Okay, let's have a collective focus of hopeful energy!

I have (finally) found a manufacturer that is willing to work with me on perfecting the OZ Kut formula and making it in batch sizes that I can actually afford to buy. I am getting new samples into my grubby little webbed feet next week. Depending on how I feel about them, I may be asking for test carvers, or I may take the plunge and fill my basement with big slabs of the stuff. Let's hope I fall in love and that's the outcome!

I know it's been a long dry spell and I haven't had any really good news to report until now. Most manufacturers that could actually make this stuff for us either blew me off completely or required an investment rivaling a new car - a really nice one!

So, send good thoughts out to the great carving material spirit and try to carve with your fingers crossed.... :)

Webfoot

WOOHOOO!! Count me in, if you want test carvers to try it out!!

If the material samples are something you (or test carvers) think is going to work, consider asking folks who are anxious for an OZ replacement, to "pre-pay" orders for it. I know I would be willing to do that, and it might make buying that initial big shipment of material, easier on your finances.

I have (finally) found a manufacturer that is willing to work with me on perfecting the OZ Kut formula and making it in batch sizes that I can actually afford to buy.

Hurray!

Have you decided on a name yet? Will it still be the same "OZ"? If not, you've already used PZ, so QZ?

Yay~ Looking forward to giving it a try!

I really, really hope this turns out well for everyone. Thank you for your perseverance! I would also test carve, and pre-order if that would help.

Very exciting news! Count me in if you need a gouge-only carver to test samples.

FORAYCH

Yay and thanks for your persistance! Volunteering to test carve also!

I too would be willing to test carve.

Have you decided on a name yet? Will it still be the same "OZ"? If not, you've already used PZ, so QZ?

The name will depend on what the material feels like. I'm hoping for a brand new PZ, of course! :)

Thanks for all the test carving offers. I'll let you know, once the trial bits arrive and I try them out. I'm actually hopeful and excited for the first time in a loooong while.

Oh, and the other fun possibility is maybe having color again for knife carvers to be able to see their cuts more easily. :)

Woooooo! Fingers crossed! I would also be very willing to test carve :)

Thanks for all the test carving offers.

I'd offer to test carve too, but I'm not as picky as others. You should make the material satisfactory for those who are most discerning.

Oh, and the other fun possibility is maybe having color again for knife carvers to be able to see their cuts more easily. :)

I know that this type of material is desired by knife carvers. Have you picked a color yet?

Yahooooo

Great news! Thanks for the update. I'd be happy to test carve also.

I know that this type of material is desired by knife carvers. Have you picked a color yet?

Not yet. It turns out that different colors have different properties, so it will depend on which color seems to work best (if any of them do...).

I am about 95% blade carver, and I'd be happy to try some out if you like.

Woohoo! Best news to soothe my carving soul! If you need a tester... I'll take a small piece. Love to help you get to a place to keep my carving properly fueled! Good luck... And its the year of the earth dog... Good luck for new ventures!

Fingers, toes, arms, legs, eyes...ALL crossed!! Also willing to test ;)

Exciting news indeed! I would also prepay!

And its the year of the earth dog... Good luck for new ventures!

That's good to hear! I'll take all the good luck I can get at this point! :)

WooHoo! That's exciting news! I would also be willing to test carve, and prepay if you want!

Add my name to the list of volunteers for test carving!

Seeing how I came late to the game, and never got to try any of the "good stuff", I am interested in trying some. I've only carved on pink.

I'd be happy to test for you if you need an unbiased opinion. ;)

I would love to test carve because I use a gouge and/or surgical scalpel to carve depending on the medium. Thank you so much for your efforts in finding carving material!

I'm so excited for all of us. My carving sucks so I won't offer to test carve but I will offer to buy some when you are up and running!

This is indeed exciting news!
I'd happily throw my hat (and dollars) into the ring to get a small slab for trial carving. If it sweetens the pot, I'll offer to write you a new "Webfoot/Stampeaz Theme Song"...

(are the old Jackbear Letterpods still available anywhere? I can't remember what the original Stampeaz Theme Song was...)

If it sweetens the pot, I'll offer to write you a new "Webfoot/Stampeaz Theme Song"...

Will there be a Youtube video of you performing this new theme song?

Totally unrelated question, do the eye-bleach patches work on ears, too??

Just wondering . . .

(are the old Jackbear Letterpods still available anywhere? I can't remember what the original Stampeaz Theme Song was...)

I'm sure they're out there somewhere. I can't remember the theme song at the moment either - it'll probably wake me up in the middle of the night.

I do still have the "Stampeaz Stumper" stamp, though. :)

Webfoot (who hopes she's not getting excited too soon!)

I just finished talking with my brand new, shiny manufacturing group. My sample slab is going into the mail tomorrow. It is of a size that will allow me to have a few test carvers to play along, if it looks and acts like it will work at all, once I have it in hand. It may still need tweaking, since this is their first try and making carving material, but we could get lucky.

So, I have had some volunteers. In order to decide who to choose for this extravaganza (sadly, the sample piece won't be big enough to send a chunk to everyone who has expressed interest in helping - I wish...), I will need a few things from my possible test crew.

Can you transfer, carve, print and send the result back to me within a week?

Are you willing to put up with the tedium of writing clear and detailed descriptions of your experience with the whole process from transfer to print? Positives, negatives and suggestions?

If so, and you still want to come out and play, please send me an AQ mail with the following info:

• What kind of transfer method do you use with what kind of medium (parchment paper, acetone, wintergreen oil, toner based ink, ink jet, pencil, etc.)?
• What carving tool(s) do you use?
• What ink(s) do you use?
• What's your current (available) carving material of choice (PZ Kut isn't a valid answer, sadly.)?

And believe it or not, I don't have everybody's trail name connected to their mailing address and such, so I'll need that info, too.

Thank you!!!

(A slightly giddy) Webfoot

P.S. Incidentally, I sent them a sample print I had left over from my Christmas cards, so that they could get a more concrete idea what on earth this stuff was actually going to be used for (I didn't, however, go into the whole Lock & Lock in the woods thing) and they were very excited about it. They asked a gazillion questions, so I think they might really be signing on to our team.