How to make lye from hardwood ash

0.1 Gather materials: Ash, water, container, stick

0.2 Pour Ash from a hardwood fire into a container

0.3 Add water to the ash to make a consistency a little thinner than mud

0.4 Stir and let soak for 2 hours

0.5 Pour into smaller container with holes at the bottom

0.6 Set container with holes over larger container. Stir. Let Sit overnight. Liquid will

drip into lower container

0.7 Discard ash from top container.0.8 Bundle up the end of an old piece of

cloth or tshirt

0.9 Fit cloth onto smaller container

0.10 Pour the thinnest part of the liquid through the cloth

0.11 Tie up cloth

0.12 Use a heavy object to press the filtered liquid out of the cloth sack

0.13 discard solid material inside of cloth0.14 Set container with filtered liquid on

stovetop

0.15 Bring liquid to a full boil

0.16 Remove from heat0.17 Prop container up at an

angle while coolingHave Vinegar available for safety

0.18 Pour off top liquid into smaller container

0.19 Repeat Boil / Remove from heat / Prop container at an angle

0.20 Pour Liquid into smaller container

0.21 Return container to heat and boil liquid

0.22 Boil liquid all the way down to solid. This is your lye crystals