making soap from wood ashes

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  • čas přidán 7. 10. 2011
  • I made some crude soap from wood ashes and lard It did not look too pretty but it worked and I learned a couple of things about soapmaking the way it was possibly done in the pioneer days.
    I only made a very small batch for experimenting but it would be easy enough
    to increase the amount produced.

Komentáře • 336

  • @sharineeley7538
    @sharineeley7538 Před 11 lety +10

    Yes
    I totally agree with you. I am a soap crafter and as he said he did not have the right conversions. He is incredible. Soap making is all chemistry, only people who make hot process soap will be able to appreciate this video. Wow, for the conditions that was fantastic.

  • @jasondave2000
    @jasondave2000 Před 11 lety +13

    FYI, when the admixture began to thicken and become more viscous, that was an indication of the emulsification process (i.e."trace"). Because you're using the heating method, you should add salt (even table salt) after saponification and drain the liquid off and voila, bar soap a bit more like what you're used to ; )

  • @evaclassique4826
    @evaclassique4826 Před 9 lety +15

    Cool to see soap made in the old fashioned way like our ancestors did. I've read about it but never seen it in practice. Thank you! :-)

  • @damocsell
    @damocsell  Před 11 lety +20

    Thank you for the positive comments yep I tend to agree about tallow but it is much harder to purchase
    and when i do render it down i actually save it for candle making or bullet lube because it does stay harder.
    I do want to point out that if you save the bacon drippings to make soap that they are lard not tallow
    and contain some salts from the curing process of the bacon which may help firm up the soap.

  • @Nancytoday
    @Nancytoday Před 11 lety +16

    I'm glad you are making your own lye! It's been hard to find other people doing it to learn from!

  • @truebeliever6440
    @truebeliever6440 Před 4 lety +5

    "not quite sure if i've made soap or not but something's happened with it" lol, that was my favorite part.
    Anyhow, good, informative video.

  • @frankG335
    @frankG335 Před 2 lety +2

    Wow! Thanks for all the little tips, like using rainwater, using cast iron and stainless steel, hardwood ashes, etc!

  • @dennisjmaverssr2882
    @dennisjmaverssr2882 Před 7 lety +23

    we always made it in a large kettle. we would stir it with a long wooden homemade stirrer that had holes in it and a long handle. As kids we would end up with enough soap to last all year. we would cut it in slabs and it would get hard as a rock when completely cooled.we would cut shavings off the large piece to use for laundry in the wash shed. It would burn you when initally made, so wear gloves (rubber) when you remove the cut slabs for cooling.

    • @dennisjmaverssr2882
      @dennisjmaverssr2882 Před 7 lety +3

      It was a cast iron kettle that sat on a tripod. If filled with water the kettle would probably hold 40-50 gallons. that's also how mom got her go water from. POOR folks POOR ways.

    • @monikaschubertova5616
      @monikaschubertova5616 Před 7 lety

      yes, you do.

    • @ChristopherJones16
      @ChristopherJones16 Před 4 lety

      made wood ash lye in a large kettle or soap?

  • @mipueblo7042
    @mipueblo7042 Před 4 lety

    First video I've watched on making soap and its been tested! Great results! Thanks for the inspiration!

  • @runeski74
    @runeski74 Před 12 lety +4

    From what Ive read, the water should sit in the ashes for 3 days before you drain to get lye. Another thing Ive read is that lye is highly corrosive, therefore shouldnt be kept in a metal container. Just thought id share that with you. Cool video!

  • @bettym4597
    @bettym4597 Před 7 lety +9

    Thanks so much for this! I remember my Mom making soap just like this!

  • @01Mary02
    @01Mary02 Před 9 lety +128

    Cool! I love seeing how things we take for granted today, is actually made. This sort of stuff should be taught in schools. :-)

    • @buthow708
      @buthow708 Před 8 lety +3

      +Mary - This is taught in schools isn't it? I was taught this in Year 11 Chemistry

    • @0Concept14
      @0Concept14 Před 7 lety +2

      ButHow the difference being that in 800 ad, kids would have been taught this at age 9.

    • @khione8044
      @khione8044 Před 7 lety +7

      +ButHow I guess it depends on the school, or how long ago you went to school. I know the schools I went to, NEVER taught these things at all. :(

    • @Sinoha
      @Sinoha Před 7 lety +5

      I was never taught this stuff in school either. Just an interest of mine.

    • @supahfly_uk
      @supahfly_uk Před 6 lety

      This is taught to primary school children, just probably don't remember with all the other crap they stuff into ur head after school.

  • @janesuzannestreeter1827
    @janesuzannestreeter1827 Před 6 lety +3

    My granny showed us how when we were little. Tallow works better than lard and you want near one part lye to two parts fat for regular house cleaning. less lye to more fat for people washing. If you live somewhere you can get honey and oats, you can make a non-lye based soap for bathing, too. She was born in 1881 and grew up doing it this way.

  • @NoyzBot
    @NoyzBot Před 10 lety +1

    THAT is what I call a tutorial! Good on you for going the simple route instead of the "buy this that and the other" route. Much easier to understand than a dude in a white coat.

  • @dislikebutton34
    @dislikebutton34 Před rokem +1

    We were unfortunate to experience the horror of a war during 90'. My grandma made soap like this. I made small lead cell battery pack (diy small cells) with the lead and acid solution from car batteries from scrapyard pack to run the gameboy and play super mario land and tetris. Yes, more we know how to make things more we satisfied we are :). I wish I knew back then how to generate 220v to power washing machine or refrigerator. It sucks to wash manually or to preserve meat in lard (not so tasty after some time). At least we survived those 4 years. But, life is not only about surviving, right? I hope so...

  • @TheNancySikes
    @TheNancySikes Před 11 lety

    I didn't have any problem with the language or such, my five year old son loves your videos! Thank you for them, they teach him what he wants to know!

  • @ATSF1927
    @ATSF1927 Před 12 lety +2

    I remember my mother made lye this way, she washed a lot of clothes with an old gasoline powered Maytag with lye soap. Great seeing it's not a lost art.

  • @gregb7595
    @gregb7595 Před 5 lety +20

    "Not sure if ive made soap or not....", lmao. Change your title to "winging it in the outback!". Thanks for sharing though. Honest effort.

  • @bushcraftbrothers5105
    @bushcraftbrothers5105 Před 12 lety +2

    good video, i always wanted to try this... My grandmother told me how she used to make lye. She said she would put ashes into a barrel/bucket with water, until an egg or a potato would float on the surface, then the lye was ready.. Maybe you could give that a try, i would love to see it! ;)

  • @ornottoobless
    @ornottoobless Před 8 lety +25

    Interesting hint on using rain water and why.

    • @ChristopherJones16
      @ChristopherJones16 Před 4 lety

      do you run it through a couple filters and or boil it first? or straight up rain water ?

    • @dylanlandry4996
      @dylanlandry4996 Před 4 lety

      Well i imagine the gauls (creators of this recipe) used a running stream as tht was probably thier source of water

  • @wzerwine
    @wzerwine Před 7 lety +2

    that was just awesome ... cool idea n application .. imma try it too

  • @lenardschmid6921
    @lenardschmid6921 Před 10 lety +18

    I NEVER KNEW YOU CAN MAKE SOAP FROM NATURE GOOD STUFF MAN THUMBS UP

    • @sykotikmommy
      @sykotikmommy Před 2 lety +3

      It's how our ancestors did it for a millenia.

  • @feminagricola
    @feminagricola Před 11 lety

    Wow!
    You are an inspiration! I search all over for antique recipes and hand power artifacts.
    Just now I am at the point to start my first home made soap.
    Thanks for the efort.
    By the way, English is not my mother lenguage, but I had no problem understanding what you explained.

  • @missw.1702
    @missw.1702 Před 9 lety +3

    First Alhamdulilah, then thank you for your kindness of sharing this, bless you!

  • @georgecrabtree2013
    @georgecrabtree2013 Před 7 lety +27

    It's interesting to know that there are ways of making soap that don't require access to store bought chemicals.

    • @robdawson2
      @robdawson2 Před rokem

      this is how soap was originally made.
      It is fascinating, that's for sure.
      I will try it as soon as I can get some hard wood for a fire.

  • @usdrealm1
    @usdrealm1 Před 10 lety +1

    looked for something like this for so long, thank you so much!

  • @hirodagger
    @hirodagger Před 12 lety +2

    talking about the dangerous around kids part, i can account for that. one of my family members (kit carson, related from my grandpa) his son died from falling into a small pit they dug for making soap

  • @TMKONA29M1
    @TMKONA29M1 Před 11 lety

    I like seeing people doing things the primitive way. I am from Georgia, deep south, and people dont like my accent either. I just ignore them lol. Great video!!

  • @julianbrown1633
    @julianbrown1633 Před 7 lety +1

    I remember as a child my grandma cook with charcoal, the charcoal remainder was ash and when it rains you could see suds in the water. awesomeness 😚

  • @newsreal
    @newsreal Před 11 lety +3

    i am from wisconsin, and we are known as the clearest english speakers around, and I understood everything you said just fine... !

    • @767dag
      @767dag Před 4 lety

      Sean Newbury Is that true ,.. clearest English ah

  • @kaywatson6505
    @kaywatson6505 Před 4 lety +2

    Heated lye is extremely caustic! Be careful of splashing when pouring & mixing with heated fats & oils.

    • @damocsell
      @damocsell  Před 4 lety +3

      Thank you. This was a experiment I had water flush available and have had to deal with lye since I was 12. I dont want to belittle your very good advice just want to let you know I will be ok. Thank you again for your reply and concern.

  • @purity4all
    @purity4all Před 12 lety +8

    How do you know when you've reached the right strength of lye for soap making?

  • @sandrastojkovic4445
    @sandrastojkovic4445 Před 5 lety

    I love this video!

  • @chris27289
    @chris27289 Před 11 lety

    Great video! I'm gonna try this soon.

  • @goldenscales
    @goldenscales Před 9 lety

    You did well, brother! if you don't try, you don't know! Lol. One can only learn from experience!

  • @denasewell
    @denasewell Před 9 lety +13

    real soap typically doesnt make a lot of suds that is something added to commercial soap

    • @babykean18
      @babykean18 Před 9 lety +16

      Strangely enough if you use coconut oil instead of lard and add coconut milk to the soap, you will get nice thick suds. It depends on what you use and how you use it.

  • @CMoniz
    @CMoniz Před 9 lety +9

    so after watching another video, i think the lye might have been stronger if you soaked the wood ashes. also apparently an egg will float in water that has a high enough concentration.

  • @DomDaddyGrowler
    @DomDaddyGrowler Před 11 lety

    Thank you for posting this vid. I understood it perfectly.

  • @youlesable
    @youlesable Před 10 lety

    i enjoyed it this my first time to try it u helped me a lot

  • @joshhummel1284
    @joshhummel1284 Před 11 lety

    Thanks. This helped me with my homework a lot.

  • @quercus4730
    @quercus4730 Před 7 lety +5

    To clean grease off your hands or dirty oil use clean oil then soap and water.

  • @moonglore
    @moonglore Před 12 lety

    Hello :)
    Thank you for the Video! I red this process a long long time ago and always wanted to try it, but, never had the opportunity (Wood actually) to do so. You make the 2 pages of continuous blah quite understandable now :D! Regards

  • @benthehelper
    @benthehelper Před 11 lety +1

    here's a quick chemistry tip. if you wanna make seperation from excess, un saponified fat, or excess Hydroxide, add a little salt, either potassium chloride, or sodium, though most people report better results with potassium. It does something wierd to combine with the soap molecules, and it makes it solid, or precipitous. Let it settle a while, then pour off liquid to leave hand soap behind. This way works fine, but just in case you wanna make a bar instead.

  • @damocsell
    @damocsell  Před 12 lety +1

    @1wicked2008 LOL i do always when camping its great for cooking and can substitute for butter in any recipee, use it for candles and many other uses.
    but you ask a good question any other animal or vegetable oil/grease can also be used
    with different degrees of success.

  • @QuantumMechanic_88
    @QuantumMechanic_88 Před 6 lety +2

    Thank You

  • @Sifgrida
    @Sifgrida Před 11 lety

    Bloody good video. Good value, thanx heaps!!!

  • @mariebowling4259
    @mariebowling4259 Před 6 lety

    Thank you so much! you are awesome!

  • @KarineTKnudsen
    @KarineTKnudsen Před 7 lety +6

    I'm wondering - is it possible to filter the lye water through a couple of cloths/towels instead of using the gravel/straw?
    Will the lye burn your skin? How potent is it? Should you be using gloves, perhaps?

    • @channeldirty7
      @channeldirty7 Před 5 lety +1

      Karine T. Knudsen hey so lye will burn you and water will make the chemical burn worse, vinegar will neutralize the chemical burn. You should wear gloves. Filtering with cloth is way better, I suggest you watch some better soap making videos. The soap queen has some good stuff and royal soaps.

    • @utej.k.bemsel3199
      @utej.k.bemsel3199 Před 5 lety

      Also wear protective glasses! It can hurt your eyes terribly!

  • @Ekber610
    @Ekber610 Před 8 lety +1

    Thank you.

  • @Magnumscoffeefreek
    @Magnumscoffeefreek Před 10 lety +6

    You can keep pouring the lye water through ashes to make it stronger. It should be strong enough to dissolve a feather. I would let the soap sit for a week or two, so the reaction can take place. If not, the soap can literally take your hide off. Look up some soap calculators. You should be able to figure out a simple recipe.

  • @lucyscottwalker2203
    @lucyscottwalker2203 Před 5 lety

    Well done!

  • @robyn4119
    @robyn4119 Před 7 lety +1

    Do you let the lard cool off a little before adding the lye?

  • @truthbknwn
    @truthbknwn Před 2 lety

    So did you skim off the water from the top and discard the sediment from the bottom of the pot?

  • @damocsell
    @damocsell  Před 12 lety

    thanks for the tip i think good hardwood ashes would have helped more
    from what i have read and done its not the lard fault but rather the lye
    sodium hydroxide is commercial lye whereas potasium hydroxide is what i made
    from the wood ashes and generally makes soft soap.

  • @3636Clarence
    @3636Clarence Před 11 lety +1

    How little leisure time there must have been when, by necessity , people need to do for themselves. There was procurement of food, household needs like making candle and soap. The list is end

  • @IIDASHII
    @IIDASHII Před 12 lety +1

    He meant "Aluminium," which is exactly what he said. Its how they spell it in the UK, and it is as correct there as "Aluminum" is in the US.

  • @elizabethcolleen1012
    @elizabethcolleen1012 Před 7 lety +1

    So interesting!!!

  • @moammedabdallah7543
    @moammedabdallah7543 Před 5 lety

    Very useful information and thank you thank you very much

  • @mcboxer
    @mcboxer Před 11 lety +1

    Very well done! The lye that you made is it not caustic like lye one can get at the hardware store? I assume it is, it's interesting to note how it's made in nature. I do make soap myself so this helps me learn about it's roots. Thanks again.

  • @Franky566
    @Franky566 Před 2 lety +1

    that stuff works better than dawn!

    • @damocsell
      @damocsell  Před 2 lety

      It was very good at removing grease from my hands.

  • @jennalynn6541
    @jennalynn6541 Před 10 lety

    Thanks for this video!!!!

  • @solwolfpunk
    @solwolfpunk Před 11 lety

    Interesting process. I make soap with purchased lye. I have never made my own lye.If you let the soap sit for a few weeks, it would harden. Have you perfected the method?

  • @Maxxx611
    @Maxxx611 Před rokem +1

    Thank you

  • @circusboy90210
    @circusboy90210 Před 12 lety

    @1wicked2008 if you need to make your own soap then carrying lard is probably on your list too. in the old west they had cook wagons that carried everything people needed period. also the wild wild west went up into the 1930's and 50's in some places so everything was not as primitive as we are lead to believe.

  • @SongOfWhiteWolf
    @SongOfWhiteWolf Před 11 lety

    Tallow works better then lard for two reasons. One, lard stays soft at room temperature where tallow is more of a solid. And two, you can make tallow in the bush by rendering animal fat. Ever fix bacon for five or six people? That's enough tallow to make a small batch of soap. You can use any vegetable oil to do the same thing if you don't want animal fat. Liked the video. Many different people use different techniques.

  • @prosperthedubaiexplorer8980

    THANKS FOR THE VIDEO

  • @jorgemedina8377
    @jorgemedina8377 Před 7 lety +5

    This is super hardcore! Respect to you for doing it this way. Only way you could make it more hardcore would be for us to see you chop down a tree and kill the hog and render its fat by hand :D

  • @BidgieWidgie
    @BidgieWidgie Před 11 lety +1

    What a terrific experiment! That was really interesting and informative. You're awesome! I worried about you not using any gloves while pourIng, I expect great great granny even used something like tongs or a ladle to pour the lye solution because a chemical burn would have crippled her ability to work. I don't know what 'accent' people are whinging about, you sound exactly like me! Maybe they're upset that you don't pepper each sentence with 'Crikey' or 'Struth'.

  • @FlorGosetti
    @FlorGosetti Před 8 lety

    Hi! There are other recipes for lye making, where they live it with the ashes for a day or more and then add more ashes, let it sit, and then they do a test to know it´s ready. Did you make lye again?

  • @damocsell
    @damocsell  Před 12 lety

    @rathersurf from what i read the fine white ash is the best

  • @TetraLonelySouls
    @TetraLonelySouls Před 12 lety

    i heard vegetable oil washes off car grease too and it saves the trouble

  • @InMaLa
    @InMaLa Před 12 lety

    I would agree that steeping the ash in a minimal quantity of (warm) water for a number of hours before filtration would gain the greatest lye concentration from the ash.

  • @mariebowling4259
    @mariebowling4259 Před 8 lety

    thank you.

  • @rathersurf
    @rathersurf Před 12 lety

    Cool Don!
    Does whether it's a fine ash or not make a difference?

  • @vickycushman8482
    @vickycushman8482 Před 7 lety +4

    I always heard that you shouldn't use cast iron to make soap.

  • @GiggleGoatSoap
    @GiggleGoatSoap Před 12 lety

    This is something I've always wanted to try. Why not take the lye all the way down to it's crystallized form? Was it animal or vegetable lard?

  • @MrPWowie
    @MrPWowie Před 11 lety

    That vid was awesome. Did record another batch, tweaking the formula at all?

  • @rascaljimenez8424
    @rascaljimenez8424 Před 4 lety +1

    Oh ok, well you will get it man.

  • @tombaxter2879
    @tombaxter2879 Před 2 lety +1

    Good try. Well done.

  • @maxinpains6937
    @maxinpains6937 Před 3 lety +2

    Really , people should not use aluminum pot to do this. My ex- stupid buddy of mine borrowed my aluminum camping pot and totally ruined it . To make a stupid few bucks soap ruined my $60 camping pot and with straight face returned my pot saying my pot sucks . It was the End of that friendship right there.

    • @damocsell
      @damocsell  Před 3 lety

      Many people do not understand how lye will very quickly eat a aluminium pot. On the subject of old dumb friends. My old friend started harvesting oysters with my Gerber MK2 survival knife and it still has the marks in the blade 30 years later.

  • @jemanjii
    @jemanjii Před 11 lety

    I think I need to do a little more research but I have to try this

  • @vrclw6577
    @vrclw6577 Před 6 lety +1

    what is this spooky ambience in the background
    i love it

    • @damocsell
      @damocsell  Před 6 lety +2

      LOL wind turbine powering the homestead.

  • @bobbylong2202
    @bobbylong2202 Před 2 lety

    Awesome

  • @KowboyUSA
    @KowboyUSA Před 11 lety

    Cool.

  • @_theplantkiller
    @_theplantkiller Před 2 lety

    Question: what do you do with the left over ash from making the lye? What’s safe to do with it. I’m currently making soap.

    • @damocsell
      @damocsell  Před 2 lety

      I use it in the garden compost.

  • @hazelblair6634
    @hazelblair6634 Před rokem

    how many times can you use the leaching pot (straw & stones) Thank you.

  • @yassinbachu4819
    @yassinbachu4819 Před 5 měsíci

    The lime works here in soap works as? Please let me know..thanx

  • @yablabo
    @yablabo Před 11 lety

    Nice video! :)

  • @allenhonaker4107
    @allenhonaker4107 Před 2 lety +1

    It will work better if you use cheese cloth to filter the lye water after you decant it.

  • @annalisasteinnes
    @annalisasteinnes Před 10 lety

    Do you think this would work with ashes from energy logs? They're basically compressed wood shavings, but I don't know from what type of wood. I've got a lot of ashes.

  • @thetaffia.
    @thetaffia. Před 9 lety

    Nice man just wish i had the patience

  • @Ashes2Ashes_Blush2Blush
    @Ashes2Ashes_Blush2Blush Před 9 lety +8

    Is that wind? ._.

  • @11lipovsky
    @11lipovsky Před 11 lety +1

    i could understand him perfectly

  • @louis424
    @louis424 Před 8 lety +1

    this layer that formed on top, is it not possible that it was glycerin?

  • @linemanswife409
    @linemanswife409 Před 3 lety +1

    You didn’t evaporator the water out. Your finished Lye should be a thick paste or flakes. Just need to evaporate off more water and you woulda had some serious soap there! But good job!

    • @damocsell
      @damocsell  Před 3 lety

      Thanks yes I think you are correct.

  • @Set2Survive
    @Set2Survive Před 12 lety

    ok a few things, firstly what i believe you made was more like an extremely mild cleaner (weak). Your lye was very very weak, possibly because you added too much water as you stated in your vid. Secondly, you used lard, which has a tendency to keep soap too soft (in your case gooey) and lemon juice or other acids like vinegar would help them to blend better. You should have also allowed your lye solution to dissolve your lard, that way it would blend better and not look like sludge. just a tip.

  • @midgerobo450
    @midgerobo450 Před 12 lety

    I think I'll just buy some soap next time I run out.... But cool video, very interesting.

  • @taz-on-the-looseyusef5526

    well i have learnt to appreciate even the cheapest soap

  • @brianjacob8728
    @brianjacob8728 Před 3 lety +3

    too much heat when you mixed the lye in with the lard. Should be 2 parts lard to 1 part lye solution.

  • @Massive1986Cava
    @Massive1986Cava Před 11 lety

    NIce vid! DO you have pother video in wich you make the solid soap by still using lye and vegetal/animal fat? Thanks