That's probably because Mama Wolf is looking at where she's carving from a different angle than these other people, doncha think?

That's quite possible. For the most part, I carve 6 inches from my face since that's how I can see. I also carve while standing in line or sitting just holding it in the air. I rarely have the time to sit at a proper table while doing nothing else. It's highly likely that I may never be a knife carver for that reason. :)

I would go for the mystery stuff, I have carved a couple really nice stamps with it.

HikerGuyEd

I also test drove some of the original mystery material, and have to echo what Shiloh has said here. It was like you took regular PZ and froze it or something...a bit more firm. If you like the pink stuff or mastercarve, you will hate the MM, but if you use PZ and wish sometimes for more firmness, this stuff is wonderful.

Webfoot, if you are reading, I would also order some mystery stuff if it was available again! I would want to try it again side by side with PZ for a final decision if I would be a consistent customer like Shiloh, but I remember really liking it. I wish I had the forethought to have written down which stamps I carved with it.

I guess the "Mystery" material is no longer a mystery!

jackbear

I got my Miniaturized and Reversed Staedtlers yesterday. I LOVE the reversed tool. I can see what I'm doing, and get better results. It makes me wonder why they designed the original the way they did! As far as the miniaturized one, I think my control may not be good enough to use the tool properly. I kept making mistakes with that one. I'll practice some more and see if it becomes useful, but for now, I'm a devotee to the Reversed blade. Thanks Kirbert and Webfoot for making this available to me.

I guess the "Mystery" material is no longer a mystery!

If Webfoot decides to make it available on a regular basis, perhaps it needs a new name. If the name is too new, though, there will be a constant drone of people reminding each other that "this is what we used to call Mystery Material." So, my suggestion for a name is MM.

Sounds like Bear has a chemical formula for this stuff now, so no more mystery.

That's kind of where I was going.

But as for a name....well guess that would be up to Webfoot. I've already told her I like "Puffin Cut" for a name, since PZ was named after April Pease, the original seller.

But I see your point about name confusion. Perhaps the Magical Mystery Material. 3M. Oh wait, not that is REALLY going to cause confusion ;-)

jackbear

true PZ Kut is still in refinement stages, but it will be back -- I'm really, really stubborn! LOL

Webfoot thanks for all your hardwork! A less stuboorn business owner might have thrown in the towel. I'm so glad to hear your determination. I mean this in the most profound way possible, nothing carves like it! I love letterboxing, art and PZ cut♥

I would also purchase Mystery material if you make more.

PZ was named after April Pease, the original seller.

Wasn't that an answer to a Lpod question at one time????

deniserows
into the cobwebs of her brain

I got my Miniaturized and Reversed Staedtlers yesterday. I LOVE the reversed tool.

I had Kirbert reverse one for me a couple months ago and for the life of me, I can't get the hang of it. I continually go farther than I need or skip across an area and gouge out something that needs to stay. I've put it down for the time being from frustration. Maybe when the carving material situation settles into what's available or not I'll pick it up and practice more. But miniaturized sounds promising.... Hmmmm :)

-pearlicue

I got my Miniaturized and Reversed Staedtlers yesterday. I LOVE the reversed tool.

I had Kirbert reverse one for me a couple months ago and for the life of me, I can't get the hang of it.

See what I mean? I've totally given up on recommending one vs. the other, regardless of carving style or any other factor I've looked at. Some like one, some like the other.

Early on, though, many more people wanted the reversed than the miniaturized. Might still be leaning that way, I dunno. That might be because there had been stories about reversed gouges going around for some time - I didn't invent the reversed gouge idea, I just figured out how to do it. The miniaturized gouge was my idea, so nobody had heard of that before. OTOH, maybe it's just because the miniaturized doesn't really sound like it accomplishes anything of significance, while the reversed is most definitely a serious change.

Maybe you guys should start trading miniaturized and reversed gouges around until everyone has what works for them!

Gosh -- maybe I need to have a naming party for this new stuff. It's not really a mystery any more, as Jackbear pointed out.... Hmmmm......

And by the way -- it's in production -- or at least in line for production... Lots and lots of it. It'll be running through the extrusion rollers next week. Unfortunately, this little manufacturing shop isn't in my back yard like the first one I tried to work with was, but they make really nice, smooth sheets so that makes me happy. :) I am going to have about 100 sheets shipped air overnight to me while we wait for the big truck to arrive. And at the same time, they're going to ship me the test on what we hope will be the new PZ Kut (they're going to have the rollers set up and plan a short test of the newest formula). We'll see. I hope we're there, but it's been a long and surprising road, so I'm not holding my breath -- just keeping my fingers crossed, which makes it a little tough to carve!! LOL!

Webfoot

Thanks - I appreciate the kind words! It has been an interesting and frustrating journey. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to come up with a formula that would do all that PZ Kut did and still meet new federal regulations *and* be made in the US. I may be a featherbrained little puffin at times, but my head is hard and I am a brat! LOL! I really want my PZ Kut back!! I mean, it was the reason I bought this little business to begin with - to save PZ Kut! Maybe that's my greater purpose in life.... Scary thought.... LOL!

Webfoot

Wasn't that an answer to a Lpod question at one time????

Yep! :)

I had Kirbert reverse one for me a couple months ago and for the life of me, I can't get the hang of it. I continually go farther than I need or skip across an area and gouge out something that needs to stay.

I always think it's very interesting what works for some and not for others. I can't for the life of me get the wire knife to work and reviews on that thing have been nothing but good! I've come to the conclusion that it's more about how I carve.

I suspect it's the same for you. IF you think you need an additional tool to get the detail you want, you may want to try that wire knife-- maybe we carve opposite ways. :)

Basically, I used the #1 Staedlter for everything but the smallest detail. IMO, this still does the job better than anything for most stuff. I use the reverse nib to dig out small interior pieces and tight narrow and curves. Some people use the wire knife or needles (I can't get needles to work for me either) for this.

I've also found that there is variation in gouge tips. They have to be SHARP, even, and without nicks. I've tried other people's reverse nibs and did NOT like them just because they were not made as well.

I always think it's very interesting what works for some and not for others.

I know... ain't it crazy! ;)
Some carving materials people hate while others love it.
Some carving tools....the same thing.

I can't ever seem to get anything to cut or slide through material as smoothly as a good speedball nib. They are smooth. I have a Staedtler 1V but that thing drags and literally gouges and digs in comparison for ME. However, I do understand that I carve very light handed. Cutting and digging down is just not how I carve maybe.

Even though I don't use it much...I have picked it up for a couple of tiny negative carved lines. I keep trying to see if it will grow on me :)

I keep trying to see if it will grow on me :)

That's how I feel about the Staedtler 1V. I have tried it 4 times and can't get it to work for me.
~yet~
That's also how I felt about white PZ Kut the first time I carved with it -- and it grew on me immediately the next go 'round.

I've decided two things:

1. I think I'll always love the feel of the needle/pin vise combo best.

2. I need to try the Staedtler when I'm not trying to meet a deadline. (Oh, when?) I think I need to be able to relax and "play" when I'm experimenting with something new.

Two of my daughters own Staedtler tools, so when the iron is hot -- I'm prepared.

MC

Thanks for the exciting update, Webfoot. It's greatly appreciated.

Yes, you are the most determined puffin I know!

MC

I can't ever seem to get anything to cut or slide through material as smoothly as a good speedball nib. I have a Staedtler 1V but that thing drags and literally gouges and digs in comparison for ME.

Thank you, Dixie! I thought it was just me. I have had the same experience with Speedball vs Staedtler 1V. I started carving with the Speedball, but after reading all the discussions about how the Speedball is junk and the Staedtler is the only way to go, I decided to switch. And, yes, while the Staedtler 1V does make a much smaller line, it never seems to cut (for me, anyway) as smoothly as my Speedball. I find that while I am using the Staedtler now for most of the initial intricate carving, when I’m finished I actually go back with the Speedball to clean up some of the lines and clear out any little jagged bits in corners...go figure. While this may seem odd, it’s working for me. I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe I lucked out and got a really good Speedball and that my Staedtler is only so-so in the quality department.

Blue Sandpiper

This might be a ? for the stupid question board, but since we are on the subject of sharpness, HOW and how often do we sharpen our little tools? -storm rider-

I am going to have about 100 sheets shipped air overnight to me while we wait for the big truck to arrive.

Considering the cost of overnight shipping of something as bulky and heavy as carving rubber, that's almost too nice of you. Obviously we've been applying too much pressure. You probably should have a temporary higher price, just until the truck shows up, to help defray the cost of that overnight shipping. Then we'd see how many buyers were actually in that much of a hurry.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to come up with a formula that would do all that PZ Kut did and still meet new federal regulations *and* be made in the US.

Actually, having tested quite a few products and seen how many ways they can go wrong, I would!

I've also found that there is variation in gouge tips. They have to be SHARP, even, and without nicks. I've tried other people's reverse nibs and did NOT like them just because they were not made as well.

Mama Wolf was one who helped me figure out how these modified gouges are supposed to cut. Readers might be interested to know that I no longer have issues with what to do with my scrap pieces of carving material; I use them to test every gouge I modify, to make sure it cuts the way it should. With the reversed gouges especially, it doesn't take much to go from cutting beautifully to not cutting at all, going straight from sliding over top of the rubber to poking straight down into it.

And it's not just "sharp, even, and without nicks" either. The sharpness must be at the inner surface of the V, it cannot be out in front of it. Amazing how much difference that makes.

I have a Staedtler 1V but that thing drags and literally gouges and digs in comparison for ME.

Y'know, you might have a bad one. Webfoot is now selecting from her stock and sending me all the bad ones she finds for modification (makes no difference here, I'm forming a new tip anyway), and believe me, Staedtler makes some bad ones! If you had gotten a good one, I don't see how you wouldn't immediately appreciate their superiority over the Speedball gouges.

HOW and how often do we sharpen our little tools?

Having become proficient at sharpening, I've just gotta say: Not as often as you might think. I carve a lot of stamps before sharpening my wire knife, and it only takes seconds to sharpen a wire knife and I have the stone right here in my carving kit!

Some time back, I decided the darn thing was dull and got out the stone to sharpen it. Didn't get much better. Come to find out that the last batch of orange PZ Kut I got was different than all the earlier batches, much harder to cut. Had to get used to it.

I do recommend that everyone develop some proficiency at sharpening your tools. It doesn't make sense to throw them away and buy new ones every time they get dull -- not even for X-Acto blades.

Staedtler makes some bad ones! If you had gotten a good one, I don't see how you wouldn't immediately appreciate their superiority over the Speedball gouges.

I got a Staedler a few years ago, based on the recommendations of some incredible carvers (ArchimedesScrew, for instance). I was kinda embarrassed that I found it to be "yucky to carve with", and stuck with my pinched Speedball. I have since gotten a modified Speedball (reversed, like you do to the Staedlers) and am LOVING it. But I can't help think my inability to use the Staedler effectively might not be exactly as you say - I just happened to get a dud! Perhaps it's time to try again with a reversed Staedler...

Could I asked where you got a modified Speedball (reversed).

I'm not exactly sure what folks mean by reversed, but I'd love to learn more and maybe give it a shot.

Could I asked where you got a modified Speedball (reversed).

It was a gift. I don;t really want to say too much more for fear of overwhelming someone with requests! Basically, it is like Kirbet's swept-back tip for the Staedler (check Webfoot's posts - she has some pictures so you can see what it looks like). If I didn;t already have one, I would probably just skip the Speedball and go straight to Stampeaz to get one of Kirbert's Staedlers.

I have a reversed Speedball (gift) and reversed Staedtler and love them both. They were both created and sharpened so well that I really don't find much difference between the two.

Since Kirbert's is readily accessible, I'd just go with that too.