We have tried the Speedball Stuff, the grey stuff, the yellow stuff, the white stuff and plumbers gasket, too. My son, who is a pretty good carver prefers the pink speedball stuff. You're not an idiot, it's a matter of preference, that's all. It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks, what works best for YOU?

H&H

kycoondog70 wrote:
i went back in the messages and found info on carving materials. i
went out and bought a bunch of samples of the kinds mentioned to see
what i liked best.

i like that speedball stuff that someone said cuts like butter. a
whole bunch of people do NOT like this stuff for lots of reasons, the
main one being that its too crumbly.

am i an idiot for liking this one best? does anyone else prefer this
carving material? i didn't think it was too crumbly. i like how its
nice and easy to cut through. maybe i just like this best because
when we first read about letterboxing in TIME, this was the stuff we
found at the store so it's what we used to make our signature stamps.

that red plumbers gasket was so tough, i made tons of OPPS, the blade
slipped! mistakes.

the thicker rubbery kinds are just so hard to carve, compared to the
speedball stuff, that i get tired out. plus it doesn't seem like i
could get as good of details with it.

anyone else want to contribute ideas?

KY coon dog


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You're not more crazy than most of my family, anyway.
Sure, I like the speedball stuff. I think it's like any carving, though. Metal and wood and stone sculpters each prefer their own medium. I just have to remember to take the different densities into account when I switch and do an eraser! Pink stuff is also more readily available to me, too, so that's what you're getting from me. I've heard others say that plumber's gasket is either very poor or the greatest thing since the invention of ice cream. Different strokes.
Now, maybe if I was trying a very tough, detailed stamp, I might find other stuff to be WAY better or not - I don't know. My stamps are on a level with my carving ability: very simple.

Dave
The von der Insels
P10 F238 X121 H9 E2
----- Original Message -----
From: kycoondog70
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 5:45 AM
Subject: [LbNA] carving material, am i an idiot?


i went back in the messages and found info on carving materials. i
went out and bought a bunch of samples of the kinds mentioned to see
what i liked best.

i like that speedball stuff that someone said cuts like butter. a
whole bunch of people do NOT like this stuff for lots of reasons, the
main one being that its too crumbly.

am i an idiot for liking this one best? does anyone else prefer this
carving material? i didn't think it was too crumbly. i like how its
nice and easy to cut through. maybe i just like this best because
when we first read about letterboxing in TIME, this was the stuff we
found at the store so it's what we used to make our signature stamps.

that red plumbers gasket was so tough, i made tons of OPPS, the blade
slipped! mistakes.

the thicker rubbery kinds are just so hard to carve, compared to the
speedball stuff, that i get tired out. plus it doesn't seem like i
could get as good of details with it.

anyone else want to contribute ideas?

KY coon dog


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ADVERTISEMENT





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Yahoo! Groups Links

a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/

b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The white stuff that is so easy to carve is deceptive. Sure, it is
easy to carve, but it is not durable. It WILL start to crumble and
then it is only a matter of time b/4 you will have to recarve that
stamp in a medium that lasts longer.
Have you tried PZ-Kut or Mastercarve? Both are very easy to carve and
both are pretty durable.
But as the others have said, use what works best for you.
Mark

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kycoondog70"
wrote:
> i went back in the messages and found info on carving materials. i
> went out and bought a bunch of samples of the kinds mentioned to see
> what i liked best.
>
> i like that speedball stuff that someone said cuts like butter. a
> whole bunch of people do NOT like this stuff for lots of reasons, the
> main one being that its too crumbly.
>
> am i an idiot for liking this one best? does anyone else prefer this
> carving material? i didn't think it was too crumbly. i like how its
> nice and easy to cut through. maybe i just like this best because
> when we first read about letterboxing in TIME, this was the stuff we
> found at the store so it's what we used to make our signature stamps.
>
> that red plumbers gasket was so tough, i made tons of OPPS, the blade
> slipped! mistakes.
>
> the thicker rubbery kinds are just so hard to carve, compared to the
> speedball stuff, that i get tired out. plus it doesn't seem like i
> could get as good of details with it.
>
> anyone else want to contribute ideas?
>
> KY coon dog

I, too, like the white stuff, but not for detail work because the
small bits do flake off easily. To be honest I like regular old
linoleum block for detail work and the white stuff for everything
else. I am working in the pink Speedball material now and I am not
sure how I feel about it, though I am not doing a detailed piece right
now.

SO, yes, I agree, the white stuff is pretty nice! Esp when using an
Exacto knife.

Lisa

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kycoondog70"
wrote:
> i went back in the messages and found info on carving materials. i
> went out and bought a bunch of samples of the kinds mentioned to see
> what i liked best.
>
> i like that speedball stuff that someone said cuts like butter. a
> whole bunch of people do NOT like this stuff for lots of reasons, the
> main one being that its too crumbly.
>
> am i an idiot for liking this one best? does anyone else prefer this
> carving material? i didn't think it was too crumbly. i like how its
> nice and easy to cut through. maybe i just like this best because
> when we first read about letterboxing in TIME, this was the stuff we
> found at the store so it's what we used to make our signature stamps.
>
> that red plumbers gasket was so tough, i made tons of OPPS, the blade
> slipped! mistakes.
>
> the thicker rubbery kinds are just so hard to carve, compared to the
> speedball stuff, that i get tired out. plus it doesn't seem like i
> could get as good of details with it.
>
> anyone else want to contribute ideas?
>
> KY coon dog

I like the pink stuff and haven't had a problem with crumbling, but I also
have some of the PZKut (sp?) that is nice, too, just a little more
expensive.

-Jena

I used the Speedball white stuff for an event stamp -- since I use
pens to multi-color by the time I had made a dozen or so prints, the
stuff had 'dented' and I was getting white spots in the print. Maybe
if i used a flat ink pad like most folks . . .

Judy B
sewsowbizzy