Description
Polymer Clay Basics
Polymer clays are man made modeling materials that, once heat cured, become permanent and will not return to their original state. All are composed of the same basic components: plasticizers, resins, fillers and colorants.
Before using polymer clay it must be conditioned... kneading by hand until the clay is soft and pliable or fold and roll through a pasta machine. Inadequate conditioning will result in weakened finished items and weakened piece to piece adhesion. Condition light colors first, then move to darker colors.
Polymer clay pieces can be cured in a standard oven (convection) or toaster oven. Do not microwave polymer clay. If you don't have a dedicated oven, place items in an aluminum pan, then cover tightly with foil to prevent residue build up in your oven. Cure pieces in a well-ventilated area. Check oven accuracy with a thermometer and use a timer to avoid exceeding curing time.
The recommended curing temperature is 300° F (150° C). Kato Polyclay™ can be cured at 275° F (135° C) with good results and has been approved to cure at 350° F by our toxicologist, however caution should be taken when curing at that temperature, time should be limited to 10 minutes as you will run the risk of discoloration. You should never exceed 365° F.
Materials that will withstand clay curing temperatures, such as glass, paper mache, wood, metal and ceramic items may be covered with clay and baked in the oven. Items may be nested in polyester batting to avoid flat, shiny spots. Finished pieces may be painted or glazed after curing. Water-based paints and glazes are recommended. Cured clay may also be wet sanded (automotive sandpaper - 400 and 600 grit, in water) and then buffed to a high-gloss sheen.
Working Properties of Kato PolyClay™
1. Conditioning - Kato Polyclay™ is easy to condition, with no crumbling. I slice the blocks into 1/8" thick pieces. Roll through the pasta machine at the thickest setting. Finish by folding and rolling.
2. Handling - with continuous kneading and working, Kato Polyclay™ does not become sticky and, therefore, maintains its ease of workability.
3. Strength - Kato Polyclay™ was deemed as strong or stronger than other clays the testers used, - 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".
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 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.
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. Kato Polyclay™ allows for a measure of repositioning of elements when warm - the clay maintains its new position without breaking.
See Related Products links (below) for similar items and additional jewelry-making supplies that are often used with this item.
Details
Sold by: |
each |
Color: |
Black |
Size: |
12-1/2 oz |
Country of Origin: |
United States |
Product Reviews
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Kato Clay is my go to Clay
I make and sell jewelry. This is the only clay for me. I don't have to worry about it being sticky when I work with it. And too, It's very strong. That's a plus for me. I don't want any of my pieces breaking or want any dissatisfied customers . My only complaint is the translucent clay is not as transparent as I would like to be.
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Excellent clay!
Aside from the fact that this clay has a bit of a strong odor, it's a fantastic clay! Previously I had always been a Premo girl, but lately I have been having a lot of trouble with such sticky black clay that it's impossible to work with! On top of that each of the colors seems to have such a different consistency which makes caning very difficult among other things. I'd heard of Kato being excellent for caning so I tried it out and I'm very pleased. I haven't actually caned with it yet, but I've worked with it to do some other more sculptural beads and pendants and things and it's wonderful! It IS firmer than the other clays, and that's just the way it is, but I end up liking it a lot because it doesn't get sticky even when it's a little softer. With a pasta machine this is very easy to condition, and honestly it wasn't difficult with just my roller and my hands either. If you have difficulty with your hands or have a hard time working with firmer clays then this may not be for you, but once it gets conditioned it's very easy to work with. This clay bakes up much differently than Premo. It makes at a higher temperature for one, but when Premo is baked it is very flexible and when this Kato is baked it is very firm. It seems to be very strong. I've dropped a leaf pendant that's not quite 2mm thick multiple times today and it's perfectly fine. As with other clays you just need to bake it longer than the directions on the package state. The plain colors and translucent suggest 10-30 minutes. The Metallics and pearl suggest just 10! I don't bake anything, including that thin leaf I mentioned, for less than 45 minutes to an hour! Just make sure your temp is correct, verified by an oven thermometer (although Kato seems to tolerate a wider range than Premo & others) and bake on a tile or something to give it insulation from a metal pan, and also tent it with foil or cardstock to protect it from the heating element's direct heat. Your colors may shift slightly more this way but your pieces will be very strong and won't burn. Keep in mind also that baking at lower temperatures, even for longer times, will result in fragile clay that is much more likely to break. The correct temperature is essential! One benefit I can see with the Kato is that I can make cuff bracelets that won't get loose when they get warm as you wear them without a connector. I'm really looking forward to that! And about that smell, it didn't take me very long to get used to it at all. I don't even notice it now unless it gets close to my face. This may end up being my go-to Clay from now on. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm definitely considering this and I will certainly use it exclusively for some projects now.
