Using Wooden Soap Molds

Since the last recipe you gave me turned out so well, here I am hoping that you may have some tips and ideas for breaking in some new wood molds. So, do you have any wisdom to share about these virgin molds? They are not pine, harder than pine, but not heavy. I am excited, and I want to use just the right recipe for the first time.

I know how you feel about having new molds. I never did use my wooden molds (small bars and large) I was given, which had slats to pull out, like a puzzle. I didn't know how, but that's what finally inspired me to find out exactly how to make soap.

I would smear them down with petroleum jelly on the insides, then lay very long strips of garbage bags across the bars, both ways, tucking down very well with a knitting needle, to make the removal of soap (sometimes soft) easier. Then I would make my first batch plain white (Tony's No-Fail), for rebatching or whatever, so you can trouble-shoot without wreaking your bars on the first use.

Shucky 8-) +