Making Soap by Quaker Anne We have been making soap at our farm for almost 25 years. Hand made soap was the only kind I felt safe using on my family - especially when my children were little! It is a fairly easy process and once you has made it once or twice, the knack of it will become quite clear. This basic recipe will make about 8 pounds of wonderful basic soap. Each bar will be very long lasting too. Experimenting with adding herbs, ground oatmeal or other skin nourishing ingredients will allow you create soap that is very uniquely you! Have fun! Basic Soap Recipe 32 (4-ounce) bars Recipe: 3 lbs. vegetable shortening 16 ounces dark olive oil 20 ounces Safflower oil 5 cups water 12 ounces pure sodium hydroxide (lye - Red Devil brand works) 1 ounce Borax 1 ounce Essential oil - optional Tool List: Stainless steel pans Wooden or stainless steel spoons Newspaper to cover counter tops Candy thermometer Measuring cups Scale Mold You can make a mold using a large cake pan, or box lined with a plastic trash bag. **Work in a well ventelated area! ***ALWAYS wear Gloves and protective eye-wear when making soap...lye burns!! ****Use only stainless steel pans for making soap - DO NOT use aluminum!! Procedure Melt the veg. shortening in a sauce pan (about 8 quart size)and add the oils. Bring temp up slowly until the shortening is all melted. Don't over heat or scorch the oils. Put water in a sauce pan (about 3 quart size). Slowly add the lye while stiring. The lye is going to heat the water to boiling. Avoid breathing the fumes. Add borax to your melted oils which should still be warm but not hot (110 degrees or so). Once the lye mixture has cooled to about 100 degrees, slowly and carefully pour the lye mixture into the pan of oil. Stir constantly until it is all mixed together. Stir constantly. After aroud 20 - 30 minutes, the mixture will begin to saponify and thicken. Soap is being born! This is when you will add your essential oils. Once the mixture is as thick as pudding, it will be ready to pour into a mold where it will finish saponifying and be ready to cut after 24 hours.