Help with metal tools, please.

[viji]

Hi everybody :wave:,
my poking tool as well as razor tool are leaving dirty marks on the glass. Any advice?

[DesertDreamer]

First, clean them periodically with a green scrubbie pad (scotch brite or something similar).

Second, don't let the tool get too hot when you're shaping or poking. Make sure it's cool when you start, keep it out of the flame, do what you need to do, and put it down.

[theglasszone]

Great advice, Karen. Also, I keep two "quenching" bowls of water nearby; one for dipping/crashing mandrels and/or beads that are going horribly, and one with clean water to dip my tools in so that when I use it (make one impression) I can dunk it, wipe it (usually on my ugly sweat pants!) and it's cool, clean and ready to go for the next impression.

De

[viji]

Thanks,
what about the material they are made of? If I'll decide to buy new ones, some are for instance stainless steel, some are tungsten, etc. What is considered better?

[parisgal]

Tungsten doesn't stick to glass as much (I want to say it resists heat, but I'm sure that's not the technical description), so if you're working very hot for a long time, or your poke has a tendancy to stick tungsten is better. There's also different levels of stainless. But I don't think all tools comes in Tungsten anyway.

[viji]

Ok.,
thanks

[Sarabella]

Unless your tools are ruined (melted, bent or broken) by heat you can grind them down again getting a fresh suface to work with. You can use really rough sandpaper, or if you are really lucky and have one, a grinding wheel. Tungsten, to me, seems to work longer without getting stuck in/on a bead, but if it is over heated, it leaves a scummy bit, which can be removed with tweezers if you are careful.

Sals

[ewdb]

i clean my tools (mostly brass and stainless steel) weekly with rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth, i'm always surprised at how much dirt and dust they collect just sitting there...

[viji]

Thanks a lot, everybody. I guess I need to do some cleaning :).