Where to find lye

[saycortes]

I live in southern California and can not seem to find any lye anywhere? Did they stop selling it? Is there anything that can be used alternatively?

[greg kono]

Have you tried soap, candle making supply stores or hardware stores? (Lowes?)
I found this article:
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/a/lyesources.htm

[Granger]

I 'Red Devil' brand 100% lye in drain cleaner section at grocery store.

Be careful with it - study a lot if you don't already know about it - seriously - I mean it - don't take lye lightly.

Goggles or safety glasses is not a bad idea either.

[CaroleMeckes]

Hi Granger,
It is my understanding that Red Devil Lye was "banned" a few years ago because people could make drugs from it.

It this a small store where you are finding the product or has it been "re-released?

Carole

[Granger]

Hey Carole -- I had not heard that, would not be too surprised though, frankly I was surprised it was 'on the shelf' to begin with considering how strong it is chemically:eek: (<-- I wonder if that "smiley will show up properly...))

I bough a CASE of the stuff years ago when I was making a buncha soap - will try to look in grocery tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I'm running a goggle search -- but lye is just sodium hydroxide, NaOH, any basic chemistry supply house should have it


damn - wouldja look at this........ http://candleandsoap.about.com/b/2005/09/19/its-not-a-lye.htm

WHERE TO BUY LYE --

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/a/lyesources.htm

pathetic............. once again the damn meth freaks cause problems for the rest of us -- whoever invented that stuff should have watched "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" a few more times........... meth is so bad around here that a few months ago when a cop stopped to move a box out of the road he found it had several POUNDS of the poison ! apparently thrown out but unseen in a chase the night before - sheesh...... no wonder there are so many break ins and construction site thefts around here.

Well -- If someone needs it for a legitimate reason there really should NOT be any problem getting it -- prove to jumpy law enforcement and chemical companies that it's legit, if they do NOT allow it to honest users then all they are gonna do is create a BIGGER underground and black market for it which will make it EASIER for the meth heads to get it.

Granger -- no longer using my precious stash of Lye for occasional clogged drain.................. It's mine !! MINE !!! ALL MINE I tell you !!! You hear me? MIIINE!!!!!!! bwahahahahahha (apologies to Vincent Price)


OH - almost forgot -------- I use https://www1.fishersci.com/wps/portal/HOME?LBCID=78760465 and http://www.sciplus.com/ for a lot of my science supplies

[KathyJB]

Hello saycortes, I am relatively new to papermaking but I did find some lye to use with some of my tough fibers last week at the hardware store, I am from NJ and we still have red devil lye on the shelves of most supply stores,
it is sold as drain cleaner with 100% lye written in small letters.
Hope that helps,
Do any of you make paper of any other type in this forum?

Kathy

[greg kono]

Hi Kathy,
I've only made paper once, but I want to do more in the future.

I use lots of different papers and tissues for kite making. Hiromi Paper has some interesting paper and some materials for papermaking. Check out the papers made with fruit and vegetable slices:
http://www.hiromipaper.com/store/home.php?cat=305