the_tool_man wrote:
Anybody used potassium hydroxide?

Thanks again for any help!

Regards,
John.

That's why lye is, John. You can make it at home. This recipe is rather
elaborate, for producing significant quantities. But I'm sure you can
scale it down and simplify it. The basic idea is to pour soft water
over hardwood ashes. N. B.: don't use any metal containers!

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Lye