CHARACTERISTICS of polymer clay BRANDS & TYPES

for a condensed list of many ways that polymer clay can be used, see this page:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/info_letter.htm

OTHER PAGES at this site with info about clays

...for sculpting with polymer clays-- flesh or other colors ...see Sculpting-Gen > Clays for Sculpting

...for all info on translucent clays (and glow-in-the-dark clays) of all brands... see Translucents
...for all info on mica-containing "metallic" clays (Gold, Copper, Silver, whitish Pearl, Red Pearl, Blue Pearl) ...see Mica

...for all info on liquid polymer clays... see Liquid Clay

SUMMARY of some important points

The main brands of polymer clay you're likely to run across in stores and online in the U.S. are:

...the Sculpeys --manufactured by Polyform
......white or terracotta original Sculpey (called Polyform in art stores?) (in boxes)
......flesh-colored SuperSculpey (in boxes)...gray SuperSculpey Firm
......colored Sculpey III (in 2 oz bars)
......soft-colored Studio by Sculpey (2.8 oz bars)
..... white, marshmallowy Ultralight
...the Fimos (FimoClassic and FimoSoft ...different clay lines) --manufactured by Eberhard Faber
...Premo --also manufactured by the Polyform (..aka "Premo! Sculpey", but only by manufacturers or in print!)
...Kato Polyclay (newest polymer clay) --manufactured by Van Aken, though VA also makes a non-polymer clay
...sometimes Cernit?
...Promat and Friendly Clay are no longer manufactured
A few other brands are available outside the U.S.

There really isn't one "best" brand of polymer clay.
...All brands can make most anything in the polymer clay repertoire ...but, the different brands & types definitely have different characteristics, diff. costs, and diff. suitabilities for certain applications, handling, detail, or weather conditions, etc.

...the Sculpeys and new version of FimoSoft are weaker after baking than the others (bulk white or terracotta Sculpey is the weakest ...SuperSculpey and the small bars of Sculpey III are stronger, but still weaker than other brands)
.......all the Sculpeys and new FimoSoft will be brittle after baking in any areas which are thin or extending, and can snap off or chip if they are stressed
.......(however, if you simply want to make something round like a bead, or apply cane slices to something, or make something small with no thin areas, those clays probably wouldn't be a problem because those shapes/sizes/etc. are inherently strong).
....have the "hardest" surface after baking (which can be good for armatures, e.g)
....caning ...although most clayers don't use Sculpey III or new FimoSoft, it's not impossible to use, especially if you don't mind a bit of distortion in the pattern (i.e., spirals are fine, faces usually aren't)

...FimoSoft has changed its formula in the U.S. in 2006 (which had happened a year or so before overseas) to something similar to Sculpey III
... FimoSoft has an even newer version in 2007 (see below)

...FimoClassic is a great clay especially for caning ...but its major disadvantage is it takes more time and effort to condition
(no longer true since the 2007 reformulation... now soft)

...if you tend to have hot hands, or live in a hot climate without ac, or tend to work-and-work your clay, certain brands may become too soft as you work with them unless they're cooled periodically (Sculpey, Premo, Cernit)...if one of those things applies to you, you'd probably be happiest with Kato or FimoClassic

...the natural surface of Kato bakes up with a slight sheen, and Sculpey's is very matte... the others are in-between (though each can be made to have more sheen or matte-ness)

...Cernit has translucent clay in every one of its colors --if you want to make Cernit colors opaque, add bit of white (which is opaque) from another brand, or their "Opaque White"

..colors... each brand has it's own color palette
.... so each brand may have the same general colors (e.g., red, blue, or white), but each brand's version of that color may be different
.....Kato, Premo, Sculpey III have the "truest" colors, whereas the Fimos are often toned down... Studio by Sculpey's colors are soft and no real darks ...Kato has the fewest "extra" colors

...Kato and Premo have the best mica-containing metallic clays for their amount of shine, but FimoSoft has recently made some too

more

Each brand may have special "colors" too ....for example, most all brands have a translucent clay, many have metallics which contain mica, some have a glow-in-the-dark and glitter clays (and flesh-colored clays in boxes) ...Polyform puts out some "stone-look" clays and a few clays which remain flexible after baking (Bend and Bake, MoldMaker, Eraser Clay, etc.).
(for most all info on clear translucent clays (and glow-in-the-dark clays) of all brands... see Translucents
(for most all info on mica-containing clays (Gold, Copper, Silver, whitish Pearl, Red Pearl, Blue Pearl) ...see Mica)

All brands, and types of polymer clay can be combined to make new combinations of flexibility, strength, or to "extend" the amount of clay when needed, etc.
........Deborah's info on mixing clays together http://www.pcpolyzine.com/january2002/beginners.html
...all colors of clay can be combined to make many new colors, or entire palettes of color (see Color for details)

There are also clear "liquid clays" which can be used as glue, or in many other ways
... the only one generally available at retail is Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), but online Kato and Fimo have somewhat-clearer versions --Kato Clear Polyclay Medium and Fimo (Liquid) Decorating Gel-- and there are colored versions online too.

(Be aware that other clays which may look like polymer clays are actually *air-dry* clays --those don't require heat to cure ...e.g., Makin's, Hearty, Das, "cold porcelain" clays, Creative Paperclay, Celluclay, epoxy putties, etc... each has its own characteristics)

see below for much more detail about the characteristics of each brand and type of polymer clay

for sculpting with polymer clay, however, desirable characterstics can be different and are discussed in Sculpting-Gen > Clays for Sculpting

purchasing clays:
----local retail stores (craft stores like Michaels & Hobby Lobby...also some larger hobby stores, art supply stores, or kids educational toy stores)
...may stock one or more of the brands and/or colors, but usually have an incomplete selection ... and don't usually carry the larger bricks
...some stores charge more for one brand than another... sometimes have good sales
...be sure and squeeze the clay because it could have gotten too hard from excess heat or ultraviolet light during storage or shelf life
...because Polyform and Eberhard Faber now each manufacture two lines of clay, don't confuse FimoClassic with FimoSoft... or Sculpey III with "Premo!Sculpey" (which clayers refer to only as "Premo")
----mail order ...(online or by telephone):
... usually have most of the colors within a brand.... they often carry several brands ... and the clay is fresh
....clay bought mail order is almost always cheaper than that bought retail at the reg. price ... (but be sure and but do check out the weights of the clays bars offered--see below)
(... larger "bricks" of clay are not generally available in local stores)
....... see Supply Sources for specific mail order contact info & for non-US. suppliers

"but the lesson says to use a specific brand of clay!". . . .Debbie
...Well, one thing to keep in (one's necessarily cynical) mind is that the brand of clay "recommended" in a project will most often have to do with the interests of the manufacturer or person suggesting it.
In this case you were at the Polyform website when you saw the project, so of course Polyform wants to see one of their products (Sculpey or Premo) recommended (this is akin to Heinz putting out a recipe for meatloaf in which Heinz Ketchup is an ingredient ...most people realize that it doesn't have to be Heinz brand which is used, although as with clays it *may sometimes* make some difference... see above.)
...also, sometimes the person recommending a specific clay can be in some way working for the manufacturer...e.g. Donna Kato was a representative for Polyform long ago, and then for FimoSoft's manufacturer. It's not surprising then that when she demonstrated a project or wrote about one, she said to use Sculpey clay (and later FimoSoft). Now she has her own clay, and recommends it for her projects.

baking polymer clays:
Each brand of polymer clay has a baking temperature that's recommended by the manufacturer
...(these temps are different because the exact composition of each varies)
Each brand (and sometimes type) also has a recommended time at which that temperature must be held for the clay to cure thoroughly (and be as reasonably-strong as that brand is capable of being)
But baking time and temperature are interdependent and a trade-off:
...so for thermosetting plastics such as polymer clay, the "best" temperature is just one at which it polymerizes at a reasonable rate
......the hotter the temperature, the quicker the setting reaction will happen
....... but, the reaction will still happen even at somewhat-lower temperatures --it just takes longer to finish
....(the DH says there's a rule for that ratio:."for every 10 degree C (18 F) loss in temperature, a reaction will proceed half as fast -- or in reverse, for every 10° C or 18° increase, the polymerization rate will double" ...it's an exponential change
.......the half-as-fast ratio actually makes sense for polymer clay especially when the curing time is much longer since so many people report baking lower and longer and still getting strong clay --and sometimes just baking longer than minimum times for stronger clay in general -- and also fits with some other bits of information I've heard over the years and couldn't explain
..The darkening or ambering of the colors occcurs because certain higher temps can cause side reactions, such as oxidation of the pigments and other materials.
(for a bit more info on this, see Baking > Controversies)

WEIGHTS & PRICES, etc, of diff. brands

The weights of clay (in packages or boxes) may differ from each other by brand (true for "small" bars & "large" bars-bricks)
......and sometimes manufacturers change the weight sold in a particular-size package, or weight may be different outside the US
...(a brand with the heaviest small or large bar usually isn't necessarily the heaviest in its other sizes as well)
...the Fimos and Cernit are manufactured in Europe with the metric system, so that may account for some diff's?...how?

So the weights of bars should be taken into consideration when figuring the real cost of clay from various brands and suppliers!

SMALL BARS (......heaviest to lightest, in grams & ounces ):
Kato ( 85 g =3 oz)
Cernit ( 65 g =2.3 oz)
FimoClassic ( 56 g = 2 oz ...used to be 65 g in US ...may be 63 g outside US )
FimoSoft ( 56 g =2 oz)
Premo & Sculpey III ( 56 g =2 oz)

LARGE BRICKS (......heaviest to lightest, in ounces):
Premo & Sculpey III** ( 16 oz ..1 lb)
Kato (12.5 oz)
FimoClassic ( 12.3 oz = 350 g)
FimoSoft ( 12.3 oz = 350 g)
Cernit (10.5 oz ....sold as six 2.3 oz bars sometimes)

**large bricks of Sculpey III are not easily available
...but plain Sculpey and SuperSculpey come in boxes of heavier weights, from 1 lb on up

PRICES will depend on factors like:
....the brand selected
....where purchased & when (which store if retail, or which supplier if mail order...also whether having a sale, shipping/handling charges, and in the case of Kato clay whether it's a metallic clay) & weight
(Feb 05)...at this moment it appears that in general:
.....by WEIGHT, in the U.S., the Fimos are most expensive ....Premo & Sculpey III fall the middle .... Kato Polyclay is the cheapest
.....also, large bricks are almost always cheaper by weight than an equivalent weight of small bars (though usually available only by mail order)

retail craft stores like Michaels often have sales on their polymer clays
...sometimes all clays will be 99 cents for the small bars, sometimes there will be differences in price between brands (some will be higher, or not on sale)
...it's well worth getting a "rain check" for any color they do 't have in stock at the time of the sale (can get multiple colors)
.....they may never need to be used, but can be great if there's a certain color you use a lot of (like white or translucent)
.....they will be honored any time the color is in stock (...expiration date?)

(however, I've heard Sculpey III can usually be found at Walmart, at 99 cents, which is as cheap as it gets...seems to be a "loss leader"... my Walmart has very little though)

One block of 2 oz clay that's 1 mm thick will cover 23 cm square ... (courtesy of math-by-TeraGram)

COLORS for each brand
(places to see them online)

NOTE:/ colors seen online, especially if not photos of actual clay, can be quite misleading!

Premo, Sculpey III, and Fimos--but Fimos all mixed in together tho? (at Munro's)
http://www.munrocrafts.com/polyclaycolors.html

Kato Polyclay (at Kato) http://prairiecraft.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=KP
Kato Polyclay (at PCE) http://polymerclayexpress.com/katoclay.html
Premo (at PCE) http://polymerclayexpress.com/premo.html
Premo (at Clay Factory) http://www.clayfactory.net/sculpey/premo.htm
FimoClassic (at AI) http://shop.store.yahoo.com/fimo/everything-fimo-fimo-classic-2oz.html
FimoClassic (at PCE) http://polymerclayexpress.com/fimo.html
FimoSoft (at PCE) http://polymerclayexpress.com/images/fimosoftcolorchart.jpg (actual bars)
http://polymerclayexpress.com/fimosoft.html
FimoSoft (at A.I.) http://shop.store.yahoo.com/fimo/everything-fimo.html
Sculpey III (at PCE) http://polymerclayexpress.com/sculpey.html
Sculpey III (at Clay Factory) http://www.clayfactory.net/sculpey/sculpey.htm
Cernit (at PCE) http://polymerclayexpress.com/cernit.html ...http://www.clayalley.com/cernit.htm
http://www.clayfactory.net/cernit/cernit.html

(more in Supply Sources > Mail Order)

(for info on the properties of the pigments that create color in polymer clay, see Color > Helpful Tips > Pigments)

STRENGTH .....RIGIDITY, .FLEXIBILITY

It is a common misconception that polymer clay will be rock hard after baking like earth clay will ...you can actually dent the surface of a polymer bead with a fingernail if you really try. I believe it's the "plasticizers" in polymer clay that give it some amount of flexibility.

This flexibilty shows up mostly in thinner pieces (and projecting areas) of the stronger clays (they're actually bendable when very thin). . . however, that's also what prevents them from breaking when stressed, as opposed to earth clays.
(Polymer clays also soften somewhat during baking, so will not attain their normal hardness till cool.)

NOTE: There have been various reformulations of the brands and lines of polymer clay over the years, which has often resulted in changes in their characteristics, mostly re strength.

http://www.garieinternational.com.sg/clay/shop/tension_test.htm

Many of the polymer clay brands are similar in this characteristic,
...but the exceptions are Sculpey (actually Sculpey, SuperSculpey and Sculpey III), and to a lesser extent the new version of FimoSoft.
......the Sculpey's are much "harder" after baking (don't know about new FS yet), although flexibility is then lost and therefore much the ability to withstand stress.
...(btw, roundish beads or items of any clay brand will be difficult to break though because of the inherent strength of the rounded shapes)

So the bottom line on strength for the mostly common clay brands is:
STRONG: Premo, Kato, Cernit, SuperSculpey Firm
MEDIUM (probably): FimoClassic... then FimoSoft, Studio by Sculpey
WEAK: Sculpey (weakest), SuperSculpey, SculpeyIII

However the flexibility of stronger brands doesn't seem to be a problem most of the time (most clayers don't even notice unless it's a really thin piece)

If you do want to make a thin clay piece stiffer though, there are several things you can do:
--back it with more clay
.....either lay the raw piece on another raw piece of same-colored clay and then cut it to the same size and shape just as a backing
.....or use a different color clay underneath a bit larger than the original piece, to act as a frame
--using liquid clay between layers can stiffen them a bit too
--embed some kind of armature inside the clay (like a bit of wire mesh or cardstock inside the ear of an animal, or a toothpick or bit of wire inside arm/fingers)
.....you can also use the Sculpey clays (they bake up harder) (or FimoSoft?) as armatures or cores, or as backing, under (or inside) other clay layer
.... this will make the outer layer also "feel" harder (some people like to create a 3-D shape with one of those clays, bake, then cover them with a layer of decorative clay)
.... if you want the piece lightweight also, you can use scrunched aluminum foil, various polystyrene foams, Sculpey Ultralight clay, or other things)
--attach the thin clay to a (non-clay) surface (e.g., covering a glass votive, or a metal Altoid tin)
--try to attach projecting bits (like arms or heads) to other clay with as much contact as possible (press an arm to its body, e.g.)
--mix your weak clay with a stronger clay (the resulting combo will have proportional strength ..mix .50-50 at least)

for increased strength in solid clays, I've even tried teasing/chopping up scrap bits of the (real, pongee) silk, and encorporating them into solid clay
....it does work quite well as long as you don't overdo it and add so much that it can be seen (actually, the texturing can quite be a pleasing effect)... ....the added strength can be very handy in pieces likely to be used in more 'hostile' circumstances like childrens' toys or jewellery worn by younger people etc etc.

Some time ago I ran a flexibility tests on all colors and a few brands of the clay
.. I found out that color really doesn't matter...the one exception was: translucent which seems to be somewhat stronger than some of the others.
(see much more about the relative strength and flexibility of the clays on this page, from some older experiments
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/tests.htm )

(see also Summary > "Baking polymer clays" above, for the relationship between baking temperatures & times)

SHRINKAGE... BLEEDING, etc

Shrinkage (noticeable in larger, fit-together pieces only?)
...I learned not to assume perfect fit a couple of years ago when I did a piece which was supposed to have exactly 6" square tiles. 54 of them. After the first 18 didn't fit quite perfect in their places, I got wise!! Anyway: All brands of clay can shrink. The ratio can be from 1% to 5%. I found it depends on the softness/stickiness of the clay--how much solvent and plasticizer is present. thus leached clay will shrink less than fresh clay. the thickness of the sheet seems to have an inverse relationship to shrinkage: a thinner #4 or 5 sheet will shrink more than a # 1 sheet... I suppose this is some factor of resistance and "stretch"; ie. the thicker piece has more body to resist the force of inward shrinkage. If what you are doing needs to be precise, I would suggest you either do a test piece and calculate your final cuts based on the shrinkage you find. Or cut your piece slightly larger than what is needed and trim or sand down to fit after baking. Patti Kimle
. . . someone also said their tiles didn't shrink when placed between two bathroom tiles...
...Finding the shrink rate of polymer clay can be tricky. I've found that it varries because each batch of clay is slightly different. I would suggest you roll out a four or six inch sheet of clay and mark off the inches before baking. Remeasure after it's baked and you'll get a sense of how much shrink you're dealing with. I've never done this with a mathematical formula, but it gave me enough information to guesstimate. I made some flat polymer art for tissue boxes once and came up a good eigth of an inch short lengthwise after baking! For something small, the shrink would not be so critical. Jody
...shrinkage is brand dependent and also dependent on what, if anything, encases the clay. In placing clay faux cabs in bezels of copper, brass or nickel alloy, I've found Kato clay shrinks least (bezel only needs to be "set" burnished after baking with bezel on clay during baking) and, "old" Sculpy shrinks most (and is softest)... setting cannot be enclosed in bezel as setting shrinks too much. Premo is close to Kato clay. Paul
....(see a bit more under the sub-category on this page: Premo)
...I have also found that the shrinkage varies greatly if any liquid clay has been used in the clay or by itself. I am making a church that has different windows depicting different religions and I used a design under a piece of glass to follow along to make the TLS windows. The first one was still perfect when sat on the pattern straight out of the oven when still stuck to the glass. Had already built my walls so I wanted them just slightly smaller than opening. I used my blade to lift one end to release from the glass while still warm. Sat aside to cool. When I came back and put in opening it was over 1/4" all the way around smaller than when hot and still stuck to the glass. I made others and when left to cool on the glass they did not shrink as much--but still had slight shrinkage. ...These are fairly large and I have noticed the larger your piece the more shrinkage you will have. ...Pieces are 14"X20".. . Jeanne R.
http://www.heartofclay.com/pc/wip.htm
...The thing about making my own bezels that I really like is that I can shape the outside bezel lip to any shape I like. Then, before I put my backing on, I can use it like a cookie cutter. So I can prepare my decorative piece... cut it out to the perfect shape... bake it, sand it and polish it... all before putting it into the bezel. No distortion to the design at all. Likewise... I can polish the bezel up to a high shine before putting the clay in. Then burnish the edge down to trap the clay piece... just like you would with a stone.. no worries about it popping out. And I know it's going to fit perfectly because I used it to cut the piece out. Very fun. The edges will be very thin too... which I like. Joanie

Bleeding clays ...the colors that seem most susceptible are the reds (or anything with a lot of red in it, e.g. purple) because of the pigments used
...some reds may also bleed even after some time, even in baked clays???)
. . . I've noticed several of my collected items that were made with Fimo have "fugitive" reds also. In fact, that's how I can tell they are Fimo. . . . .when Premo was being developed, Polyform was asked to address (and not allow) this.
...Fimo's glitter metallics bleed (esp. blue and red) so be aware of this when caning with them. It shows up very quickly. Faber is to correct this now. The effect can be quite interesting, sort of a 'Skinner Blend" but only if you know it's what you want! Donna K.
prevention: some colors of some brands do bleed, a problem esp. for caners
....Marie Segal outlines every cane segment in black (or a dark color) for many of her canes. This border color prevents bleeding and produces a bright pattern that reduces without the losing integrity of the design. Katherine Dewey
...I have found that mixing in a little more than one part translucent to every 2 parts red will prevent bleeding & make that nasty RED (Fimo’s) easier to work with (when caning). Marilyn
...especially make sure that your bleeding colors don't sit next to lighter colors for long when raw
. ...also make sure these colors get baked completely to avoid leaving any plasticizer whch could flow into adjacent clay over time, taking pigment with it.
(see more on bleeding below, esp. in the subcategories on FimoSoft and Sculpey III... and also see Sculpting > White or Light Clays)

Pearl clay seems to be more opaque than most - not surprising with all that mica in there, I suppose (so the background didn't show through even with a thin slice over it). Alan V.

LEACHING ....to firm up solid polymer clays if nec.

If the clay (Sculpey or any other clay) is just too soft for your purposes (this can also be because it’s very fresh), you can make it firmer by "LEACHING" it. This removes some of the oily plasticizer. To do this, roll the clay out and place it between several clean sheets of paper. It’s best to then weight this with something heavy (putting something unporous between paper and heavy item). You can leave it this way for an hour or more, or even overnight; some of the plasticizer will have been absorbed by the paper, and the clay will be stiffer.

I found a great way to leach the clay without having a bunch of clay around with books on top of it. I used the brown paper bags, print side down, cut it into strips. Then I put the clay through the pasta machine on a one setting then laid it on the brown paper strips, placed another piece on top and rolled the whole thing up like a jelly roll! THEN I put a bunch of rubber bands around the whole tube, to give it extra pressure, and it took brand new STICKY translucent clay and turned it into something workable! When I opened it up a day later, the paper was totally saturated. .Leigh

I've had great success with cereal boxes ( after eating the cereal!). Try 2 or 3 hours at first, the cardboard really (leaches it) in a hurry. Bob

Change the paper after overnight. It can take from one to three days to leach out the extra plasticiser...
Being the impatient person I am, I've not ever waited this long for leaching Premo. I love the typing paper, as it soaks up extra plasticizer pretty quickly, and it gives me a use for my inkjet waste paper... I usually run the clay through #4 on the Atlas (maybe that's why it works fast for me...maybe I do it on a thinner setting?) and put it between the typing paper and put it under the cushion of my hard wood seated chair. 20-30 minutes later, I'm ready to go...oh yeah, you have to be SITTING on that cushion for the quick results. Sometimes it takes more than one time, but most times only one good seating. :) You can tell when it's 'done', or at least the paper needs to be changed because it looks oily all the way through. Make sure to give it a few passes through the PM after leaching to redistribute evenly the plasticizer is left in the clay. . . . . And just a word for leaching...I never used to do it until I took Pier Voulkos' metallics class where she had leached clay...and WOW what a difference it makes to work with clay that is a little more stiff! **lori
Instead of waiting for it to leach, why don't you sit on it while you're working. It will leach so much faster. After about 20 minutes you should see the oils leached in to the paper. Change the paper and sit on it again. You'll have clay that's pretty firm in no time. Oscelyn

You were leaching FIMO. Fimo reacts differently to leaching, in my experience, than the other clays. It does exactly that... crumbles. With really fresh fimo I am not sure there is a really simple way to alter it's consistency other than put it on the shelf and wait til it 'matures' sounds like maybe a leech half and mix it back together might work out. You can mix it with unleached Fimo though. Also FimoSoft leaches okay..

~If your ordered clay comes too soft . . . (besides leaching, the other thing that really helps is to buy in bulk during the fall, winter or spring (avoiding the hot shipping times) and let it sit for a while...like "aging" one's meat or cheese. I have much better results with clay that's been sitting for a month or several---the fresh stuff is tooo fresh, and I don't even have warm hands. After a little aging time here in the basement studio (in a dark drawer, kept at an even temp) its much easier clay to work with. I do this with both fimo and premo, and the clays stay workable for years and years. Howard at the ClayFactory says "10 years or more" for shelf life stored correctly....we'll see. I've got old classic fimo stockpiled that is 6 years old now, and quite usuable. Sarajane

I have recently learned that leaching not only removes some of the plasticiser--making the clay less sticky to handle--it also takes out some of the stabilizers. Sarajane
...What exactly does this mean for the clay once it's baked? . . . .that it's more likely to crumble, be more breakable if stressed, or have some other effects? Diane B.
...The short answer is "yes".. It also removes color stabilizers that help keep the colors from changing. (As to long term-comparative tests, I don't think any have been done yet. Someone would need to break a block into two parts, wick half and leave half alone, then bake and comepare--and compare again in a year and in two.) . . . It does change the strength though, and I was told that changing the chemical formulae may not be a real good idea, and that wicking/leaching takes out stuff that's in there for a reason, and not just "excess moisture". Sarajane

(for more on leaching clays, see Conditioning > Leaching)

For detailed sculpting work that demands a very firm clay, change the paper after 6 hours and continue leaching... or let it sit for 2 to 4 days. It depends on the original consistency of the clay.
...I use the following "fitness test" to determine if the clay's right for modeling:
Roll the the clay into a ball and cut the ball in half. Put the ball back together by sealing the seams using thumb or finger strokes only. If the clay loses its shape, it's too soft for modeling. If seams blend easily, yet the two hemispheres retain their shape, the clay's generally just right. Katherine Dewey

(...for cooling clay to keep it from being too soft if you have hot hands or are in a hot environment, see Conditioning > Cooling)

PROBLEMS

Bubbles & Plaques (summ) ...Crumbling or Softening after baking .. Allergies

There are several known reasons why clay may have bubbles, principally the introduction of moisture or air into the raw clay, or not pressing the clay well to another surface, leaving trapped air which will expand with baking. The following may apply to both bubbles and "plaques" --half-moon shaped lighter areas in baked clay:

"Plaques are little half-moon shapes of slightly more opaque color which often show up when translucents are baked, especially in thicker amounts and with lighter colors. We think they're caused by moisture already present in the clay or from hands. Some people think that air incorporated into the clay can be a factor too. . . This shows up with SuperSculpey too as it is mostly translucent; in fact, some boxes of SuperSculpey seem to just have more plaquing than other boxes" (other packages, colors or brands too?).
....Use dry and clean hands when handling the clay to avoid any water or oils which might be present on your hands)
...and condition by hand rather than doing it in a pasta machine.
...(you probably already know to be careful not to feed clay in to the pasta machine with the fold on top, right? . . . that would certainly trap air).
...bubbles can also be caused by bits of clay stuck in the pasta machine insides, catching on raw clay as it goes through; if you think that might be the case, try cleaning the pm well before putting the clay through.
.....If you're getting bubbles while using layers or slices of clay, it could be that there is air trapped beneath them which doesn't show up until heating. In that case, you might lay sheets down from the middle out, and them brayer them toward the outside, or press slices down well before adding a next one.
......if possible, you can also bake any flat items under a flat weight (the weight should have a piece of paper under it to prevent shiny spots unless you're using a terra cotta tile or something similar); let cool with the weight also... this will keep any bubbles that form flattened

There are lots of reasons that you could get bubbling in your clay, but probably the most frequent reason is too high a temperature. Elizabeth

(for more on preventing or fixing bubbles in clay, see Pasta Machines > Problems > Bubbles (not only about pasta machine bubbles)
....and maybe also Eggs > Bubbles & Cracks)

Any of the clays will crumble later (after baking) if you don't bake properly, but Sculpey III is the biggest problem
...(raw) clay is full of plastisizers, they keep the clay soft... when you bake, you bake them off... but if you don't bake it long enough, you don't kill off all of the plastisizors....then when you take it out of the oven, and the piece cools down, the plastisizors start to recover, and they go back to work starting to soften the clay... because there are only a few of them left, it takes a lot longer, but eventually some of the clay gets soft and the piece will now get brittle and fragile... if it is dropped it might just fracture and crack and the least little pressure will break it apart!!!....
(...see Baking > Gen Info for baking properly to avoid this)

Those nasty plastisizors live on your hands also and they love to eat the shine off of beautiful shiny finishes on finished pieces, so you shouldn't pick up anything with a beautiful finish on it without washing your hands eather!! leigh

NOTE: Though unlikely, it is possible to get an allergic reaction to one or more brands of polymer clay (especially itching or rashes).
....if you suspect this might be happening, to read more info and get info on barrier creams and gloves, see Safety > Rashes .

BRANDS of polymer clay

PREMO
(see suppliers at top)

bake at 275° for maximum strength (...not 265 like the Fimos...)
...for 20-30 min per 1/2" of thickness

small bars of Premo are exactly 2 oz (56 g) ....large bricks are 16 oz (1 lb)

NAME ...Polyform named this clay "Premo! Sculpey" (probably to associate it with their other clay line, "Sculpey")...but since Premo is such a different clay from the Sculpeys in its characteristics (not to mention being a mouthful for a name), you'll usually see this clay referred to only as "Premo" --except perhaps anywhere the name is published and must be the exact trademarked name.
...in it's beta version, Premo was named CFC or CFC/Premo, because Marie Segal company is called The Clay Factory of Escondido
.....the bleached version of their translucent may still be referred to with the CFC initials... now called Frost
HISTORY: When Marie Segal (who owns the Clay Factory) decided no longer to carry Fimo, she couldn't find any other clays or combinations of clays which really suited most polyclayers (the difficulty of conditioning Fimo was a great problem for many anyway). So she set out to create a brand new line of clay for Polyform (makers of Sculpey and Promat, which was being discontinued) --a clay which would have the best advantages of clays then on the market (strength, ease of conditioning, flexibility, and cane-ability. (Polyform has now taken over the whole process of production.)

COLORS: When Marie developed Premo, she also created the Premo colors according to a regular artists' palette ...(in other words, a warm red and a cool red... a warm blue and a cool blue, etc) for maximum number of mixables, and also called them by their familiar artists’ names (cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, zinc yellow) for ease of mixability.
.. "special colors" of Premo:
..... range of metallics (mica-containing clays --includes "Pearl" which is a colorless mica clay ... see Mica)
.....2 translucents & a "base" color... fluorescents ...a glow in the dark (see Translucents)
...the following 14 colors will be discontinued in the 1-lb size after Jan.1, 2005:
........zinc yellow, alizarin crimson, turquoise, violet, orange, fuschia (all important basic mixing colors, & impossible to make true from other colors ...ack!)
........sea green .... red and green Pearl...Fluorescent yellow, red, green, and pink .... Glow in the Dark
(the reason given is that they "don't sell well enough" from mail order suppliers --no retail stores have requested to carry 1-lb. bars however)

CONSISTENCY, STRENGTH, etc: ...Premo is a very popular middle-of-the-road brand
...it's softer and easier to condition than FimoClassic ... but firmer than Sculpey
...it's very strong after baking and very flexible in thin areas (FC strong, Sculpey weak)
....... to condition, needs no chopping ... cut off a slab just a bit thicker than the widest setting of your pasta machine, then run it through a few times until it’s malleable (or in your hands if you don’t have a pasta machine).

Premo's "Base" color clay : (...the color was discontinued for awhile, but now available...by the lb. at Clay Factory & polymerclayexpress ... Puffinalia also has it by the quarter-lb.)
.....it's slightly translucent... the pigment it does have is a neutral tan/beige ...can be used like SuperSculpey (pinkish) or Mix Quick (white) to extend other colors
......Base can be used to extend other colors up to one-quarter
......I mix Base up to half and half with the deeply-pigmented Premo colors.
....I have done a fair amount of color mixing experiments using the Premo Base color, which is somewhat translucent. When mixes are compared to mixes with translucents they appear to be more "milky". ...The stuff works quite well when adding inclusions (pigments, etc.). ...The analogy that I use is that it is somewhat akin to bread dough that has more room for flour and that dry pigments won't make the mixture too stiff and crumbly.
.......It makes a great background color (good with black, e.g.), and the slight translucency makes your design really stand out.... I have also colored it with Pearl-Ex powders with very nice results.

many clayers mix a combo clay of part Premo and part Kato clay... they feel doing that yields the best characteristics
....My favorite clay is now a Premo- Kato combo.... I'm using about 1 pt Kato to 3 pts Premo.... if I use the very freshest Premo and Kato, I get my perfect clay.
.......of course, it's important to be sure that they are mixed competely, so use two slightly different colors so you'll know when it's done. Jeanne
...also with this combination, the Kato will make the Premo buffable (without having to sand it).....and I like the soft matte 'gloss' look (...had found the Kato alone too hard for me to condition). Carolyn

My combo of Premo and Cernit holds up much better for me under similar (strength) situations (....tiny fingers on miniature dolls, for instance).
..... Cernit/Premo colors are nice also, but darken a bit if cured too hot.
..... my Cernit/Premo blend also sands, carves, and endures multiple layers of curing with excellent results. Jeanne R.

KATO Polyclay

more info on Kato Polyclay at: http://www.katopolyclay.com/index.html
....came out in Jan 2002

Kato Polyclay may be cured up to 325 degrees F....but generally it's baked at 300
.......at 325, curing time can be reduced by half (from what's stated on the pkg... will change the pkg instructions later though?)
(....when cured at 325, Kato clay is more rigid (less flexible, which would affect thin areas most), still strong, still with no color change, and the surface is harder --more like Sculpey's)
....however, if Kato is mixed with another brand, the clay should be cured at the lower tempearature in order to prevent color shift of the other brand.
old instructions were: "Bake at 275 degrees for at least ½ hour. Larger pieces may be cured for hours (with no change in color) ."
... should be the same clay thouh... Donna just discovered it could be heated higher for even better characteristics

APRIL 2008 --2nd REFORMULATION:
"In response to changes in California’s Prop. 65 listing of phthalate plasticizers, most polymer clay manufacturers have reformulated their products... Unfortunately for the adult crafter and polymer clay artist ...new competitor formulas no longer reflect the range of techniques published in numerous craft books on the subject. The new Kato Polyclay formula has maintained all craft attributes of previous formulas while providing improved (easier) conditioning characteristics.
....(However) While phthalate plasticizers were cost effective and provided excellent working properties, the alternative plasticizer that satisfies the demands of the new regulations, adult crafter, and artist are 50% more expensive. Starting April 1 (2008) there will be a price increase..." Donna Kato
(prices and sizes just below are now for the new line)

....their small bars are 2 oz (56 g) each (used to be 3 oz)
....their large bricks are 12.5 oz. each, rather than the 16 oz. of Premo (....but same as the Fimos)

LOCAL SUPPLIERS:... store locator: http://www.katopolyclay.com/locator.html
Hobby Lobby carries it ... they alsohave a few of the larger bricks of Kato---white, black, flesh
Aaron Bros carried it --but no longer?
few art supply stores
RETAIL PRICES
... old prices: MSRP list price of 3 oz bars is 2.29.....and 2.99 for the metallics (Gold, Silver, Copper, Pearl)
... new prices: MSRP of 12.5 oz blocks is 9.99.... and12.69 for the metallics.
We decided rather than to average costs, we would price according to the cost of the actual color. Donna Kato

ONLINE SUPPLIERS:
Prairiecraft (Donna Kato's site) http://www.prairiecraft.com
....(prices are always at an everyday discount of 20-25% off list price; further discounts for volumes over $75; low shipping)
PolymerClayExpress http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/katoclay.html

Kato clay does come in fewer colors than the other brands, but the palette was created so that any color can be mixed from those 17 total colors

INDIVIDUAL bars
(2 or 12.5 oz):
--8 "spectral" colors (pure colors, as in a rainbow or spectrum... these pure colors weren't mixed with other colors in the factory, so they can mix to create clear bright colors, if desired, without dulling or being "toned down")
--4 "neutral" colors (white, black, brown, beige/flesh)
--4 metallic colors (gold, silver, copper and Pearl--which has as much color removed as possible)
--1 translucent color
SETS ("sample packs")
1 oz bars, in sets of 4
--4 concentrates (red, blue, yellow, green)
--4 primary colors (___) .... 4 neutral colors (__)
--4 warm colors (__)... 4 cool colors (__)
--4 metallic colors (__)
2 oz bars, in set of __?: "Master Sample Pack"

all Kato's spectral and neutral colors are opaque (not the translucent or metallics, of course)
... this is not true for every "regular" color of other brands (..so be aware of this when creating votives, etc; will have to add some transcluent)

The 4 Kato Concentrates (red, blue, yellow, green) are formulated with a high concentration of color pigment.. sold in sets only
....these clays are not used alone... only as "tinting aids to produce other colors, or they're added in small quantities to existing colors to create a color not currently in the Kato Polyclay color line.
......mix with standard colors for increased color saturation
......mix with the metallic colors to create jewel tones
......mix with translucent to achieve transparent colors

(Kato Clay also has a clear liquid clay and several pre-colored liquid clays...as well as Repel Gel, glues, tools, etc)

Kato Clay has a great page illustrating the color wheel Kato clays make, and info about mixing
http://www.katopolyclay.com/colormixing.html

the following was written before the reformulation of April 2008 (see just above),
but most things will still be the same (except conditioning which is easier)

The clay is vacuum extruded so that it is more dense than other clays
... this results in a number of desirable characterstics for manipulating, baking, strength, carving/drilling, transfers, and caning & slicing, and also results in a dense baked surface with a slight natural sheen
http://www.prairiecraft.com/colorchart.html (for more info)

Kato Polyclay is definately the strongest! Both Judy Belcher's daughter Maria and my son Jeremy did school science projects testing the tensile strength of several different polymer clays and the results proved that far and away that Kato Polyclay was the most durable and resiliant polymer clay. Lisa P.

This clay is GREAT!!!! It is soft, but not too soft. Not sticky as you've already heard.
.... It is easy to condition. It can be conditioned by hand easily or a couple passes thru the pasta machine will do it. Julie W.
.......I also think that the clay can be overconditioned - that's happened to me and the result was that bits came off the surface.
.......I've done this! Kneaded and rolled the clay to such an extent that bits of clay from the surface pull away. Of course, this was so frustrating, I just kept rolling through (thinking that I could correct it). Dumb! Finally, I let it rest and then it was fine. Donna Kato

I found Kato clay did not hold its conditioning for long .... by this I mean that if you condition and make a blend tonight, and then try to use it a day or so later, it will be crumbly. Patty B. (still true with 2008 reforumulation though?)

canes reduce easily. It slices easily with no dragging or smearing!!!!! Julie W.
....If you do any caning, this clay is fabulous! I can cut clean, distortion-free slices from my canes immediately after reduction.
.....canes I have made last winter are still pliable and don't crack when sliced or reduced. Lisa P.

(I've been using Kato clay for 3 weeks, and so far) it is a caner's dream. Not as resistant as Fimo, not as soft as Premo, for me it has just the right amount of give and I don't turn it to mush in my hot hands.
...My notes so far: the red has been the squishiest for me. My guess is the dye. Since the infamous red dye No. (2?) was removed from the market, good red dyes have been harder to come by.... black has been kinda squishy, too. Again, prolly the dye. ...The rest of the colors I have tried seem to have very similar consistency, which makes caning easier.... The translucent seems to be more transparent than others and much less likely to turn yellow. I even use a layer of No. 6 instead of 7 many times..... If anyone out there is heavy-handed and/or has hot hands like me, do give it a try. (Colors I've used to date: red, black, white, blue, turquoise, violet, yellow, orange, green and trans.) Kim K.

Tommie's saga re testing the new Kato Polyclay for sculpting (he liked it very much, and felt that it raw clay blended to rbaked clay was very smooth and that it was very strong, among other things)
http://www.polymerclayhaven.com/lessons/dragonart.htm
....It adhered to itself well...Jacqueline
....(Dawndove felt the skin color was too orangey and opaque for skin though) I did my best face sculpt yet out of it (despite the skintone issue) because it took the tooling so nicely. And seams lovely. That nice blending of pieces together. Dawndove
...~I tried the flesh color to sculpt a fairy with, and wasn't impressed with the color (too peachy) or the translucency of the skin after it was baked. So I tried mixing it with translucent. Still didn't like it. And the feel was a bit too mooshy, for my tastes. Some people like Cernit feeling clays, so I'm not knocking it, it was not for me. Guess I'll be a Super Sculpey girl forever.... I do like the clay, it's just different from anything I've tried. Ginger
....Vernon said when I first ordered it that they were going to change the color of the flesh to something with less orange. Leslie
....Works great for all my claying needs except for sculpting. Still prefer Pro- Sculpt for sculpting. Jeanne

Kato Polyclay is not as fragile as other brands when warm. Donna says, "When I make small box vessels covering a clay form I can actually twist the interior form to loosen the box walls without the walls breaking."
... could lead to being able to do simple origami as it cools?

surface appearance is a soft sheen after baking. . . but can also be altered to achieve a more matte finish by:
.......applying cornstarch to raw clay before curing (...rinse off, if any still present after baking)
....... sanding and then using 0000 steel wool mattes the sheen a lot. Dotty
...to achieve the appearance of frosted glass, the surface can be scraped lightly with the tip of a metal file. Trina
...Donna scratched off the surface of a piece of black baked clay (the handle of a brush), and it made it look like soft velvet. Very nice effect. Dotty
...I agree that Kato Polyclay's baked surface finish isn't as natural looking when making organic faux items though (...but could use one of the matte ideas above). Dotty

And did I mention the smell ? Kellie told me that there is a new formula in the works (if not already out there) that is much less "aromatic"... Karen O.
...(June 2004).... we conditioned and worked with about a Kazillion pounds of clay in a fairly small room this weekend and I never noticed an odor. Linda in VA
EARLIER: I was one who at first did like the smell, but with later samples, I did not notice the smell anymore. I agree with (was it Julie?? Or Tara??) the PCPer who said it smells somewhat like a new doll. Dianne C
...The smell reminded me of 1st grade art class. Deirdre ...that new plastic smell . . or like glue
...the clay has a rather sweet smell. Dotty
...I rather like the smell. :) It reminds me of a new doll. We each smell things differently..but it's not offensive to me at all! Jan
...reminds me of a plastic shower curtain liner, but doesn't bother me. Emily N.

......Donna said that they put extra mica in the metallic & pearl clays to give it a heavier metallic effect (mica shift) but because of that it is a little harder to condition and is a little drier (crumbles more easily). I really didn't find it all that difficult to condition ... you just have to be aware of it. catbyte
...The silver Kato clay is really lovely. Donna was doing some mica-shift projects with it which were stunning. Dotty
...some people feel the silver and copper are the best of the Kato metallics

..the mica effect of the metallics and pearl carries over even when only small bits of them are mixed with other colors! (Vernon)
.......Donna showed samples of the metallics "diluted" with translucent. ... mixing 1 to 1, or even 1 to 2 (metallic to translucent), still had a very pronounced mica shift effect. Lenora

The flexibility (& memory) is incredible ...it's called "warm repositioning"
--this characteristic somewhat less pronounced after the first reformulation} .
. . When I took a flat sheet out of the oven, I curved it into a ring for my finger just for the fun of it, and it stayed in that position. I could have reflattened it, but I decided to leave it as a ring. This new clay (Kato clay) has some definate characteristics that sets it apart from the other clays. Deirdre
....(One of the main reasons I have chosen to use Fimo over Premo is because Fimo has such good "memory". I like to go back and re-position arms etc. I know this doesn't seem like it would be a problem, but when I am mass producing some of my items, hours may go by before I am able to go back and re-position. Mirella)
....if only partially baked though, thin sheets or areas are sometimes very easy to tear while still hot (as the piece cools, it hardens and becomes very tough, if baked correctly).
....what about covering bottles of lotion, stand-up toothpaste containers, etc., while cooling?
(for more details on warm repositioning and on making removable sleeves of clay, see Covering > Removable Sleeves)

In the beginning of its production, some of the Kato clay shipped out was partially cured in hot delivery trucks. They're taking precautions against heat while shipping now though (and also have a new formulation). . .
......In the summer heat, Prairie Craft will now rotate its Kato Polyclay stock through our refrigerator and ship in an insulated carton at no additional cost... We do, however, recommend 3 day shipping. Vernon, Prairiecraft
... (I have some of that older, crumbly Kato clay, and I'm treating it the same way I did with the Fimo Classic. I use my mini-food processor and adding either some diluent or some mineral oil. Dotty (see more in Conditioning)

Has anyone tried sanding the Kato Clay yet? I covered some pens and found that it was soooooo hard to sand and also gunked up the sandpaper . . . almost like sanding something coated with TLS . . .Kathy
..The grit wears off my sandpaper very fast when I'm sanding it and it doesn't seem to work as well as it does with the other brands.
.....In fact, I use 220 to start with (rather than 400), and I'm thinking of getting some even coarser. Trying to sand mica shift stamped things flat takes forever ....I just picked up 150 grade sandpaper today and I'll see how that does...Dystini
...Another possibility - quite a while ago Donna mentioned she was sanding Kato Clay dry, no water. Might work better on the big bumps. Linda (wear a mask? Kathy)

Since Kato Polyclay has water repellant properties and a smooth and shiney finish after baking, it may not take Flecto Varathane finish well (it may bead up during application and/or peel off after drying after some days).
.....To get around this problem, the clay surface can first be prepared with a bit of liquid clay first (see details on this in Finishes > Flecto Varathane > Peeling)
.... or Future can be used instead, without any problems
... (a new finish just for Katoclay may be manufactured eventually)

the translucent is beautiful!! ....it does not plaque unless you want to make it plaque (by adding moisture?)! Julie W.

the white Kato Polyclay is a crisp and really really white ...and the black is really black. Julie W.

Unless they change the formula, the black seems to get on hands, etc., easily. Having baby wipes handy can help remove it.

I noticed that the green and the turquoise do exactly like Premo of the same colors and have tiny spots which look like plaquing (not half moon but with lighter looking specks) the first few times through the pasta machine. ..if I let it rest, they disappear after just a couple of more passes. Jeanne

All of the colors are good, but the turquoise doesn't seem quite like turquoise to me. I suppose it depends on what type of turquoise and where it came from. But to me it appears more like a nice medium blue..... so I added some of the green to it and am much happier with that turquoise color. Dotty

ANNOUNCEMENT & later, from DONNA:
We partnered with Van Aken International on this product...one of the most well known and well respected companies in the art and craft materials busines. (they're best known for their Claytoon clay animation clay ---the California Raisins, Wallace & Grommet, etc.).
So, you might ask, how is Kato Polyclay different? Here are a few of the ways.
1. Conditioning - Kato Polyclay is easy to condition, with no crumbling.
...Donna told me recently that Kato clay should be compressed when you first take it out of the package.
.....example: use your acrylic roller to mash down the clay brick... just a bit, doesn't have to be a big flat pancake. I use a regular rolling pin (easier for my hands) and smash down the center, then roll/push to each end of the brick. One pass, that's it
.......now it is ready to be put through the pasta machine or hand conditioned, with no crumbling or cracking edges. Celia
...it's easier to condition than FimoClassic ... may be a little more difficult than Premo.
2. Handling - with continuous kneading and working, Kato Polyclay does not become sticky and, therefore, maintains its ease or workability.
3. Strength - Kato Polyclay was deemed as strong or stronger than the other clays testers use - with most feeling it was stronger. Not one single respondent found it to be less strong. Additionally, every color shares the same strength.
4. Color stability - From uncured to cured state, no Kato Polyclay color shifts more than 1/2 shade, with the majority remaining unchanged from uncured to cured state. It is virtually "true-color" (other brands change color in baking much more)
5. Consistency - Colors share the same consistency and softness. For example, you won't find white very hard and green very soft. Even consistency promotes even cane reduction, which results in less distorted imagery and less waste at cane ends.
6. Color Mixing - Rather than taking an academic approach (this requires that the user have a rather extensive knowledge of color mixing) we have opted for a more user friendly and intuitive method. The "Spectral" (rainbow) Colors form the basis for the creation of all colors. If they were placed on the color wheel, you would find them very evenly spaced. This approach makes color mixing simple for even the most inexperienced user.
7. Colors - Colors have been formulated for maximum purity and brilliance. (Muting a color is simple but you can't take a muddy color and make it bright)
8. Finish - Once cured, Kato Polyclay exhibits a satin sheen.
9. Density - As part of the manufacturing process, Kato Polyclay is vacuum extruded (we are the only company utilizing this state of the art process). In essence, air from the clay is removed, making the clay denser and eliminating the need for continuous folding and rolling to remove air pockets from the clay.
10. Warm repositioning - Kato Polyclay is not as fragile as other brands when warm. When I make small box vessels (I cover a clay form) I can actually twist the interior form to loosen the box walls without the walls breaking. Additionally, Kato Polyclay allows for a measure of repositioning of elements when warm - the clay maintains its new position without breaking (...this is lessened with new formula though...DB).
...Packaging - the ink is sandwiched between two sheets of acetate so the ink doesn't rub off the outside (the UPC codes are printed on the outside) or come off inside on the clay.
... We've designed a "Pay for Publication" program covering not just magazine articles, but Internet projects, videos, and television appearances.

And I did a small transfer test, and I think Kato Polyclay picks up the ink better than any other clay I've used.... It was a simple black and white magazine pic transfer, but the intensity of the black that transferred, and the crisp detail impressed me
.....Also the texture is a bit firmer and more resistant to fingerprints, and such is really nice. Dawndove

many clayers mix a combo clay of part Premo and part Kato clay... they feel doing that yields the best characteristics
....My favorite clay is now a Premo- Kato combo.... I'm using about 1 pt Kato to 3 pts Premo.... if I use the very freshest Premo and Kato, I get my perfect clay.
.......of course, it's important to be sure that they are mixed competely, so use two slightly different colors so you'll know when it's done. Jeanne
...also with this combination, the Kato will make the Premo buffable (without having to sand it).....and I like the soft matte sheen (...I had found the Kato alone too hard for me to condition). Carolyn

Julie Wise of "Razberi Kids" fame and I, are starting a Kato Polyclay usergroup on Yahoo very soon. You'll be able to get all your answers about Kato Polyclay answered there as well as your general clay questions. Lisa Pavelka
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/katopolyclay

FIMO

Fimo CLASSIC

NOTE: (June 2007)... yet another new formulation of the Fimos
Bake at 230°- 265 ° (15-30 min per 1/4- 1/2" of thickness)
.....the package recommends baking the new clay at 230º (110º C)
.....BUT clayers have found that the old temp of 265º results in a stronger product (for just new clay or mixes with the old clay)
......... at the higher baking temp, the colors won't darken any more than before....however, some colors (translucents & light ones) always darken more easily so those may need a slightly lower temperature (or just tenting-enclosing?)
...both Fimos are now not as strong as they used to be
...both Fimos are softer than their previous formulations (becoming softer with each reincarnation) and have more problems with stretch and detail
...the new FimoClassic is now too soft and tacky (which makes it almost impossible to use for sculpting). UGH!!! ... it used to be my favorite for sculpting. Chris
...miniaturists don't like it as much because of the softer texture & the color changes
...no longer offering a translucent in Classic (now only available in the 'effects' range in FimoSoft)
...see Reformulations of Fimo Clays just below for more

NOTE:....this formula change will often not be reflected at the entire GlassAttic site ...too many instances to change!

....small bars of FimoClassic (& FimoSoft) can run from 58-65 g (slightly more than the 2 oz of Premo or Sculpey III ... metric system)

There are now several lines of Fimo clay (...which can be pretty confusing):
--There used to be only one Fimo line (simply called plain old "Fimo"), which was very stiff and difficult to condition.
--Nowadays, the original Fimo is now called "Fimo Classic" and it has been softened (and in 2007 softened a lot more).. some of its colors have been discontinued also.
--Fimo has also put out a second line which is called "Fimo Soft; ...this clay is much softer than Fimo Classic but not as soft as Sculpey III, etc..

suppliers:
.... local: I checked with my local Michaels the manager is a personal friend, he said Michaels will discontiue Fimo Classic ??? and only carry FimoSoft, Premo and Sculpey III. Called some more JoAnn's ETC will carry the same. A large art supply store diffrent from first also no Fimo classic. (it will still be available by mail order though --DB)
...online: see Supply Sources for places to see the colors and purchase clay

...Fimo Classic has two sub-categories of colors:
Standard (which includes the old, heavily plaquing, "00 Art Transparent" and a glow-in-the-dark clay, Niteglow), and Soft Pastels
...Fimo Soft has 4 sub-categories of colors:
Flourescents,
Transparents (which includes one "colorless" Translucent --FS 014)
Metallics (which are actually glitter clays)
Stone Colors (simulate granite effects--discontinued-- plus Marble White and possibly Anthracite)
..........(they have also recently added to the FimoSoft line at least three true metallic, mica-containing, clays --gold, silver, and copper, plus one semi-glitter/whitish translucent for simulating opals, etc. called Metallic White)

reformulations of Fimo clays

2007-2008
All Fimo clays have been reformulated yet again...this time because some customers felt it was too crumbly
... though the plasticizers used in the previous formulation were judged okay for toys by the European Union (Fimo is classed as a "toy"), they also worried that the EU could ban more plasticizers in the future so those were changed too
...for more info, see http://www.garieinternational.com.sg/clay/shop/fimo_new_formula.htm
........also see Safety > Plasticizers, Oils, Phthalates....and Baking > Times and Temperatures
..Fimo's flesh-colored doll clays:
.......Miniature Doll Fimo is a lot softer than it was when it was first re-introduced. The latest batch was very difficult to use for original sculpts of miniature dolls although it is still fine for moulding.
.......Soft Doll Fimo is also currently very soft. We are waiting for more information from the manufacturers about this problem. (Meanwhile, if you are having difficulties, you may wish to use Sculpey Living Doll instead. I have found this clay is excellent for making both full size and miniature dolls.) Sue H..
...dollmakers particularly are not happy. ...we are currently testing the new clays and observing their performance for jewellery, modelling, miniatures and doll making. We will update this page as soon as they are completed. Sue H.
http://www.polymerclaypit.co.uk/acatalog/Information_on_changes_to_Fimo_clays.html
...There is little chance of Eberhard Faber developing a new line of polymer clay specially for adults and artists, etc....they cannot put that sort of investment into a new product... also a new adult clay would have to have a new name, and Faber is not willing to lose their well known branding. Pat, Philippa, Angie

Sep 2007....The result of our meeting (with the manufacturers of Fimo re the dissatisfaction of sculptors, caners, etc., with the new formulation) was that Eberhard Faber realised that we have big problems with the new FIMO Classic which they take very seriously...They will look at how to improve it and expect to be able to come back to us by January next year (2008). Faber marketing director Nils Henssen said: "We will try and work it out and hopefully come to a satisfactory solution. It is a difficult problem".
Nils wants to hear about any problems users have (with the Fimo clays).
.....please get in touch with him - and pass his email address on to anyone you know (in the UK, US, or anywhere) who has had experience with the new formula:
nils.henssen@eberhardfaber.de
(see more on this meeting at http://www.garieinternational.com.sg/clay/shop/fimo_new_formula.htm )

Aug 2001: . . . It was (so I understand) reformulated somewhat recently, and ever since she's been having problems with it breaking easily. She used to fire it at 225F in a convection oven, and now that it's been changed she's got to fire it closer to 275F or 300F to get it to not break as easily (and it still doesn't stand up to punishment as much as it used to.) Also, for those wondering, she's using Fimo Classic, and not Fimo Soft. She also uses clay quickly, so it's never more than a few months old. The problem she finds with firing at a higher temperature is that the clay darkens during firing. This can be compensated for by mixing in extra white clay, but the clay is still more brittle after baking than it used to be. (Many of the products she produces are made from canes sliced at approximately 1/8", and as such they break easier than they used to.) Kim2
Is she high altitude? I add 5 degrees becauses I'm over a mile above sea level--the chemist at Polyform said this would help, and it did. I too noticed the change in FIMO, and its one reason I use a lot of Premo now. Sarajane

Sep 2001: . . . Fimo is harder than premo, but the new formula is a lot better to work with than it used to be. For example with the new Fimo classic, I can cut off slices and feed them straight through my pasta machine without crumbling, of course we could not do that with the old stuff! ...I know many american folks who, like me, find fimo classic TOO soft now!... I find fimo classic softer and nicer to work with than fimo Soft! Emma
...The only real bummer is that the fimo folks seemed to have lost the plot a little with the changes to the colour pallette. I want the fimo classic avaible in ALL the same shades as the fimo soft comes in please, AND please bring back the OLD fimo metallics colour range, the new stuff is just pants with its big glitter flakes in ;-) My advice, stick to fimo classic! or one of the Polyform clays. Emma

June 2000: a heads-up word to people who've really liked the firmness of Fimo--its been softened!
..The new Classic Fimo (which they swear is the same formula--NOT!) is soft and sticks to your hands, however it does cane and reduce well, and makes it through the Laundry strength Test (we are at 20 times through and buttons are holding up fine)
......IMHO, Fimo and Premo are meeting in the middle
......you may note that the new classic Fimo is leaning towards the Premo pallette
.....(Premo is still more heat-sensitive in it's response than Fimo---something to remember with really big canes or with really hot hands.) Sarajane Helm

more on Fimo Class characteristics... written for various formulations
(most may no longer be true)

The new formulation of Fimo Classic does have one drawback in that it does seem to have more air bubbles in it. This hasn't been a problem for me, but I know that for some people doing project using flat sheets, it has caused some problems. Emma

Fimo Classic is the hardest of the clays when raw and the most difficult to condition, though not nearly as bad as it used to be!
...sometimes the new stuff is even too soft! . . . I have found too, that I buy my Fimo in large quanitites, and let it age for a month or so, and then it is not so soft. Jenny Pat
...The packaging has lot numbers, but they have nothing to do with how hard the clay will be, since storage conditions significantly affect the hardness of the clay. Stores that move a lot of clay tend to have softer clay, while other stores have ancient clay that feels like wood, or newer, also-very-hard, clay that was overheated or over-exposed to lighting. The best test is to lightly squeeze the package; with some experience you'll learn what to feel for. Ordering Fimo by mail order will usually deliver a softer clay.
...see below in FimoSoft for banging it on all sides (while still in the wrapper) with a rubber mallet to possibly avoid the crumbs!

Fimo Classic is like warm leather when I take it out of the processor, and start to make sheets. It is beautiful stuff. Karen in FL

Fimo classic is wonderful for caning!

I have found that mixing a little more than one part translucent to every 2 parts red will prevent bleeding & make that nasty RED (Fimo Soft?) easier to work with (when caning). Marilyn
To prevent the color bleeding Diane talked about, I wonder if a thin sheet of black outlining the red would help? LynnDel
(for more on bleeding, see above in Miscellaneous)

Fimo (esp. black) smells (more than other clays). . . If the piece is fully cured, it should get better as it airs. If it's not fully cured, I'm not so sure. If it doesn't air off in a couple of weeks, I think I'd pop it into the oven for fiftten minutes or so and see if it helps.)

I use Fimo (for sculpting), and Fimo also has a clay called PuppenFimo that is specially for dolls. The colour is very strong but you can mix it with white puppenfimo to get a nicer skintone. Karen
.... Now I think they have two flesh colors in the smaller bars at least also.
(see Sculpting > Clays for all info on polymer clays when used specifically for sculpting, making figures, etc.)

Then I had some old hard fimo which I overdid adding Vaseline to. I stuck it in the fridge for a while, then used it to make some critters for my kids. It was ridiculously sticky, but did hold its shape in the oven. The texture is really interesting - kind of pebbly like cement.

I have found that Fimo, while hard when cured according to directions, has a bit of a waxy crumbly texture on delicate or fine detail. Jeanne R.

There is now also a Fimo liquid clay! Emma ....though it's not that easy to find
... called "Liquid FIMO® Decorating Gel" ...may need to use the trademark icon if searching! (or Deco Gel or Deko Gel outside the U.S.)

(see websites above for recipes for the discontinued Fimo Classic colors) …

Fimo SOFT
(see suppliers at top)

NOTICE .. important formula changes!

2007...yet another new formulation
...even softer than before (so not as good for details and handling)
...same lack of strength after baking as before probably, maybe worse (compared to Premo, Kato, and the older version of FimoClassic ...probably still stronger than the main Sculpeys though)
....the new baking temp recommended by the manufacturer is 230°......however, clayers and EF's chemist says have found that baking the clay and mixes of old and new at the old temp of 265 results in a stronger product (and colors also don't darken more)
........ but the burning temp may be lower than the usual 385 for mixes or for new Fimos
...(from Eberhard Faber): "It will be no problem if you want to mix "older" Fimo (130° C, 265°F) with new Fimo (110°, 230°F). We advise to harden the combined Fimo at a temperature of (230° F) 110° C for 30 minutes (per 1/4" thickness?), and to use an oven thermometer for checking the temperature in your oven." Eberhard Faber

2006...new formulation... softer than before, and less strong
...how to recognize the small bars compared to the older FimoSoft
.....the new formula bars now have 8 bar markings on one side, and 2 on the other side
.....the old, stronger FimoSoft had only 2 segments both sides

NOTE:....these latest changes may not be reflected at the entire GlassAttic site ...too many instances of it to change

please see the "Reformulations of Fimo Clays" 2007 sub-category (just above, under FimoClassic), for the history of the various changes, info about baking temps, doll Fimo, etc

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FimoSoft is now very soft out of the packet
...the downside is the stuff is that it's somewhat brittle after baking in thin or projecting areas (not as bad as Sculpey though), but not as strong as the old FimoSoft (....rounded balls will be strong though because they're inherently strong shapes)
......this weakness can be remedied by adding any other strong clay brand (FimoClassic, Premo, Kato, Cernit), which will strengthen it in proportion to how much stronger clay is used
...the new version also has that very matte finish like Sculpey III

Small bars of FimoSoft can run from 58-65 g (slightly more than the 2 oz of Premo or Sculpey III ... metric system)

Large boxes (not easily available) ..seems that Fimo is now making larger boxes of white and flesh-colored FimoSoft ("bulk" ...for teachers, etc.)...this is probably to compete with Sculpey's plain white in a box, and flesh-colored Scuper Sculpey also sold in larger amounts (for teachers)
...but it is the new fomulation which may be weaker than most other brands but stronger than Sculpey equivalents?
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/fimo/newbulfimsof.html
(8 lbs. bulk white = $58 ....... 24 lbs bulk white = $170)
(8 lbs. bulk flesh--"Doll Pink" = $58..... 24 lbs bulk white = $170 ........is their flesh translucent or opaque?)

The older (two?) versions of FimoSoft had some advantages/disadvantages that may or may not be present in the current version:
......sticky, too soft, colors not consistent, some colors bled easily into other clays/work surfaces/etc, some could be crumbly, if leached became less flexible after baking but harder, didn't seem to blend to itself very well, could crack in caning, may not hold conditioning very long, could attract "gunk" if tumbled ...but could be sliced immediately, reduced well, smoothed out well, had a very white White, some good colors...

Bake at 230° - 265°
.... (recommended temp on label is 230, but clayers and EF's chemist says have found that baking the clay --and mixes of old and new-- at the old temp of 265 results in a stronger product (and colors also don't darken more)
........ but the burning temp may be lower than the usual 385 for mixes or for new Fimos (see more in Baking > Times & Temps)

special colors... now called Effect...FimoSoft
the FORMULA for these has probably also changed

NOTES:
....All the "special effect clays" now relabeled with word EFFECT on pkg (all those which aren't simply plain regular "opaque" colors)
... Fimo has converted most of the lines that used to be regular FimoClassic (the transparents, stones, metallics, neon) into the FimoSoft line instead

glitter "Metallics"....NOTE: these are not what the other clay brands call "metallics"!... at least now they seem to have glitter in the color name
. . . they have actual glitter in them (instead of mica)....distinctly sparkly with a somewhat glassy background color<