Oh Lord, that was too cute when she said that about taking a shower in a week! I am from western North Carolina and that is exactly what I believe other parts of the county...especially up north...think about us! Just because we talk slow doesn't mean we are stupid, the need to as the youngins are sayin', recognize! LOL Thanks for the laugh and that is cool how you made to soap too! hehe :)
We used a ratio of 1 pint (16oz) of lye water to 5 pounds of lard. By the time we boiled the lye water down we had less than a pint, so we reduced the amount of lard that we used. Of course, the strength of the lye water has a huge impact on the soap. In hindsight, we should have used a bit more lye, as the soap remained very soft for weeks.
Let me just say that I have viewed and read so many soap recipes and methods, and I find this one to be my most favorite. Its practical and simple. The fact that you used regular household ingredients in making the different types of scents was genius! Thank you!!!!
@KatNip2007 You mean you don't know how to collect ash from wood burning stoves? And if you do just build or buy one those wood lye sifters it's easy they've been doing it for hundreds of years..BTW you spelled LYE wrong.
@daylanrayne ....Sure I know how to collect ash, but I was addressing my question to pioneercookery! No I didnt spell LYE wrong...it was a typo...and this is not a Spelling class, nor do I need the Spelling Police to correct me! If you must answer a question not addressed to you, maybe you could be a little kinder in your attitude!!
@KatNip2007 okay the simple way(with fancy sifter) Part one
-1 The wood ash should come from burning hardwood.
-2 Find yourself an old bucket into which you've created a few small drainage holes.-3 Put a layer of old straw in the bottom of the bucket. Now half fill the bucket with wood ash. -4 Put your bucket into a larger clean bucket to collect the lye water.
-5 Pour on some water. Rainwater will keep the whole mixture soft and chemical free. -6 Collect the water which leaches through the wood ash, and pour it back over to leach through again. Repeat this at least three times over at least three days. The resulting liquid will be lye water!
Now the concentration of this lye water will depend on how much water and ash you used as well as what type of wood the ash came from. I am no scientist, we just wanted some lye water. If you need something precise buy some caustic soda as it will tell you its composition on the pack.
But, we can tell if the lye water is the right strength for use
First, let me say that handling lye in any form is hazardous, even lye water from wood ash that has been boiled down.
I have only used the wood ashes from our wood stove, which is nearly all oak. So, I can't speak to other woods. I think the key here is reducing the lye water so that it's sufficiently strong to convert lard to soap. The character limit doesn't allow me to answer all of your questions here. So, I've posted a FAQ at the Pioneer Cookery website.
I have been looking for quite a while on how to make soap from ash, Thanks.. I had wondered if it was best to use a certain type of wood? you say oak in the vid. but what about the other woods or mixed woods, would it hurt the process? and I never new that about the egg idea..how long does it take for the soap to turn solid? I like the idea of ash better that store lye, because some vids say that store lye is dangerous if water is added to it, instead of adding lye to water?? something like that
Oh Lord, that was too cute when she said that about taking a shower in a week! I am from western North Carolina and that is exactly what I believe other parts of the county...especially up north...think about us! Just because we talk slow doesn't mean we are stupid, the need to as the youngins are sayin', recognize! LOL Thanks for the laugh and that is cool how you made to soap too! hehe :)
blissfulrain1 4 days ago
Can you help? I'm having trouble with my first batch of tallow soap. It's all foamy and won't reach gel stage.
purity4all 3 weeks ago
How did you get the egg to float in the lye do you boil it more, I missed this. Thanks for the info its a great help.
r7mart 4 weeks ago
How much lye water and how much fat, could you tell the amounts. Thanks
r7mart 1 month ago
We used a ratio of 1 pint (16oz) of lye water to 5 pounds of lard. By the time we boiled the lye water down we had less than a pint, so we reduced the amount of lard that we used. Of course, the strength of the lye water has a huge impact on the soap. In hindsight, we should have used a bit more lye, as the soap remained very soft for weeks.
pioneercookery 1 month ago
Nice! Question: Will this soap harden or stay soft?
LIQUIDDEMONS 1 month ago
Thank you for all the measurements and ratios!!! pfffffttt.
Gyva02 2 months ago
What are the correct ratios of lye to lard?
phaible 2 months ago
Great video.. You guys made me laugh.. The egg was funny
HappyBubblesSoap 3 months ago 2
Ive read somewhere if you drop a feather in the solution and it disintegrates then it is good.
mbracewell154 3 months ago
Great video! simple and to the point!
junkmail131inbox 3 months ago
Let me just say that I have viewed and read so many soap recipes and methods, and I find this one to be my most favorite. Its practical and simple. The fact that you used regular household ingredients in making the different types of scents was genius! Thank you!!!!
mbracewell154 3 months ago
Thanks for making this video, and the FAQ section on your site. It was all very helpful.
rgreenp 3 months ago
is it just hard wood ash in it or is something else added to make the lye?
brandonsg123 4 months ago
very interesting, how much lye water and how much lard did you use to make that batch
db30513 4 months ago
candy cane?
crispyglove 4 months ago
what did you use as the filter paper?
BocajBinLadin 4 months ago
Thanks for the videos..and all the kind responses to the questions, posted here!
KatNip2007 5 months ago
could you show the process of making wood ash llye and the process of making soap ..all the steps!
KatNip2007 5 months ago
@KatNip2007 You mean you don't know how to collect ash from wood burning stoves? And if you do just build or buy one those wood lye sifters it's easy they've been doing it for hundreds of years..BTW you spelled LYE wrong.
daylanrayne 5 months ago
@daylanrayne ....Sure I know how to collect ash, but I was addressing my question to pioneercookery! No I didnt spell LYE wrong...it was a typo...and this is not a Spelling class, nor do I need the Spelling Police to correct me! If you must answer a question not addressed to you, maybe you could be a little kinder in your attitude!!
KatNip2007 5 months ago
@KatNip2007 okay the simple way(with fancy sifter) Part one
-1 The wood ash should come from burning hardwood.
-2 Find yourself an old bucket into which you've created a few small drainage holes.-3 Put a layer of old straw in the bottom of the bucket. Now half fill the bucket with wood ash. -4 Put your bucket into a larger clean bucket to collect the lye water.
daylanrayne 5 months ago
@KatNip2007 Part Two
-5 Pour on some water. Rainwater will keep the whole mixture soft and chemical free. -6 Collect the water which leaches through the wood ash, and pour it back over to leach through again. Repeat this at least three times over at least three days. The resulting liquid will be lye water!
daylanrayne 5 months ago
@KatNip2007 last part
Now the concentration of this lye water will depend on how much water and ash you used as well as what type of wood the ash came from. I am no scientist, we just wanted some lye water. If you need something precise buy some caustic soda as it will tell you its composition on the pack.
But, we can tell if the lye water is the right strength for use
daylanrayne 5 months ago
@KatNip2007 speaking of typos that's-- with no fancy sifter.--
daylanrayne 5 months ago
Great video, is there any way to substitute the lard for olive oil?
janken919 11 months ago
Awesome, thanks! I've been trying to learn how to do this for a long time.
I also read the FAQ on your website.
Is there a ratio of lye water to fat that you use?
If you were to use oils, how would you go about adjusting them? (just make sure it's creamy enough?)
Thanks again !
quietfern 1 year ago
Yay for the ducks and chickens!
chainprof 1 year ago
First, let me say that handling lye in any form is hazardous, even lye water from wood ash that has been boiled down.
I have only used the wood ashes from our wood stove, which is nearly all oak. So, I can't speak to other woods. I think the key here is reducing the lye water so that it's sufficiently strong to convert lard to soap. The character limit doesn't allow me to answer all of your questions here. So, I've posted a FAQ at the Pioneer Cookery website.
pioneercookery 1 year ago 3
@pioneercookery Any hardwood ash can be used to make lye. Steer clear of soft woods.
Ilovetheplatypus 4 months ago
@pioneercookery If for whatever reason an egg is unavailable, is there another way to gauge the strength of the lye water?
brianmo180 3 months ago
@pioneercookery
thanks for the video and information, there is no knowledge that isn't power.
JBLAKIE1 1 month ago
I have been looking for quite a while on how to make soap from ash, Thanks.. I had wondered if it was best to use a certain type of wood? you say oak in the vid. but what about the other woods or mixed woods, would it hurt the process? and I never new that about the egg idea..how long does it take for the soap to turn solid? I like the idea of ash better that store lye, because some vids say that store lye is dangerous if water is added to it, instead of adding lye to water?? something like that
thinkladythink 1 year ago