Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) - Where do I buy this in Japan?

[Garrett deRosset]

I wish to make soap, but I have no lye to do it with.  Does anyone have any experience buying chemicals in Japan that might be able to help me with this endeavor?

[Chris Shannon]

we've gotten it for pretzels... might have a little left

c

http://www.sapphireinteractive.com

On 2012/01/19, at 18:48, Garrett deRosset <garrett...@gmail.com> wrote:

I wish to make soap, but I have no lye to do it with.  Does anyone have any experience buying chemicals in Japan that might be able to help me with this endeavor?

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[Garrett deRosset]

I don't need much, but just in case I need more, do you remember where you got it?

[Kalin KOZHUHAROV]

> On 2012/01/19, at 18:48, Garrett deRosset <garrett...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> I wish to make soap, but I have no lye to do it with. Does anyone have
> any experience buying chemicals in Japan that might be able to help me with
> this endeavor?
>

TokyuHands (Shibuya) in the chemistry section?
They might have "soap making" section as well, ask for 水酸化ナトリウム（すいさんかナトリウム）.

Kalin.

[Garrett deRosset]

Thanks for the advice.  I'm headed to Tokyu on Wednesday then.  Let me know if anyone needs anything.  

2012/1/19 Kalin KOZHUHAROV <me.k...@gmail.com>

[藤井俊亮]

Hi Garrett deRosset

I think you can buy NaOH at drugstore.
But NaoH is very dangerous chemical.
Therefore drugstore can't sell NaOH to you without ID and purpose.
(Please you inform shop assistant about that you want to make soap.)

By doing this, you can buy NaOH.
(web store assumedly can't sell NaOH in japan.)

if you can speak japanese, please try to buy near at drugstore.
AND,if you have another questions,I answer your problem.

shunsuke fujii

2012/1/19 Garrett deRosset <garrett...@gmail.com>:

> I wish to make soap, but I have no lye to do it with.  Does anyone have any
> experience buying chemicals in Japan that might be able to help me with this
> endeavor?
>

[DrJ]

Olive oil soap recipes.......
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=1&oq=olive+oil+soap&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enJP315&q=olive+oil+soap+recipe&gs_upl=0l0l0l12766lllllllllll0&aqi=g5

http://www.delcitysoap.com/soaprecipe.htm

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soaprecipes/a/castrecipe.htm

http://quarteramish.com/2011/04/17/olive-oil-soap-recipe/

[Benjamin Davis]

Why not make your own lye the old-fashioned way using wood ash?  http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Lye

[Garrett deRosset]

I've been looking for lye for so long.  I might just do this. Thanks.  

On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 3:23 AM, Benjamin Davis <davis.be...@gmail.com> wrote:

Why not make your own lye the old-fashioned way using wood ash?  http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Lye

--

[Benjamin Davis]

Report on how it goes!  And don't get nailed by the fire department!  Or burn your house down, or melt your hands, or kill yourself with fumes!

Btw, I'm pretty sure you could do various modern substitutions to make this recipe more accessible to city dwellers lacking farm resources - e.g. just use distilled water instead of waiting around to collect "soft" rainwater, or use a different kind of barrel than wood** or a different kind of filter than rocks and straw***.

*** PROVIDED THAT you triple check that your substitute barrel and/or filter don't melt in or react nastily with concentrated NaOH or KOH (IMPORTANT!!!).  (NO METALS, and not sure on plastics, but I think glass is ok if only used for a short while (longterm, it will react though, and frost/weaken/eat the glass)?  In any case, best do it outside on your concrete balcony*, and please wear gloves/mask/goggles.  Stuff is naaaarrrrsty.) ***

*Side effect: should "clean" your concrete if you spill some.

...you know, on second thought, maybe using traditional materials is safest.  Go find some rice straw in the countryside.  And make your own barrel (best avoid treated wood just to be safe).  Or at least get a better chemist than me to okay your materials before you start.   (Anybody?  :D  )

More info on traditional soap-making: http://www.alcasoft.com/soapfact/history.html

Weird alternative:  I think you could theoretically make soap using concentrated sodium/potassium carbonates instead of lye (sodium/potassium hydroxides) -- e.g. by baking baking soda -- but I'm done with reading about soap for the day, so you do the googling on this one.  Haha.

[Chris Shannon]

Lye....

¥714 for 500g
¥6,720 for 5kg (500g x 10)
¥5145 for 20kg (20kg x 1)
http://www.ginnomoppu.com/10047/10111/10495/index.html

Chris

[Garrett deRosset]

I just ordered a kilo.  Thanks for your help.  

[Merry Day]

Hello! I'm trying to make some soap here in Japan as well! How can I buy some Lye? The link posted requires you to have some proof of business, correct?

[コブタイカ]

Hello, Merry-san

Sodium Hydroxide, it is a drastic medicine!
Sodium Hydroxide is called 「水酸化ナトリウム (Suisanka Natorium) or 苛
性ソーダ (Kasei Soda)」 in Japanese.

We can purchase the Sodium Hydroxide at a pharmacopeia.
When we purchase Sodium Hydroxide, we must show the papers such as a
driver's license or the passport.
We think that the stamp (判子 Hanko) is necessary.

Maybe, available for purchase if aqueous solution, but purchase
impossible if solid.

Soap making, is wonderful !!

Kind regards.

TOMO

[Merry Day]

Hi, Tomo!
Thank you for all your information! By pharmacy do you mean somewhere like HAC drugs? I tried Tokyu Hands and they didn't have any. I do have a Hanko and can provide a passport. But I wonder if you need a professional license or certification of some sort. I'm asking around! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
And thanks, again, Tomo!

[コブタイカ]

Hi, Merry-san

You're welcom !
I don't know the HAC drug stores. However, we are possible to purchase
if the drug store pharmacist resides.

For example, "drug Papas (どらっぐぱぱす)", "Seijyo (セイジョー)",
"Ippondo (クスリの一本堂)", "Fukutaro (くすりの福太郎)", "Tomos (トモ
ズ)" and so on.
It is necessary that pharmacists are in the drug store.

In order to purchae sodium hydroxide, we don't require any
professional/special license.
Anyone can purchase.

Please contact me if you cannot purchase it for the reason of your being
a foreigner.
I will buy it and became administrator, and when you need it, I will
pass the amount you need at THS.
Of course, for the purpose of making soap.

First, please try to ask the pharmacy which I described earlier.

Sodium hydroxide => 「水酸化ナトリウム (Suisanka Natorium)」 or 「苛性
ソーダ (Kasei soda)」

Kind regards.

TOMO

[Merry Day]

Tomo!!! You have helped me so much! I went into Tomod's today and they are willing to sell me lye with my passport and hanko! I'm so excited!
Thanks a million, Tomo!

[コブタイカ]

Hi, Merry-san

You're welcome.
I'm very happy to be of use to you.
Please make wonderful soap ^^

Kind regards.

TOMO

[glamou...@gmail.com]

pls anyone can help me where i can by a lye or sodium hydroxide here in japan