Stressful to use

Posted by Unknown on 26th Jul 2011

The kit had clear instructions with all the equipment you need for a beginner in silver clay. However, I found the actual clay very stressful to use as it was hard to mould and crumbled easily. I do not know if more kneading would have been needed, but as you knead, the clay comes of on your hands and is very hard remove without washing off, which seems a bit of a waste. Also, if you put part of the clay away to use later, it dries out however much cling film you use, and is incredibly difficult to work back into a clay. Overall, I would not recommend this product unless you have some experience with silver clay and knew how to work it, otherwise it can be an expensive investment.

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Response from Metal Clay Ltd:
Thank you for your comment, unfortunately we can't contact you directly as you didn't leave a name.

I'm really sorry to hear you found it stressful. There are a few things in your review I'd like to respond to, maybe helping you, and hopefully any other beginner reading this. We would have been very happy to help if you had given us a call, and would have been able to give you a few tips which would have made a big difference to your experience.

The first thing is that you say the clay comes off on your fingers when you knead it - this sounds like you've been working the clay directly in your hands, maybe adding water, and then causing it to dry it out as you work it. It is much better to put it in a little cling film and give it a very quick squeeze before you start. It doesn't need a lot of kneading at all, just a few quick squeezes. Avoid using your hands too much on the clay, as it dries it out a lot. If you do use your hand, put a couple of drops of olive oil on them first which helps avoid the drying out a little.

Add water to the clay as soon as you see it start to crack. Let it sit under a little tent of cling film to help the water sink in before you touch it again. Before working it again, squeeze through the cling film to distribute the water.

Storing the clay; wrap it tightly in double layers of cling film, wrap a wet tissue around it, and then place it back in the original bag or a small plastic bag/container. It will keep for ages as long as the tissue is kept wet.

I recommend any beginner to download (and read) our beginners instructions where we cover these issues you mentioned in your review, maybe look at some videos online, or, best of all, take a one-day beginner class. As with any new material, you need to learn how to use it to get the best out of it - and as you mention in this review, this is real silver you work with, so it isn't something you want to waste. It is well worth spending some time researching your new hobby - it will save you time and money in the long run. And, silver clay is so much fun as long as you understand how to use it!

The good thing is that all silver clay can be reconstituted so it is never wasted - even if it has dried out completely - this is also described in the beginner info sheet.

Any questions or frustrations, please get in touch - we're really happy to help, hopefully sharing our love and passion for silver clay!