Soap box nickel silver

For many years a soap box like this one slumbered unnoticed as exhibit N° 2008-003-017 in the Medical History Collection of the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel. Until a mechanical engineer discovered it during his long search for a stable and durable container for soap and awakened it from its slumber. The chic exhibit was originally part of a midwife's case from the 1890s offered by Gottlob Kurz, a Wiesbaden-based specialist store for midwifery supplies. As soon as the modern engineer held it in his hands, it was clear that something like this had to be produced again. A material analysis under a fluorescence microscope revealed that the material was nickel silver (stainless steel was not developed until 1912 by Krupp). Characteristic of the corrosion-resistant alloy of copper, nickel and zinc is the beautiful silver luster, which is why it was often used in the past as an alternative to silver for cutlery, musical instruments, fittings and jewelry.

Exceptionally, the form here not only follows the function, but is mainly due to the combination of manufacturing process and material. For the soap can, the nickel silver is processed by deep drawing. In this process, the sheet is pressed into the negative mold and the metal literally begins to flow into it. To prevent the material from cracking at the edges, a minimum radius must be maintained, which is determined by the properties of the material. Even though the rounded corners are not the result of a sophisticated product design, they do contribute to the special look and even more to the pleasant feel of the soap box. This results in its easy-to-handle shape and - in combination with the durable, easy-to-clean material - its optimal functionality.

As old as the role model of the nickel silver soap tin may be, in terms of environmental friendliness it is at the cutting edge. The alloy is 80% recycled material, only 20% is "new" raw materials. The energy for the deep-drawing tools is generated in a photovoltaic system, so that production can be climate-neutral. And finally, the soap can also helps to contribute to sustainability when out and about: bar soap is more economical to use than liquid soap; well protected in the unbreakable, small can, it can easily be taken anywhere. Since soap used to be an expensive commodity, the soap can is smaller than today's models - which quickly proves to be a practical advantage on short trips or for the sports bag. We recommend soap bars of 100 g, for example, those from the soap manufactory Klar.