# Why does my soap take so long to trace?



## dvm-mommy

I have done 4 batches now using 2 different recipes that i checked with the sopacalc to confrim lye amounts.

Each time it is taking an excess of one hour to get to trace (where swirls off of the mixer leaves a pattern on top of mix before sinking in..as I understand trace to be???)

I read a lot of places trace happens in 20 minutes, may be half an hour.....well, NOT HERE :mad

My arm feels like it will fall off trying to stand/sit blending the mix the whole time. ugh

Am I doing something wrong? (I have mixed both oils and lye mix right away regardless of temp as some sources say..then the other couple times, I have monitored the temps carefully and when within recommended range of both, I mix them...)...doesn't seem to make a difference. 

is this just how it is? 

:help2


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## hsmomof4

Are you using a stick blender?


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## dvm-mommy

hsmomof4 said:


> Are you using a stick blender?


No just my regular hand blender on low speed...does this matter?


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## Guest

If you are using a spoon and stirring by hand, then this time is normal.. 
Shouldn't take that long with a stick blender, it forces the molecules together fast.. I don't usually stick blend longer than 10 min.... I pour at very light trace, so I can get colors etc.. 
So many things can be a part of this, your recipe, temps, if you are using the full water/milk amount...etc
Barb


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## Guest

Yep, it matters... it does not work the same way as a stick blender... Get one, and you won't be sorry.. they are only 15.00 at Walmarts
Barb


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## dvm-mommy

MRFBarbara said:


> Yep, it matters... it does not work the same way as a stick blender... Get one, and you won't be sorry.. they are only 15.00 at Walmarts
> Barb


really???? doen't the blender work the molcules together faster (perhaps even better?) than a stick blender? Sorry, just trying to understand the concept of why 1 thing whirring at a faster speed works better than 2 things (my little electric kitchen aid hand mixer)whirring at faster speed)? I am not using a wire whisk by hand....
Would it work the same as only putting one wire whip onto the beater and using it that way??

*sigh*...ok, if it is that much different, than I will cave to the stick blender. I still am not understanding how my electric blender would take the same amount of time to get to trace as doing by hand with a spoon though....


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## adillenal

I got a little confused. Are you using a blender or a mixer? 

Also, different oils will trace slower than others. Even with my stick blender there are certain formulas I use that take about 10 minutes to get to thin trace.


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## dvm-mommy

adillenal said:


> I got a little confused. Are you using a blender or a mixer?
> 
> Also, different oils will trace slower than others. Even with my stick blender there are certain formulas I use that take about 10 minutes to get to thin trace.


LOL...ok, sorry bout that. I am not sure the difference..I use my little hand *mixer*..has 2 beater type objects that you stick into 2 little holes and there are about 5 speed settings. I use that on lowest speed and whir away for an hour or more to get to trace. I was told this was fine in lieu of buying a stick blender. I guess I am not sure how the stick blender is better?

Perhaps I am not understanding "trace". It takes a while to even start thickening up!


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## Sondra

NOPE your hand mixer won't work good Get your self a stick blender and you'll see the difference. Well worth the cost. Which I jsut have a braun under $30


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## adillenal

Personally I would think the stick blender would be a safer choice. It is kept under the surface of the raw soap mixture. I splatter "stuff" when I use a hand held mixer with the two beaters. I use a KA with the wire whisk to make whipped shea and it splatters too so I like the stick blender for more than one reason. 

My original stick blender has been making soap for 3 years and is still going strong. It is a Sunbeam. Do not remember where I bought it.


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## Linda Carney

A stick blender and a mixer really do work differently. A mixer just twirls the ingredients together and yes it does sling things very easily. Think of a regular blender with a glass pitcher, it whirls things around but creates a suction that moves things from the top to bottom and bottom to top. When you use a stick blender it is the same sort of concept -- it creates sort of a vacuum in your pot that disperses the ingredients and meshes them together in finer particles than a mixer will. I separate soap batter into another container sometimes to swirl into the regular mix after I color it -- I noticed early on that if I didn't have very much volume in the Pint jar that the mix would whirl up because of the vacuum.

Blender and mixer are really different animals, but from the same family. 

Best Wishes,
Linda


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## dvm-mommy

ok..I understand now. That makes complete sense!!

Thanks Sondra and Linda!!

I will order one from Amazon or something..I love shopping from my home


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## Madfarmer

We were in Walmart today & replaced the burned out Kitchenaide stick ($60.00) with a $20.00 one. I suggest you alternate between hand stirring & the stick blender to avoid over-heating it. Your regular mixer is going to incorporate more air, which is not a good thing--Unless maybe you're going for Ivory, so it'll float :biggrin. Everybody has their favorites, but except for the stick blender burn-out & my own stupid mistakes (not following good advice) the Walmart recipe was pretty easy. And I only took one temp--to make sure the lye was cool enough. But after the stick blender quit, I hand-stirred for prob'ly 40 minutes.

Tom


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## NubianSoaps.com

Post your recipe.

It's also why I teach the wallmart recipe. Having the best recipe to start with that is bomb proof, gives you confidence to be able to quickly trace, move to swirling, layering etc...all with a recipe that if it fails you know it's your technique or your scent, not the recipe. AFter many batches then move your recipe to all oils, or more butters.

Even hand stirring it shouldn't be taking an hour, but like Barb I never want to see true trace. Vicki


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## hsmomof4

On the topic of avoiding breaking your stick blender, besides giving it a break if the motor seems to be heating up, I was told to be careful not to let it suction itself to the bottom of the container that you're mixing the soap in because it can break the thing that holds the blending part (the stick) to the motor part. Two of my soaping friends have their stick blenders duct-taped together for just that reason.


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## tmfinley

I have two stick blenders that I alternate between. I was using 2 walmart type but one burned up so I got a different one that seems more powerful. I use the less powerful one at the beginning and the other at the end. If I use the more powerful one at the beginning sometimes (depending on how big the recipe is) it sucks all of the soap down too fast and causes problems. Around 7 consecutive minutes seems to be all one of mine can handle before it blows. 

Tiffany


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## Madfarmer

I used the new $19.00 Hamilton Beach today. Did about three minutes of stick then 3-4 minutes of hand-stir. Whole process took maybe 20 minutes. I'm happy.

Tom


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