Source of good pine tar soap?

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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
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stewartjlight-knives.com
Used in the shower, it cleans well, rinses off very easily & has great fragrance.
It leaves a slightly 'tacky' feeling of being coated in Pine Tar & if I'm going to be out
in rain this is awesome as I feel waterproofed. Recommended.

Stew - You organised the BB Urban ? And contribute much here.
If so, please PM me your details, I'll pop you a bar in the post.

Thanks for the offer. I might have some other on it's way so I'll hold off for now. The recommendation of a good product is enough as I hate buying a duff!
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
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Looked up some tar soap recipies, looks mostly like any basic soap with some tar in it. It seems like actually not all that much, might still have some effect and gives a nice smell.

The soap found here is made of pine oil and nothing else. It is an industrially produced soap from a by product of cellulose production.

It does sound interesting. I wonder how it compares.
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
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Vantaa, Finland
Found something, this is a blog entry from a lady in SA but it seems to contain the important points: https://auntieclaras.com/2017/02/mantysuopa-finnish-pine-soap/
It is not generally used as a hand washing soap because of it's alkalinity (pH 9.5), mostly used for cleaning and washing (not in a machine) everything else. I have not yet found if a lower pH version exists.
I found some (in a net store) in block form but with added phosphates and preservatives, trying to find some without as in the past.
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
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Vantaa, Finland
When looking for Grandpa Soap found out that their tar soap is made with Pinus palustris tar, it just happens that this pine is on the (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Maybe one should not look so often ...:panda:
 

Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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I know you want pine tar soap, but I have discovered birch oil soap. Has a similar smell but a bit less piney of course. I find it a nicer smell myself, but then being female I would I guess. I have a lady localy who makes it. Not cheap, but a good alternative and also good for skin conditions too. I have rid myself of a small persistent patch of excema using the birch oil soap.I guess you could call it birch tar as it's made the same way I think.
Will be spending a few days with her this comming birch collecting season to learn all about tapping and producing the oil. Maybe soap making too.
Excited about this :)
Grandpa's soap is great.
 
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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,446
1,284
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
I know you want pine tar soap, but I have discovered birch oil soap. Has a similar smell but a bit less piney of course. I find it a nicer smell myself, but then being female I would I guess. I have a lady localy who makes it. Not cheap, but a good alternative and also good for skin conditions too. I have rid myself of a small persistent patch of excema using the birch oil soap.I guess you could call it birch tar as it's made the same way I think.
Will be spending a few days with her this comming birch collecting season to learn all about tapping and producing the oil. Maybe soap making too.
Excited about this :)
Grandpa's soap is great.

Sounds interesting, though I like the smokey scent to the pine as an added bonus to how it works for me. :D
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
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Bedfordshire
When looking for Grandpa Soap found out that their tar soap is made with Pinus palustris tar, it just happens that this pine is on the (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Maybe one should not look so often ...:panda:

That is interesting. That is the Long Leaf Pine from the US Southeast and is also associated with commercial fat wood / maya sticks due to its high resin content.
 

Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
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Finland
Can possibly be done, just have to make sure that soap is the one he wants. I'll look if it is sold by web order. The product is called 'Mäntysuopa' which roughly translates to 'pinesoap'.
Mäntysuopa does not contain tar. Tervasaippua is what is wanted in this thread, as I understand it.
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
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Vantaa, Finland
No it does not but offhand I don't know what happens to tar with sodium hydroxide in soap making. At least some of the smell remains
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,092
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Vantaa, Finland
After a short search it looks like pine tar contains a lot of substances that would react with sodium hydroxide so it probably would not retain all the properties in tar. Is there an organic chemist around?
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
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It's possible that the supply of sodium hydroxide is exhausted in the original soap-making process.
Then, the pine tar is added. It should remain as an additive since there's no NaOH to react with it.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Yes, traditionally it is added at the end, before the soap solidifies, together with Lanoline.
Good stuff, is supposed to help with various skin conditions.
Scandi trad. anti Mozzie preparations are a fat/oil, mixed with tar oil/pitch.

Works beautifully, but messes up the clothes.
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,092
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Vantaa, Finland
The first four recipes found mix the tar right in and seem to include that in the fatty acid calculation. I have never tried making soap but have been told about it.
 

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