Make soap from Pig Fat

[vancheese]

Hi people

I am getting one of my pigs killed this week and I would like to make some soap from Pig fat. Unfortunately the internet has too much information about how to do this.
I am just after the ratio of raw pig fat to Sodium Hydroxide and any awesome tips which people have found.
I've a Ph.d in chemistry so I'm not too worried of the synthesis part :)

andy

[Green Aura]

I've never heard of making soap from raw pig fat - not least because it will contain bits of meat, blood etc. If you render it to lard then most reputable lye calculators will tell you the ratio. Mountain Sage have a very good one

[demi]

you cook the raw fat on a low heat in the oven then collect the lard in the bottom of the tray.

cant halp about the ratio.

im trying to do it with lye made from wood ashes and water.

not done it yet but will be soon, ill let you know when i try it.

[frozenthunderbolt]

http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

[vancheese]

Great - Thanks for the excellent links and help
I've boiled the fat and bottled the lard to make soap at my convience
Next time I'll roast it demi!

[red]

we made soap using the fat from our pigs - the best fat was the pure lard found near the kidneys. We rendered it several times to get it really clean - then used a calculator to work out the lye. oh and some essential oil to make it smell nice.

We use the hot process method.

nice creamy soap, and also i grated some to use in the washing machines.

we also made soap from mutton fat too http://colouritgreen.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/soap/
but pigs lard is much better.