the soap log up to it. Remove the blade and push it through the soap log using the first cut on the miter box - a perfect one inch bar. The box is wide enough to do rectangular logs or the 3 inch round ones. Simple and cheap. Jennifer


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## Sondra

here is the old thread re: miter boxes etc.
http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,39.0.html


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## pettigrewfarms

I HAVE A MITER BOX AND A SOAP CUTTER THAT I GOT FROM RETT FOR MY B DAY. :hi


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## DostThouHaveMilk

I had been using a credit shaped card and a butcher knife, so my bars were at least somewhat even.
I moved to a bright yellow miter box (can be seen in my thread about "Gag, it's in color") and that same butcher knife. I marked the miter box with permanent marker so I have a measurement to try and have even sized bars. It isn't working perfectly, but I hope to imrpove it next time I soap. They are close enough in size.


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## Kalne

Dh made mine and it is similar to a miter box. I just couldn't find a miter box tall enough for my logs. Business was good enough this year that next year, I'm getting a tank. No more uneven bars for me. LOL


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## a4patch

I use a bar of Vicki's soap and cut with a dough blade.


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## NubianSoaps.com

The bright yellow miter boxes are all of $7 and they come with a free saw you can give to your hubby  And like Peggy I simply use a dough scraper. You don't want to be using anything sharpened to cut your soap, it can shatter the bottom of the cut......mostly seen in high all oil recipes. Vicki


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## Merry Beth

Thanks guys, I have been sick for a week and sorry I haven't already replied. I have a dough scraper and a pampered chef cutter from years ago. They work great for cutting but I was eyeballing it...no more! she shall have a miter box before the next batch of soap!! Loved your idea especially Jennifer...I need all the help I can get.


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## adillenal

I had the same problem as Kathy in that the miter box was not tall enough. Somewhere along the line I bought a wooden cutter that was a little wider than my logs and had slits in the wood and a moveable end so I could cut soap in different widths. I also have a stainless cutter with one slit and a stainless cutter. I just don't do enough at one time for a tank. It would be overkill for me but it would be a nice thing to have.


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## nightskyfarm

Merry Beth, I posted 2 photos of my boxes. They are made with finished 1 x 4 pine for the sides and 1 x 3 3/8 for the bottom and sheetrock screws. Just cut the pine pieces the length of your logs. You can glue if you wish, but the screws seem to hold well. The local lumber mill ripped the board to the right width for the base which is why I made more than one.


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## Kalne

Mine looks similar to Jennifer's except that I have a slot on both ends. One thin for my straight cutter and the other that is thicker for my wavy cutter. But even with this my wavy cuts can still end up bowed and very uneven. I don't cut much wavy anymore because of that. Now I really like the idea of the extra slot for a stop. Seems like it would help keep the log from sliding as it sometimes does. I'm going to have dh cut another slot in mine and try it.

Still....I'm seriously wanting a tank next year. I just need to decide how wide I want my bars. I'm going to tweak the dimensions because I want them slightly thicker than what I cut now but still be the same weight. I cut at 1 inch but by the time it's done curing it's a littler less and I want it to be an inch after curing.


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## Huminbird

I have a yellow miter box with a guitar wire strung through, side to side, 1" from the base. I slide my logs through it short side down (not the long side like you would do when cutting with a blade) and come out with perfect cut bars. This does take a bit longer and is hard to do with longer logs but until I get a tank this works for me. I am cursed when trying to use a blade. My bottoms shatter and the soap sticks to the blade terribly.


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## Kalne

Hmmm, I wonder if you could fashion a cutter with a wire. Some sort of 'fork' with the wire strung between the two tines. Then slide it through the slot like we do with the pastry cutters. I may try to see what I can come up with. My 'to-do' list for after the holidays is getting longer and longer. LOL


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## Sondra

get piano wire for any cutting


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## jimandpj

A tank is one of the best investments you can possibly make. 

Seriously.

PJ


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## Merry Beth

Gee whiz, you guys are great. I haven't had the time to get on here in a while so...

anyway, thanks so much for the pics and discussion. Now, to get a generic recipe that we really like. We have to work on that next. Everyone liked the soap they received for Christmas gifts. ) Yes! 

Thanks again all.


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## Aja-Sammati

> get piano wire for any cutting


I am going to use my sons old guitar strings


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## Sheryl

> I am going to use my sons old guitar strings


me too. I have some extra strings for my guitar, and I am going to use those. Just haven't figured out how I'm going to do it yet. :/ :biggrin

I want to make soap right now, but the house is so cold, that I made a batch the other day, and it kinda flopped. That's the first one in a while that I messed up. But I was reading some other posts on here about cold soap rooms, and melting all the oils, so I might try again, but it's just too cold right now in my house.

Sheryl


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## tmfinley

I was going to buy a tank after the new year but hubby is going to try to build one first. I'll let you all know how that goes. I soaped to cold the other day and totally ruined a batch. I've been keeping the dehumidifier on in the soap room and it keeps it warm enough to soap in now. 

Tiffany


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## MiaBella Farm

I received a Tank for Mother's Day last year...love it!!!


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