Thanks, we have a bunch of Dollar Trees around here. I'll go stock up!

funhog1 wrote: This afternoon I hit Dollar Tree for some important backpacking
supplies and cruised the back to school aisle. They are carrying a
three pack of white vinyl erasers, each one about 1 1/2"X 3". These
are quite a bit larger than the standard Staedler art erasers and have
a very similar texture. They are smooth on both sides, no embossed
patterns. If you like soft block material like Mastercarve (which I
do) then these are perfect! I just carved a stamp to make some
wrapping paper and am pleased with the results. I stamped the image
dozens of times in the process and it has held up well. Since this
chain changes their inventory all the time, I'm sure these won't be
available forever, probably only for this one season. I give 'em a
thumbs up. Funhog






---------------------------------
Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us.

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

Ooh...I'll have to look in my Dollar Tree. I have trouble finding
material...
Garou
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "funhog1" wrote:
>
> This afternoon I hit Dollar Tree for some important backpacking
> supplies and cruised the back to school aisle. They are carrying a
> three pack of white vinyl erasers, each one about 1 1/2"X 3". These
> are quite a bit larger than the standard Staedler art erasers and have
> a very similar texture. They are smooth on both sides, no embossed
> patterns. If you like soft block material like Mastercarve (which I
> do) then these are perfect! I just carved a stamp to make some
> wrapping paper and am pleased with the results. I stamped the image
> dozens of times in the process and it has held up well. Since this
> chain changes their inventory all the time, I'm sure these won't be
> available forever, probably only for this one season. I give 'em a
> thumbs up. Funhog
>

megaviolent wrote:

> Ooh...I'll have to look in my Dollar Tree. I have trouble finding
> material...

It's simply not possible to have trouble finding material, since
Stampeaz.com will ship PZ Kut anywhere.

-- Kirbert

I used to pick up erasers at Big Lot stores - they were 3 for 79.
Not real wide - 3/4" to an inch, maybe and around 2 inches long.
But for the price, they were worth buying up a bunch.
ljc
On Jul 31, 2007, at 9:43 AM, megaviolent wrote:

>> This afternoon I hit Dollar Tree for some important backpacking
>> supplies and cruised the back to school aisle. They are carrying a
>> three pack of white vinyl erasers,



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

That's why I thought these were so great. The size is significantly
larger than the usual erasers as well as having a good consistency for
carving. Funhog

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, LeslieCefali wrote:
>
> I used to pick up erasers at Big Lot stores - they were 3 for 79.
> Not real wide - 3/4" to an inch, maybe and around 2 inches long.

I recently found some good stuff too!

I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply section, they
had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each one
measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and ran it
on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.

Thanks for reading this.

"At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it all; I
just can't remember it all."

LeslieCefali wrote:

> I used to pick up erasers at Big Lot stores - they were 3 for 79.
> Not real wide - 3/4" to an inch, maybe and around 2 inches long. But
> for the price, they were worth buying up a bunch.

I used to do that too -- in fact, I got a bunch of erasers there that
looked kinda like Pink Pearls except they were green.

Now I know better, though. For the price they are *not* worth
picking up. In fact, when I pulled one of the stamps made from one
of those erasers it had pieces falling off of it. Gritty to carve,
too small, not durable -- in general, not worth buying. Much better
to buy PZ Kut from Stampeaz.com.

These Dollar Tree things look better, though. More than twice the
size of those little erasers and made of what looks like vinyl.
Hopefully they'll prove to be good to carve and durable.

-- Kirbert

Thanks to Funhog's advice, I went to my local Dollar Tree store today and grabbed myself 5 packs of those great "erasers" to use for carving material. A few years ago, I found the same sort of thing there, great for carving but they were too small to do anything really fancy so I was dubious at first when I heard about these.

Not to worry: these are a very good size for many fine carving ideas. Thanks, Funhog!

~~Doublesaj~~

----Original Message----
From: wifeykane@juno.com
Date: 08/01/2007 9:14
To:
Subj: [LbNA] Re: cheap carving block







I recently found some good stuff too!

I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply section, they
had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each one
measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and ran it
on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.

Thanks for reading this.

"At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it all; I
just can't remember it all."








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

You must have gotten different ones than the ones I bought.
I have carved several alphabets, lots of background designs, my name,
return address stamp and lots of other things - years ago.
They were easy to carve, have lasted several years (well over 8), and
were very inexpensive. They were a bit small, but have served well.

ljc


On Aug 1, 2007, at 1:11 PM, Kirbert wrote:

> For the price they are *not* worth
> picking up. In fact, when I pulled one of the stamps made from one
> of those erasers it had pieces falling off of it. Gritty to carve,
> too small, not durable -- in general, not worth buying.



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

On Aug 1, 2007, at 1:11 PM, Kirbert wrote:

> looked kinda like Pink Pearls except they were green.


The ones I get are white.

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

LeslieCefali wrote:

> > looked kinda like Pink Pearls except they were green.
>
>
> The ones I get are white.

That's *probably* better. The type of rubber used in erasers varies
greatly, but most of the white ones seem pretty good. White may be a
sign that the eraser is made of vinyl rather than regular rubber, I
dunno, but they generally seem to be good stuff. Most pink erasers
are lousy IMHO, and the green things I used to buy at Big Lots were
even worse. Brown is no good either, usually crumbly.

I once found a whole pile of erasers in geocaches -- one or two per
geocache, I eventually amassed quite a few -- that were very good.
They came in several different colors including orange, red, and dark
blue. They cut just great -- but the dark blue proved to be
unworkable because you couldn't see an image on it. I vastly
preferred the orange when I could find them. Still, they were still
too small for anything but tiny stamps, about 3/4" x 1-1/2".

-- Kirbert

--O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99 for a 10x5 block and you
buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets the better deal? Don't mean this to sound
cheecky by why do we spend so much time(and gas) looking for cheap carving material and
making due with inferior products?

- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kaneone12590" wrote:
>
> I recently found some good stuff too!
>
> I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply section, they
> had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each one
> measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and ran it
> on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.
>
> Thanks for reading this.
>
> "At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it all; I
> just can't remember it all."
>

Sounds like a tricky one. The PZCut comes to 7.98/in. The eraser
comes to 4.82 /in if cut into 6 slices (=$1.99/(5.51.256)). So,
in kaneone12590's example, the eraser is cheaper. If no slicing
occurs of said eraser, the PZCut is far cheaper.

YMMV, depending upon effort involved. Now don't be afraid to take
the Letterboxer's Math Test (available on LBNA and AQ - sure to scare
the muggles).

LB


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "mizscarlet731"
wrote:
>
> --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99
for a 10x5 block and you
> buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets the better deal?
Don't mean this to sound
> cheecky by why do we spend so much time(and gas) looking for cheap
carving material and
> making due with inferior products?
>
> - In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kaneone12590"
wrote:
> >
> > I recently found some good stuff too!
> >
> > I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply section,
they
> > had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each one
> > measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and
ran it
> > on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.
> >
> > Thanks for reading this.
> >
> > "At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it all;
I
> > just can't remember it all."
> >
>

mizscarlet731 wrote:

> --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99 for
> a 10x5 block and you buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets
> the better deal?

Actually, there are some intangibles there that make the comparison
even worse. Consider, for example, whether it'd be preferable to get
that PZ Kut as a single 10 x 4.75 piece or pre-cut into four 5 x
2.375 pieces. You'd rather get it as the single 10 x 4.75 piece not
only because you can carve bigger stamps but because there is less
waste when carving smaller stamps. When you start with a bunch of
smaller pieces, you're constantly throwing away little scraps that
are too small to make a stamp from.

> Don't mean this to sound cheecky by why do we spend
> so much time(and gas) looking for cheap carving material and making
> due with inferior products?

The gas is another factor that more people should take into account.
By the time you add up all the costs of driving -- gas, tire wear,
oil changes and other maintenance, insurance, depreciation on the car
itself, you'll usually find you're spending perhaps 25 cents per mile
or more. It doesn't take too many miles before that cheap eraser
starts to look pretty expensive indeed.

Even so, the package of three 1.5 x 3 erasers for $1 at Dollar Tree
comes out OK. If you laid three packages of erasers out together you
can add up 9 x 4.5 -- just a bit smaller than a piece of PZ Kut.
You've spent $3. A fourth package would clearly provide more surface
area than a piece of PZ Kut for $4, perhaps even enough extra to make
up for how much scrap you're throwing away. And if you're driving
past the Dollar Tree anyway, it's not costing you much to stop in.

That leaves the question of how good the erasers are. Having tried
them, I find them to be very good -- but being a razor knife carver,
I still prefer orange PZ Kut and probably won't buy any more erasers.
However, those who don't like PZ Kut, those who prefer MasterCarve,
will probably like these erasers a lot.

-- Kirbert

Lightnin Bug wrote:

> Sounds like a tricky one. The PZCut comes to 7.98/in. The eraser
> comes to 4.82 /in if cut into 6 slices (=$1.99/(5.5o1.25o6)).

Ye gads, is that eraser really thick enough to make six slices?

> So,
> in kaneone12590's example, the eraser is cheaper. If no slicing
> occurs of said eraser, the PZCut is far cheaper.

I think I'm going to keep my eye out for one of those food slicers
being sold as surplus or something. They're waaay too expensive to
buy a new one just for cutting up rubber, but if I can pick one up
cheap...

Do you think the deli at Publix would balk if I handed them an eraser
and asked them to slice it into 1/4" thick pieces for me?

Many years ago, somebody passed a law saying that all the kitchen
equipment used in restaurants and other public food preparation
establishments had to be all stainless steel. A whole pile of
industrial-quality white porcelain slicers promptly got pitched. I
wish I had picked one up.

-- Kirbert

Oh no, I definitely don't do this much math unless there's a mystery box at the end of it. =P

Sheba

Kirbert wrote:
mizscarlet731 wrote:

> --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99 for
> a 10x5 block and you buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets
> the better deal?

Consider, for example, whether it'd be preferable to get
that PZ Kut as a single 10 x 4.75 piece or pre-cut into four 5 x
2.375 pieces.

---------------------------------
Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

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

Like a Math Test or Math Olympics? ;-)

Pink Panther


----- Original Message -----
From: Suzanne Coe
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 8/2/2007 6:03:23 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Re: cheap carving block


Oh no, I definitely don't do this much math unless there's a mystery box at the end of it. =P

Sheba

Kirbert wrote:
mizscarlet731 wrote:

> --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99 for
> a 10x5 block and you buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets
> the better deal?

Consider, for example, whether it'd be preferable to get
that PZ Kut as a single 10 x 4.75 piece or pre-cut into four 5 x
2.375 pieces.

---------------------------------
Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

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




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

Yes, although I had to take the test twice, as it were, and I was exempted from the Olympics on the grounds of being there when it was planted.... =)


Mary Jones wrote:
Like a Math Test or Math Olympics? ;-)

Pink Panther


----- Original Message -----
From: Suzanne Coe
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 8/2/2007 6:03:23 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Re: cheap carving block


Oh no, I definitely don't do this much math unless there's a mystery box at the end of it. =P

Sheba

Kirbert
wrote:
mizscarlet731 wrote:

> --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99 for
> a 10x5 block and you buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets
> the better deal?

Consider, for example, whether it'd be preferable to get
that PZ Kut as a single 10 x 4.75 piece or pre-cut into four 5 x
2.375 pieces.

---------------------------------
Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

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




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




Yahoo! Groups Links






---------------------------------
Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not web links.

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

Only for those who dare....

LB

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Mary Jones"
wrote:
>
> Like a Math Test or Math Olympics? ;-)
>
> Pink Panther
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Suzanne Coe
> To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: 8/2/2007 6:03:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [LbNA] Re: cheap carving block
>
>
> Oh no, I definitely don't do this much math unless there's a
mystery box at the end of it. =P
>
> Sheba
>
> Kirbert wrote:
> mizscarlet731 wrote:
>
> > --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99
for
> > a 10x5 block and you buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who
gets
> > the better deal?
>
> Consider, for example, whether it'd be preferable to get
> that PZ Kut as a single 10 x 4.75 piece or pre-cut into four 5 x
> 2.375 pieces.
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally, mobile search that gives answers, not
web links.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

-OK. OK enough from you LB! I still am a big fan of PZ cut and not of driving all over
creation(although i did stop at $tree this afternoon for party supplies). For me PZ is the
way to go for as everone knows I love big, did I say big stamps.

-- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Lightnin Bug" wrote:
>
> Sounds like a tricky one. The PZCut comes to 7.98/in. The eraser
> comes to 4.82 /in if cut into 6 slices (=$1.99/(5.51.256)). So,
> in kaneone12590's example, the eraser is cheaper. If no slicing
> occurs of said eraser, the PZCut is far cheaper.
>
> YMMV, depending upon effort involved. Now don't be afraid to take
> the Letterboxer's Math Test (available on LBNA and AQ - sure to scare
> the muggles).
>
> LB
>
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "mizscarlet731"
> wrote:
> >
> > --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99
> for a 10x5 block and you
> > buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets the better deal?
> Don't mean this to sound
> > cheecky by why do we spend so much time(and gas) looking for cheap
> carving material and
> > making due with inferior products?
> >
> > - In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kaneone12590"
> wrote:
> > >
> > > I recently found some good stuff too!
> > >
> > > I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply section,
> they
> > > had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each one
> > > measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and
> ran it
> > > on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.
> > >
> > > Thanks for reading this.
> > >
> > > "At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it all;
> I
> > > just can't remember it all."
> > >
> >
>

mizscarlet731 wrote:
> -OK. OK enough from you LB! I still am a big fan of PZ cut and not of driving all over
> creation(although i did stop at $tree this afternoon for party supplies). For me PZ is the
> way to go for as everone knows I love big, did I say big stamps.
>
>


PZ Cut for me too. By the time you spend the money for feul to drive
all over creation to find these erasers, you are better off just
ordering a butt load of PZ Cut online and having it sent to you.

Oh, and small stamps for me, so I get lots out of that big sheet. And
then lots out of the scrape from that big sheet :-)

--
Nathan Brown

AKA Cyclonic
Penncoasters.com

The Insensitivity rolls on...

I'm in shape; round is a shape.

I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps of horror and shock here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up. And since Dollar Tree is right around the corner I'm gonno check out these erasers.

mizscarlet731 wrote: -OK. OK enough from you LB! I still am a big fan of PZ cut and not of driving all over
creation(although i did stop at $tree this afternoon for party supplies). For me PZ is the
way to go for as everone knows I love big, did I say big stamps.

-- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Lightnin Bug" wrote:
>
> Sounds like a tricky one. The PZCut comes to 7.98/in. The eraser
> comes to 4.82 /in if cut into 6 slices (=$1.99/(5.51.256)). So,
> in kaneone12590's example, the eraser is cheaper. If no slicing
> occurs of said eraser, the PZCut is far cheaper.
>
> YMMV, depending upon effort involved. Now don't be afraid to take
> the Letterboxer's Math Test (available on LBNA and AQ - sure to scare
> the muggles).
>
> LB
>
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "mizscarlet731"
> wrote:
> >
> > --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at 3.99
> for a 10x5 block and you
> > buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets the better deal?
> Don't mean this to sound
> > cheecky by why do we spend so much time(and gas) looking for cheap
> carving material and
> > making due with inferior products?
> >
> > - In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kaneone12590"
> wrote:
> > >
> > > I recently found some good stuff too!
> > >
> > > I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply section,
> they
> > > had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each one
> > > measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and
> ran it
> > > on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.
> > >
> > > Thanks for reading this.
> > >
> > > "At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it all;
> I
> > > just can't remember it all."
> > >
> >
>






---------------------------------
Luggage? GPS? Comic books?
Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search.

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

H+H,

Better be careful, lest your rouge chapeau be confiscated. Help!
MzSc is going all mainlist on me! ;-)

Oh wait, this is the main list....

Carve on whatever you like, my point was merely mathematical.

LB


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Hikers and Hounds
wrote:
>
> I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut
(gasps of horror and shock here). I don't like the way it (doesn't)
ink up. And since Dollar Tree is right around the corner I'm gonno
check out these erasers.
>
> mizscarlet731 wrote: -OK. OK enough
from you LB! I still am a big fan of PZ cut and not of driving all
over
> creation(although i did stop at $tree this afternoon for party
supplies). For me PZ is the
> way to go for as everone knows I love big, did I say big stamps.
>
> -- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Lightnin Bug"
wrote:
> >
> > Sounds like a tricky one. The PZCut comes to 7.98/in. The
eraser
> > comes to 4.82 /in if cut into 6 slices (=$1.99/(5.51.256)).
So,
> > in kaneone12590's example, the eraser is cheaper. If no slicing
> > occurs of said eraser, the PZCut is far cheaper.
> >
> > YMMV, depending upon effort involved. Now don't be afraid to take
> > the Letterboxer's Math Test (available on LBNA and AQ - sure to
scare
> > the muggles).
> >
> > LB
> >
> >
> > --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "mizscarlet731"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > --O.K. here's a little math problem. I buy PZ cut grade B at
3.99
> > for a 10x5 block and you
> > > buy big eraser for 1.99 for a 5.5x1.25 who gets the better
deal?
> > Don't mean this to sound
> > > cheecky by why do we spend so much time(and gas) looking for
cheap
> > carving material and
> > > making due with inferior products?
> > >
> > > - In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "kaneone12590"
> > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I recently found some good stuff too!
> > > >
> > > > I was in the local Walgreens and in the school supply
section,
> > they
> > > > had enormous pink erasers "Big Mistake" at $1.99 each. Each
one
> > > > measured 5.5" long X 1.25 wide X 1" thick. I took it home and
> > ran it
> > > > on the food slicer and now have 6 nice blocks to carve on.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for reading this.
> > > >
> > > > "At my age I've seen it all; I've heard it all; I've done it
all;
> > I
> > > > just can't remember it all."
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Luggage? GPS? Comic books?
> Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

--Didn't we have this disscussion around ye olde campfire and decide it was the orange stuff
that didn't ink well? A bit of a buff with some really fine sandpaper seems to sovle the
problem.
There's also somthing about getting an order from Stampeze and opening that package to a
stack of lovely creamy white carving materia, oh the possibilities!
l
- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Hikers and Hounds wrote:
>
> I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps of horror and shock
here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up. And since Dollar Tree is right around the corner
I'm gonno check out these erasers.
>

Yes! I don't know about the inking part of it being as how I never got that
far, but I just don't do nearly as well carving with PZKut as I do carving
with Mastercarve.

-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of mizscarlet731
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 7:25 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: cheap carving block


--Didn't we have this disscussion around ye olde campfire and decide it was
the orange stuff
that didn't ink well? A bit of a buff with some really fine sandpaper seems
to sovle the
problem.
There's also somthing about getting an order from Stampeze and opening that
package to a
stack of lovely creamy white carving materia, oh the possibilities!
l
- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Hikers and Hounds
wrote:
>
> I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps of
horror and shock
here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up. And since Dollar Tree is
right around the corner
I'm gonno check out these erasers.
>





Yahoo! Groups Links

Hikers and Hounds wrote:

> I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps
> of horror and shock here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up.

Are you talking about the orange or the white? I'm gonna guess the
orange, since I haven't heard anyone complain about the way the white
inks up.

I've personally never had a problem with the orange inking up. But I
don't use markers, maybe that's it. Or the fact that I do the
"acetone scrub" on *every* stamp before carving, whether it needs it
or not -- which seems to put a very good texture to the surface for
inking. As received, sometimes the orange has a surface that's so
shiny and waxy-looking that I can imagine problems with inking.

I dunno why anyone who likes Speedy-Stamp wouldn't like the white PZ
Kut. They're very similar, I think, except that the PZ Kut is white
instead of pink and costs half as much.

The white erasers at Dollar Tree are just the ticket for people who
prefer MasterCarve. I think those who try them will find they are
very similar to MasterCarve in carving, they're a somewhat more
reasonable thickness (although still thicker than necessary for
rubber stamps), and I think they may actually be *more* resistant to
physical damage and "pilling". The only downside there is the size
limitation, but for many people 1-1/2" x 3" is big enough.

-- Kirbert

I have never liked carving PZ Kut, especially the white. I figured it
was because I started out on Mastercarve and moved onto Speedy Stamp
in the interest of making thinner stamps. I find PZ Kut far too hard
to carve out small pieces accurately. I have to push too hard with my
gouge and all accuracy is gone. The white seems to be harder to carve
than the orange and is farther away in consistency with the pink stuff.

With Mastercarve and Speedy Stamp, I can use the vertex of the V to
pull out a tiny crevice, but this does not work on PZ.

Again, keep in mind that I started with Mastercarve. PZ Kut is the
other extreme from that.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Kirbert" wrote:
>
> Hikers and Hounds wrote:
>
> > I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps
> > of horror and shock here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up.
>
> Are you talking about the orange or the white? I'm gonna guess the
> orange, since I haven't heard anyone complain about the way the white
> inks up.
>
> I've personally never had a problem with the orange inking up. But I
> don't use markers, maybe that's it. Or the fact that I do the
> "acetone scrub" on *every* stamp before carving, whether it needs it
> or not -- which seems to put a very good texture to the surface for
> inking. As received, sometimes the orange has a surface that's so
> shiny and waxy-looking that I can imagine problems with inking.
>
> I dunno why anyone who likes Speedy-Stamp wouldn't like the white PZ
> Kut. They're very similar, I think, except that the PZ Kut is white
> instead of pink and costs half as much.
>
> The white erasers at Dollar Tree are just the ticket for people who
> prefer MasterCarve. I think those who try them will find they are
> very similar to MasterCarve in carving, they're a somewhat more
> reasonable thickness (although still thicker than necessary for
> rubber stamps), and I think they may actually be *more* resistant to
> physical damage and "pilling". The only downside there is the size
> limitation, but for many people 1-1/2" x 3" is big enough.
>
> -- Kirbert
>

Viva Mastercarve!




---------------------------------
Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles.
Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center.

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

You are most welcome! These were so much better than any othere cheapo
erasers I'd carved, I thought I'd pass it on. Mastercarve users, like
the incomparable Archimedes Screw, will be in Hog Heaven using them.

BTW, seeing Screw's Dump Picker should put to rest any controversy
over whether or not you can achieve fine detail on the soft block
materials. Once I saw that stamp, I no longer felt as though I was
second tier for preferring Mastercarve over PZ Cut. Funhog

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "doublesaj@..."
wrote:

> Not to worry: these are a very good size for many fine carving
ideas. Thanks, Funhog!
>
> ~~Doublesaj~~

Interesting. I found 2 MizScarlet stamps this morning, in fact--one orange & one white. I have to say that the white one still inked up better than the orange (used pigment ink pads for both). But the orange one did ink up better than expected.

Sheba

mizscarlet731 wrote:
--Didn't we have this disscussion around ye olde campfire and decide it was the orange stuff
that didn't ink well? A bit of a buff with some really fine sandpaper seems to sovle the
problem.
There's also somthing about getting an order from Stampeze and opening that package to a
stack of lovely creamy white carving materia, oh the possibilities!
l
- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Hikers and Hounds wrote:
>
> I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps of horror and shock
here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up.

---------------------------------
Luggage? GPS? Comic books?
Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search.

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

Aw, thanks. I've seen beautiful stamps carved in all three mediums.
They are all good, it just depends on whether you carve well on softer
or harder surfaces.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "funhog1" wrote:
>
> You are most welcome! These were so much better than any othere cheapo
> erasers I'd carved, I thought I'd pass it on. Mastercarve users, like
> the incomparable Archimedes Screw, will be in Hog Heaven using them.
>
> BTW, seeing Screw's Dump Picker should put to rest any controversy
> over whether or not you can achieve fine detail on the soft block
> materials. Once I saw that stamp, I no longer felt as though I was
> second tier for preferring Mastercarve over PZ Cut. Funhog
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "doublesaj@"
> wrote:
>
> > Not to worry: these are a very good size for many fine carving
> ideas. Thanks, Funhog!
> >
> > ~~Doublesaj~~
>

sharon@bignachos.com wrote:
> Aw, thanks. I've seen beautiful stamps carved in all three mediums.
> They are all good, it just depends on whether you carve well on softer
> or harder surfaces.
>


I think that is what it really comes down to.

I carve with just exacto blades, and I prefer the PZ Cut because it is
harder and does not move around. I can see why someone using a gouge
might like Mastercarve because it is softer and easier to make a cut.
All work well, and I too have seen fantastic stamps done on both as well
as the pink stuff. Folks just need to try different things and see what
works for them.

--
Nathan Brown

AKA Cyclonic
Penncoasters.com

The Insensitivity rolls on...

Real men don't do virtual letterboxes OR pastels!

hikers_n_hounds@yahoo.com wrote:
> No, no, no. I'll be danged if I'm gonna "season" carving material before I carve it to get it to ink up. Call me lazy, call me a stick in the mud, carve me anything but late for dinner, the stuff should work as is. JMHO.
>
>

You are a lazy stuck in the mud who is always late for dinner!

--
Nathan Brown

AKA Cyclonic
Penncoasters.com

The Insensitivity rolls on...

Real men don't do virtual letterboxes OR pastels!

No, no, no. I'll be danged if I'm gonna "season" carving material before I carve it to get it to ink up. Call me lazy, call me a stick in the mud, carve me anything but late for dinner, the stuff should work as is. JMHO.

AND I refuse to be hel accountable for anything said around a campfire where alcohol was involved. You know how I get...hey, throw another log on that thing!!!

mizscarlet731 wrote:
--Didn't we have this disscussion around ye olde campfire and decide it was the orange stuff
that didn't ink well? A bit of a buff with some really fine sandpaper seems to sovle the
problem.
There's also somthing about getting an order from Stampeze and opening that package to a
stack of lovely creamy white carving materia, oh the possibilities!
l
- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Hikers and Hounds wrote:
>
> I'm going to commit blasphemy here and say I don't like PZ cut (gasps of horror and shock
here). I don't like the way it (doesn't) ink up. And since Dollar Tree is right around the corner
I'm gonno check out these erasers.
>






---------------------------------
Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.

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

Awww, but ya love me, c'mon and admit it. Who's your favorite cranky old broad? And why are you online and not at work???? Wanna do breakfast?

Nathan Brown wrote: hikers_n_hounds@yahoo.com wrote:
> No, no, no. I'll be danged if I'm gonna "season" carving material before I carve it to get it to ink up. Call me lazy, call me a stick in the mud, carve me anything but late for dinner, the stuff should work as is. JMHO.
>
>

You are a lazy stuck in the mud who is always late for dinner!

--
Nathan Brown

AKA Cyclonic
Penncoasters.com

The Insensitivity rolls on...

Real men don't do virtual letterboxes OR pastels!






---------------------------------
Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.

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

All this talk about these Dollar Tree erasers blasted back into my head
tonight as I saw the Dollar Tree in the plaza I was in. I had to check it
out. Hauled out my 4&6 year-olds, giving a firm lecture about choosing one
thing and one thing only, and braved taking them in, all for the desire to
claim some Dollar Tree erasers for my very own. Guess what? My boy kept
asking for TWO things, and my girl could not choose. We were in this store
for a very, very long time. Guess what else? No erasers. :-( Oh well. I did
get some new pens.

~zess~

On 8/3/07, Hikers and Hounds wrote:
>
> Awww, but ya love me, c'mon and admit it. Who's your favorite cranky old
> broad? And why are you online and not at work???? Wanna do breakfast?
>
> Nathan Brown > wrote:
> hikers_n_hounds@yahoo.com wrote:
> > No, no, no. I'll be danged if I'm gonna "season" carving material before
> I carve it to get it to ink up. Call me lazy, call me a stick in the mud,
> carve me anything but late for dinner, the stuff should work as is. JMHO.
> >
> >
>
> You are a lazy stuck in the mud who is always late for dinner!
>
> --
> Nathan Brown
>
> AKA Cyclonic
> Penncoasters.com
>
> The Insensitivity rolls on...
>
> Real men don't do virtual letterboxes OR pastels!
>
> ---------------------------------
> Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>


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

I use some non-marvy pens and I too find that the white PZ-Kut doesn't take the ink well, but I started using the orange grade B stuff and it takes all my inks just fine.
ahistory

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

Thursday on my way to work I stopped into a Dollar Tree in
Wethersfield, CT and lo! "The Big Mistake" pink erasers--$.99 each,
WOOT! Same texture and consistency as pink pearls but 3 times the
size! :D

Carve on,
Connfederate

I am new to carving and had been mainly using erasers but my dad told
me about something he found at a surplus store. It is a flat,
smooth, thin, (1/4 in) flexible material used to seal gaskets or pipe
fittings in plumbing or something like that. It is dark reddish-
brown and it is a teeny bit stiffer to cut into than PZcut, but it is
still quite carvable and gives a seriously sharp edge on your image.
The surface is a bit slick, which I like, because excess ink isn't
absorbed into the stamp, leaving a weird composite color of every
previous ink color. (I hate it when I try to use a light-colored ink
and the stamped image turns out looking muddy because of all the dark
ink soaked into the stamp.) I'll be stopping by my local plumbing
store to see what it runs. My dad paid $1 for a 6 x 8 in slab at the
surplus store.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "archimedesscrew17"
wrote:
>
> I have never liked carving PZ Kut, especially the white. I figured
it
> was because I started out on Mastercarve and moved onto Speedy Stamp
> in the interest of making thinner stamps. I find PZ Kut far too
hard
> to carve out small pieces accurately. I have to push too hard with
my
> gouge and all accuracy is gone. The white seems to be harder to
carve
> than the orange and is farther away in consistency with the pink
stuff.
>
> With Mastercarve and Speedy Stamp, I can use the vertex of the V to
> pull out a tiny crevice, but this does not work on PZ.
>
> Again, keep in mind that I started with Mastercarve. PZ Kut is the
> other extreme from that.

Is new carving material you are going to us for your stamp or for the ones you put in the letterboxes you plant?? Let me know how long they last in the boxes and the image you get after stamping a while.??

STAR:W+S=DRR
-----Original Message-----
From: piloteminuit
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:43 pm
Subject: [LbNA] Re: cheap carving block






I am new to carving and had been mainly using erasers but my dad told
me about something he found at a surplus store. It is a flat,
smooth, thin, (1/4 in) flexible material used to seal gaskets or pipe
fittings in plumbing or something like that. It is dark reddish-
brown and it is a teeny bit stiffer to cut into than PZcut, but it is
still quite carvable and gives a seriously sharp edge on your image.
The surface is a bit slick, which I like, because excess ink isn't
absorbed into the stamp, leaving a weird composite color of every
previous ink color. (I hate it when I try to use a light-colored ink
and the stamped image turns out looking muddy because of all the dark
ink soaked into the stamp.) I'll be stopping by my local plumbing
store to see what it runs. My dad paid $1 for a 6 x 8 in slab at the
surplus store.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "archimedesscrew17"
wrote:
>
> I have never liked carving PZ Kut, especially the white. I figured
it
> was because I started out on Mastercarve and moved onto Speedy Stamp
> in the interest of making thinner stamps. I find PZ Kut far too
hard
> to carve out small pieces accurately. I have to push too hard with
my
> gouge and all accuracy is gone. The white seems to be harder to
carve
> than the orange and is farther away in consistency with the pink
stuff.
>
> With Mastercarve and Speedy Stamp, I can use the vertex of the V to
> pull out a tiny crevice, but this does not work on PZ.
>
> Again, keep in mind that I started with Mastercarve. PZ Kut is the
> other extreme from that.





________________________________________________________________________
AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.


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