[lastchance]

If you use sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide you will not have to float an egg. You will be able to calculate how much of either you need to saponify the oils you use. Making lye from wood ash is a good way to end up with lye heavy soap. The soap will also be very soft compared to the hard bars you get with NAOH. KOH makes liquid soap.

[goodwithagun]

Oh I will definitely use lye from the hardware store, I just think all the history and my foremothers’ recipes and advice are fascinating! We use Kirk’s now and the cheapest we can get it is $4.99/3 bars through vitacost.com. With just some quick calculations I can make it for about half that price. Do you use separate equipment than what you use for normal food prep?

[Nepeta]

If you use sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide

If you are going to handle solutions of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, do so with great care. Wear goggles, and have at hand a means to flush your eyes for many minutes. A solution of either in your eye will begin to irreversibly coagulate the protein in your eyes in 15 seconds, and you can be blinded. These materials are very dangerous--they are also difficult to rinse thoroughly.