Source of good pine tar soap?

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Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
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Knowhere
I don't really want to be a spoilsport but there are a lot of "nostaligia" products out there that do not contain the original ingredients, only fragrances, because, you know, safety regulations and all that. Practically anything the boomer generation ever ate or put on our skin as kids turns out to contain carcinogens. Who'd a thunk it, we must all be walking time bombs.
 
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Woody girl

Full Member
Mar 31, 2018
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Exmoor
Just done a Google and found out my friend does birch tar soap aswell. Smokey smell.
www.priestlands.co.uk they have a shop in London and mail order.
They also do various fairs and farmers markets. Were at the scythe fair last year near langport somerset.
All stuff collected from exmoor.
No connection just a satisfied customer.
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
The 'animal use' products ( shampoo, soap, ointment) I found online in Sweden do contain the 'real deal' but most are made using tar from that Vulnerable US tree.
Some Finnish products did not say where the tar is from.

I would be happy to use the soap every day. My two skin carcinomas on my face ( both agressive) were caused by Sun exposure.
 

Herman30

Native
Aug 30, 2015
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Finland
I don't really want to be a spoilsport but there are a lot of "nostaligia" products out there that do not contain the original ingredients, .
Well I found a few soaps with real tar (latin: Pyroleum Pini Pix Liquida) in them, when googling finnish shops.
https://www.google.com/search?q=tervasaippua&client=firefox-b-d&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=lxTmR6LD2w4JnM%3A%2CzsbGKV4jU9AEHM%2C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kTaDtgR3BA2_zbpuZlNPaCP32nQFg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjq99-tqbbnAhVCzqQKHRi2BPUQ9QEwA3oECAoQCA#imgrc=_&vet=1
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,092
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Vantaa, Finland
I never realised so many people would want to make tar soap. I guess they all use real tar, for the simple reason that it is easier to get than any tar aroma. Most seem to claim using tar made by the very old 'tar grave' process. They dig a conical pit, line it with tar proof material (birch bark in the old), fil it with resin rich pine, cover it with earth and then light it to a simmering fire. The tar can be tapped from the bottom.
 

SCOMAN

Life Member
Dec 31, 2005
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Perthshire
RM's shop must be watching the thread. I have an advert, first ever I think, pop up from them today selling......pine tar soap!
 
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Monk

Forager
Jun 20, 2004
199
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outandabout
What have folks used pine tar/pine oil soap and birch tar soap for?

Anything in particular like skin aliments or just overall cleanliness?

How do these soaps compare to old fashioned carbolic soap?
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Back in the old days palatable fat was a scarce resource, and was not wasted.
It was eaten.
Tallow was not only used as a lubricant but eaten too, so another ‘do not waste’ resource
Tar oil was produced in large quantities, mainly in the Finnish part of Swedish realm. Exported.
Made by the farmers and forestry workers in thousands of small kilns.
To dilute the unpalatable, rank fat that could not be eaten and some of the excess tallow they used the tar oil.
I suspect they used what we call Ryssolja ( Russian Oil) made from Birch bark. This was used to treat leather.

This was the soap they made in the farms. Home made soap that they used at least a couple of times a year.
Because that is how often they had a full body wash!
:)



When they discovered it was efficient against some skin conditions it became medicinal too, no doubt with more tar added (?)
In the past, most people suffered from skin problems. Small localized infections, infected bug bites.

Oldfashioned Carbolic soap is very nasty on the skin. Own experience from youth.
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,092
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Vantaa, Finland
they used what we call Ryssolja ( Russian Oil) made from Birch bark.
That was also used as an adhesive for making bows and fastening the points of arrows. Now if someone wants to learn a fairly useless word "tökötti" old name for Russian oil.
:asshat:
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
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Was tökötti used in puukko making also?

Tar soap:
Once the more industrial production of quality ( affordable) soaps started in the 1800’ tar soap went down in popularity.
Took the role of a more medicinal product.

I remember it was still sold in shops in the early 70’s.
Then only in pharmacies.

People do not suffer so much from bug bites these days, and there are better pharmaceuticals available.
 

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