OH and we are so happy that you did buy it!
We love PZ Cut and appreciate your fine customer service...you really do understand what the customer wants!

I do what Lock Wench does....just hack it off! I love hearing about "this batch" or "that batch" or "no more orange A for awhile"...that is just so good to know.

Thanks for posting....!

jackbear

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If you do happen to end up with a piece that has edge issues, a light sanding with fine sandpaper will usually take any roughness from the extruder off the surface of the long edges and also will help with inking, since the extruder leaves a bit of a sheen on the surface that doesn't completely come off with my soap and water treatment.

I'm also (as Lock Wench so aptly put it ;-)) an unpaid shill, a newbie to letterboxing, but I've carved stamps from many things (any eraser that's out there!) and PZ Kut is my fave by far. In fact, I started hyperventilating when I realized I'd used up one of the four pieces I ordered - yikes, I only have three whole pieces left (I like to stockpile ;-)).

I was going to ask for a clarification of the above - do you recommend a light sanding on the carving/inking side? Am I reading that correctly? I've not had any problems, but thought it might be a good idea for a future stamp that will have some big empty (not carved) spaces that will need to hold ink.

I'm sure I'll get to that stamp soon (ha!) - so many ideas, so little time..... ;-))

Mama Fox

Thanks, LW!! I'm glad I didn't offend! :)

One of the machines at the PZ Kut factory broke and that's why I have whole lot of grade B orange at the moment. LOL! So, that's it for the orange material until things are back up and running. The issue is that there are little bubbles or unmixed matrix bits visible to me just under the carving surface -- I dont' know if it will make a difference when carving and printing or not, but I have a feeling that it might leave a little bit of a texture effect in those areas. Hmmmm... it could be kind of interesting....

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had a panic attack when Stampeaz threatened to close down! I'm obviously in good company! :)

Webfoot (a.k.a. Diana)

Yes, I mean sanding on the carving side. I lay a piece of 600 grit sandpaper on a flat surface and run the PZ Kut back and forth on it a couple of times to prepare the surface before carving.

The other thing that can really help if you have a carving that isn't taking ink very well because the surface is too slick, is to ink it thoroughly with one of the permanent dye-based inks (there are a number of brands available) and just let that dry on the surface of the carving. Once it's completely dry, it won't come off on your other ink pads and it leaves just enough of a coating on the surface of the carving material that it will continue to ink well. This is true of any of the soft block materials, not just PZ Kut. They all benefit from a light sanding and/or a coat of ink. Brilliance ink (*not* the pearl or metallic ones) will also work for this, but not the other pigment inks. Brilliance has a different kind of base to it that actually will dry on non-porous surfaces and the others I've tried don't seem to do that.

I hope that helps a little bit. I've been carving quite a while, so I'm happy to answer questions about it!! I only met letterboxing in 2002, though, as an offshoot of my carving addiction. I had sort of given up on letterboxing for a while, since there were hardly any boxers in my area at the time, but it has really taken off here now, so I'm back!! :)

Webfoot (a.k.a. Diana)

Thanks, jackbear! You guys have been so welcoming! :) I will be happy to let you know the latest PZ News, since it seems it would be helpful to everyone.

Thanks for the kind words and warm welcome!!

Webfoot

Thanks for all this info, Diana. I also appreciate the fact that you tossed that batch into the B bin rather than try it as A. It really helps having a fellow carver as the quality control person. And thanks also for the info on the various inks. It's all "news we can use!"

LW

Webfoot wrote:

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ink it thoroughly with one of the permanent dye-based inks (there are a number of brands available) and just let that dry on the surface of the carving.

Are you familiar with Stazon permanent inks? ("Sharpie in a pad")

Would that be something that would work?

Thanks for all your help!

KuKu
Finally carving on grade A white and realizing how great it is!

KuKu asked: Are you familiar with Stazon permanent inks? ("Sharpie in a pad")

Sorry, no. I haven't tried that one, so I can't say from experience that it would do the same thing, but if it's a permanent dye-based ink, it should. "Sharpie in a pad" sounds like it should stick to the material, since I use a Sharpie in pen form to put the grade designation on the back of the PZ Kut sheets! :)

Okay, I have a question for you guys -- how do you guys get the little Quote box to work?

Thanks!!

Webfoot

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Okay, I have a question for you guys -- how do you guys get the little Quote box to work?

Type the following without the spaces inside the brackets:

< quote > whatever you want to quote < /quote >

TG

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Okay, I have a question for you guys -- how do you guys get the little Quote box to work?

Thanks!!

Webfoot

I had to ask the same question not too long ago - someone answered me, so now's my opportunity to "pay it forward" ;-))

cut and paste your quote - at the front put < quote > and at the end put < / quote > - without the spaces between the < and > on each.

Ok, now you try ;-))

Mama Fox

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Ok, now you try ;-))

Thanks Mama Fox and Trekkie Gal! I learned a new trick!! :)

Webfoot

You're welcome Webfoot. Good job, and welcome to AQ!

TG

Welcome Webfoot - we're thrilled to have you along on the journey :)

SunFleur

*waving franticly*
Hey Diana!!!
I got your sunshine image last time I ordered and was so surprised and excited!
Thanks for that little ray of sunshine
:-)
but thanks even more for making sure PZcut is available.
I absolutely LOVE the stuff.
I have never used grade A of anykind and have never used orange.
I like grade B white...and have never had trouble dealing with those rough edges.
I just don't incorporate the edges into my carvings...I cut them away.

Dixie

(aka dixiekin)

SunFleur wrote:

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Welcome Webfoot - we're thrilled to have you along on the journey :)

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!! I'm so excited that letterboxing is taking off in my area. It was pretty lonely around here in 2002. I planted the first box in my area on Labor Day in 2002 and plan to replant it this weekend (it went missing some time ago, so I recarved the image, have made a simple log book it's ready to go). I was delighted to see that AQ has inserts for boxes on the site. I won't have to make up one of my own this time. :)

Webfoot

*waving back!*

Hi, Dixie!

I'm glad you liked the sun face! :) I've been using a different pair of carvings for the last few weeks and I am thinking about what I want to play with next. It does make packing time so much more fun! Yes, I'm rather silly....

I do the same thing you do, Dixie. I cut around the edges of each image I carve so there isn't any extra material to accidentally pick up ink and mess up my print -- taking the klutz factor into account is alway useful for me!

Webfoot (a.k.a Diana)

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I was delighted to see that AQ has inserts for boxes on the site. I won't have to make up one of my own this time. :)

I had no idea! I've been writing or typing up my own all this time, and AQ's are so much! better! Thanks for pointing out this feature!

Happy Papaya

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I'm also (as Lock Wench so aptly put it ;-)) an unpaid shill,

Me too *jumping up and down, attracting attention* - I'm the proud UK branch :-D

I am now the possessor of 5 whole sheets of orange grade B. I have never seen anything so large in all my life, all with nice straight edges. Not that I would mind I would just sand it off, although I know no-one is grumbling, just commenting.

If this is Grade B the quality of Grade A must be fantastic, cause I can't see any faults.

The service at Stampeaz was brilliant, and so easy for someone from abroad.

YT

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Me too *jumping up and down, attracting attention* - I'm the proud UK branch :-D

If this is Grade B the quality of Grade A must be fantastic, cause I can't see any faults.

The service at Stampeaz was brilliant, and so easy for someone from abroad.

YT

Hi YT! I was just wondering, as this thread was going on, if you had received yours yet! Glad you have!

I've been using my grade B orange and feel the same way - I got an assortment when I ordered - I know there's some white and I don't remember if I got some "A" or not - no matter, I'm happy!

Mama Fox

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I was shy about posting anything here, because I don't want to seem like I'm trying to push Stampeaz or anything I sell there, but I am always willing to answer questions and I hope this clears up any confusion about grades of PZ Kut! It's not a perfect product, but it's my favorite carving medium, which is why I bid on the business when Justin sold it last winter. I really wanted to make sure that it stayed available for the carving/letterboxing community (and me)! :-)

Happy 'boxing and carving!!

Webfoot (a.k.a. Diana)

I just got my very first shipment, ever!!! Got 4 white and 1 Orange. What great stuff!! Love it and thanks for all ur work. We've been carving like crazy up here in Maine!!!

Yep good stuff, great price!!

-Buxton Boxers

"I just got my very first shipment, ever!!! Got 4 white and 1 Orange. What great stuff!! Love it and thanks for all ur work. We've been carving like crazy up here in Maine!!!"

Yep good stuff, great price!!

-Buxton Boxers


Did she send you a stamped image? Webfoot is a terrific carver.

Eaglewatcher

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Did she send you a stamped image? Webfoot is a terrific carver.

I look forward to the stamped images as much as getting the PZkut. The last one I got was birds on a wire with wonderfully carved letters.

"I look forward to the stamped images as much as getting the PZkut. The last one I got was birds on a wire with wonderfully carved letters."

Makes me want to place another order. I'd best get carving.

*blushing*

You guys are so nice! :)

Every order that goes out has a carving (or two) on the packing slip. It makes packing orders into playtime!

Webfoot

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Did she send you a stamped image? Webfoot is a terrific carver.

I look forward to the stamped images as much as getting the PZkut. The last one I got was birds on a wire with wonderfully carved letters.

Oh my goodness!! I got that one and thought it was commercially done - so sorry Webfoot!!! That's one of my favorite sayings!!! I hung it up on my bulletin board!

Mama Fox

Ok, I just tried the PZ Kut that I got a couple of weeks ago. I have to admit I liked the pink stuff, but I think I am now a PZ Kut convert. It carved really well!

TG

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I think I am now a PZ Kut convert. It carved really well

I'm a PZKut convert myself. When I read your post TG I had an image in my head of Pinky and the Brain but with Webfoot instead of the Brain saying something like "my plan to take over the world is comming together"

Shiloh

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When I read your post TG I had an image in my head of Pinky and the Brain but with Webfoot instead of the Brain saying something like "my plan to take over the world is comming together"

ROFLMAO. What a great image! Now, the big question: Is Webfoot turning beet red, or cursing under her breath, "Drat, they've discoverd my plan!"

~HP

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Is Webfoot turning beet red, or cursing under her breath, "Drat, they've discoverd my plan!

NARF!

Shiloh

Shiloh wrote:

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Webfoot instead of the Brain saying something like "my plan to take over the world is comming together"

Hee hee! Webfoot hides her diabolical grin behind her little webbed foot and tries to look innocent.... ;-)

Webfoot