John Carmichael

“ As the making of soap is the avowed purpose of this Treatise to explain, the doing so, by barely exhibiting the method of treating the materials in a soap-work, preparatory for using; of charging, boiling, and finishing a pan of soap, only, would be doing nothing; would be communicating no more information than any laboring man, with a small degree of attention, in one of those works, may soon be master of. To complete the soap-maker, a far different, and more extensive degree of knowledge is necessary. ”

“ The test is a thing so necessary for a soap-boiler, that it is impossible for him to conduct his operations with propriety without it; yet, I believe, there are hundreds in the trade that know nothing at all about it: be that as it will, I say, they ought to know it; nor can any man discover when a soap-ley is totally deprived of its alkali, without its assistance. ”

“ Unless a soap-ley be rendered caustic, or deprived of its fixed air, it can have no natural attraction for vegetable or animal subtsances, such as oil, tallow, or grease of any kind, so as to convert them into a soap. For the sole purpose, therefore, of extracting the fixed air from the leys, do soapmakers use quicklime. Depriving the mild alkali of its fixed air, renders it caustic, or of a burning, corroding quality, and of that peculiar nature that instantly attach themselves to all greasy substances, and converts them into soap. ”

“ We now find, that an equal proportion of these leys mixed together, produce, upon an average, a medium weight, equal to the standard for proper boiling lee. Weak leys take always a larger quantity, and much longer boiling. On the other hand, strong leys take a less quantity to do the same work, and considerable less boiling; consequently, in using a proper ley, both time and fuel is saved. That soap-boiling is so bad and unprofitable a trade, as many represent it, I cannot see. Such ought always to give some reason for their assertion. ”

“ When different leys are used, that is, some strong, and others weak, particular attention must be paid to the proportioning the one with the other, or, the weak with the strong, in order that a proper strength, or boiling ley, be had from the composition. If too weak leys are used, there is a danger incurred of spoiling the whole soap, which is hardly to be righted again. ”

“ To obtain the knowledge necessary to complete a Soap-maker, must at all times be attended with a very considerable expence, besides the consumption of a large portion of time. No experienced Soap-boiler would consider it at all worth his attention, to undertake the instructing, in the fundamental principles of the art, any person under a premium of One Hundred Guineas, besides the benefit of the person's labour spent in the acquirement. ”

“ The fundamental principle upon which the proper management, or manufacturing, of soft soap depends, as we have before stated for hard soap, is a certain knowledge of the quality and strength of the leys; for however necessary that knowledge may be in hard soap-making, it is peculiarly more so in soft. ”

“ An intimate acquaintance with every particular relative to the leys, is the one thing needful for a soap-boiler, being as it were the ground-work of the whole operation, and materially essential to be well understood, before any attempt ought to be made at soap-making. ”

“ The extracted salt leys, by being run through a lime cave, might have been converted into a good caustic ley, and used over again with advantage.
Soap-makers will do well to consider this case with attention. By so doing, disagreeable circumstances of a similar nature may be avoided; and, consequently, much time, expences, and an infinite quantity of trouble, saved. No soap-ley at any time ought to be used, but such as, by experiment, is proved to be a caustic ley, entirely freed from its fixed air. ”

“ The blue and white pearl ashes, discovered by experiment to be pure alkaline salts, without any considerable mixture of heterogeneous bodies, may be used in hard soapmaking, mixed with kelp or barilla, with certain success. When used alone, a large quantity of common salt is necessary; nor is the soap ever so firm and hard as when they are combined with kelp, &c.; and soap made with these ashes alone, is always apt to get softer by age. Upon this account, pearl ashes seem much better calculated for soft, or green soap, than hard. ”

“ The pernicious effects of sand are twofold; first, robbing the purchaser, making him pay for sand instead of kelp; and, 2dly, what is still worse, kelp burnt with sand is converted into a kind of vitrified substance, and from which it is next to impossible for the soap-maker to extract the alkali.
Kelp is always esteemed the best which is hardest, finest grained, and free from sand or earth. Sea-ware is a most useful article otherwise, besides the making of soap: it is an excellent manure for land, for which purpose it is often applied in the maritime parts of Scotland and other countries. ”

“ One necessary piece of knowledge, however, to every soap-maker, and intimately connected with the present work, still remains to be taken notice of, viz. The Revenue Laws by which every soap manufactory must be strictly regulated. The want of such knowledge might frequently hazard mistakes, and ultimately incur penalties altogether undeserved. ”

“ When the cave has stood the above time, loose the pin, and let the ley run briskly off. When all is off, stop up again, and fill with water, which may stand the half of the former time; the pin may again be loosed, and the leys allowed to run gently off, keeping the cave always filled up or supplied with water. It may be unnecessary here to remark, that we must hitherto be supposed as laying down directions to a person just going to commence soap-making, but perfectly ignorant of the operation, and that he is preparing every necessary agreeable thereto. ”

“ From these ashes already mentioned, the strongest and purest vegetable alkali is obtained. From other vegetables, as fern, broom, bean-stalks, &c. an alkaline salt is produced, but so impure, and in such small quantities, that no soap-manufacturer in this country can use them, with any reasonable expectation of profit. ”

“ After the leys are put in, add the tallow, and light the fire. When all the tallow is melted, put in the oil, and draw the fire a little afterwards, and allow the pan to stand about two hours. Light again the fire, and add about 20 gallons more of the leys. After the pan begins to boil, add now and then a little more leys, to the purpose of preventing the soap from boiling over: and this adding of lees to be continued until the soap is supposed to be about half boiled; when it will be time to try, whether the soap has got too much, or too little leys. ”

“ The idea, however, of retaining from our fellow-creatures that knowledge which the Great Disposer of all good have been pleased to lend us, only, is a notion so contrary to the benevolent rules of Christianity, which is, To do good and to communicate, that the author feels himself peculiarly happy in having it in his power to obey so far the sacred injunctions, as with pleasure to communicate to others what they may stand in need of, or to the extent of his abilities bestow. ”

“ He told me, he thought a fresh cave of strong ley would be necessary to cut her up. My opinion to him was, that too much of that had already been applied; but that, if he would submit to my advice, I thought his pan, in a day or two, might be again brought to rights. What is to be done, then? says he. ”

“ Or, to know if the soap have got enough of leys, dip the blade of the knife into the soap; and when coldish, stroak the soap off the knife upon your forefinger; observe if any streaks appear in the soap: if any, then the soap is plentifully supplied with leys; but if none, more leys must be added. It is always a good sign that soft soap is enough boiled, when, upon trial as above, with the soap on the finger, that it stands up, and appears with a thin roundish back; and when right, it will appear upon the finger of a grayish colour at the top of the outer edge. ”

“ Take a parcel of the blue flowers of any vegetable, violets, for instance, or the blossom of the mallow; beat them with the edge of a knife, and squeeze the juice of it into a tea-cup; with a small brush, or hair pencil, lay over a sheet of white paper with this juice, and when dry it is fit for use. All alkalis will turn it green, and all acids will turn it of a red colour. A combination of them both to the point of saturation, will not in the smallest degree alter the colour of the test, because they are then said to be neutral, having neither the properties of an acid, or an alkali ”

“ Notwithstanding the laws already made for securing the soap-duties, and protecting the fair trader, many gross frauds are daily practised by evil-minded and indigent persons, who make soap, and abscond before the duties can be recovered, and by other methods have evaded the duty ”

“ If the goods or materials in the pan appear to swell up, damp the fire, which is done by opening the furnace door, and throwing ashes thereon (some have proper dampers) , when the whole will boil at leisure. As the caustic alkali immediately grips to the tallow, there is no occasion for long boiling; about two or three hours wall be long enough: the fire may then be drawn, and the pan allowed to stand for four or six hours, when the weak leys may be pumped off, and fresh ones added for second boil. ”

“ Another, and more favourable reason, however, may be alleged; that amongst these few, none have been urged by that degree of confidence in their own abilities, sufficient to induce them to set about a work in itself so mysterious and uncommon. ”

“ Provided always, That if any maker of soap shall have charged the copper or boiler with rough fat or rough kitchen grease, then eight pounds of rough fat shall be deemed equal to seven pounds of tallow, and five pounds of rough kitchen grease shall be deemed equal to four pounds of clean kitchen grease. ”

“ And every person making soap, and not so qualified, shall, notwithstanding any entry by him or them made, be deemed and taken to be persons making soap without entry, and shall be subject to the like penalties and forfeitures, by the former statutes, as persons making soap without entry. ”

“ And for the better preventing the elandestine making of soap, without payment of the duties for the same; be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the said 20th day of September 1784, it shall be lawful for any officer or officers of Excise to take an account from time to time, as often as he or they shall think fit, by gauging, weighing, or otherwise, as to him or them shall seem most proper and convenient, of all tallow, oil, rosin, and grease of every kind, and of all materials for making soap, which any maker of soap shall at any time have in his possession ”

“ The colour is bright green. As the plant advances to maturity, this colour vanishes away, till it comes at last to be a dull green, tinged with brown.
Gazul bears the greatest affinity to barilla, both in quality and appearance. The principal difference consists in its growing on a still dryer, salter earth, consequently it is impregnated with a stronger salt. It does not rise above two inches out of the ground, spreading out into little tufts. Its sprigs are much flatter and more pulpy than those of barilla, and are still more like samphire. ”

“ As mistakes by Excise-officers are not at all improbable, in casting up gauges of soap, it is proper that every soap-maker should cast up his own, after the dip of the frame is ascertained by the officer, supervisor, &c. ”

“ No maker of hard soap shall use any other kind of vessel for cleansing, or putting his hard soap (whether perfectly made or not) into, when taken out of the copper or other utensil wherein boiled or prepared, than regular square or oblong frames only ”

“ And whereas, notwithstanding the laws now in force for securing the duties on soap, many frauds are still frequently practised, to the great loss of the revenue, and to the injury of the fair trader, and some better regulations in the manner of carrying on the soap-making business are still wanting ”

“ The others, when highly concentrated, that is, brought to the utmost degree of strength of which they are capable, always become an invisible vapour, permanently elastic, until it comes in contact with water, or some other substance with which they are capable of uniting. ”

“ I broke down pretty small a quarter cwt. of the above American pot; and, with a proportionate quantity of good lime-shells, mixed therewith, set them in a small yetlin cave. I added water just sufficient to saturate the mixture. In this state, having stood for about 12 or 14 hours, I let it run, and drew off 4 English gallons of ley, which I ascertained, by my hydrometer, to be 141⁄2 strong. I filled up my cave with water, and continued the running slowly until I had 28 gallons more, of strength by hydrometer 18 strong. ”

“ Provided always, That it shall be lawful for every maker of soap to have, in the cover of his or her copper or boiler, small holes, not exceeding one-eighth of an inch in diameter, for the steam to escape through the same. ”

“ This perfume must be prepared by the manufacturer himself; for to purchase it from perfumers would be attended with too enormous an expence. I have acquired this perfume in the following manner, viz. Procure a small still, about 20 English gallons, with a proportionate worm of six or eight turns, the placing of which properly any mason can instruct. Put into the still about 14 or 16 libs, of good fresh caraway seeds, and fill up with water about two-thirds full: let the head and body of the still be luted together, as also the pipe where it enters the worm. ”

“ However, a much smaller profit would be convincing, that the trade was not that losing one, which many ignorant and unfortunate adventurers have taught us, from their experience, to imagine. Another experiment with the same quantity of tallow (4 lib.) , but foreign, and above six years old, was tried with Petersburg pearl ash-ley. The operation was completed at three boils, and there was used 14 English pints of the ley; and the produce of the soap turned out to be seven and one half pounds. ”