I've had a few trials at making beads - posted some in latest creations - but I seem to be having a problem with little cracks in the beads when they come out of the oven. I'm using Kato clay and I tested it with various methods -putting the beads in the oven cold, putting them in preheated, conditioning the clay even more - all the same result - cracks. Mostly they seem to heal - I've squeezed them together and tried putting them in cold water. I did a fimo bead too and there were a couple of very tiny cracks when it came out but these have completely disappeared. So it seems the Kato clay is the problem - has anyone used this or got any suggestions?

I've never used Kato and never had cracks so I can't really help. Could it be the temperature of your oven is running too hot? Perhaps the outside is cooking, then moisture within the bead is causing swelling up deeper inside which is then cracking the thin dried up crust on the outer layer?

You could buy an over thermometer to check your oven temperature more accurately, or try a lower temperature.

Rachel, do you use a thermometer?
If you do and it is accurate I would get in touch with Kato clay direct. I know they are always seeking ways to improve and would welcome feedback.

Thanks guys - yes I do use a thermometer. I thought I had it sussed when I added some liquid clay to the mix. I did some test beads and they didn't crack but then I went and made some more and they had cracks in them . I've bought some Fimo and had no problems at all so it's obviously something to do with the Kato clay. I'm pretty sure the clay is the one of the earliest batches so I wonder if it's because it's got very dry. I'll perhaps try adding a bit more liquid clay and see what happens. It's very annoying as I do like the Kato clay. Maybe I should contact them directly to see what they suggest.

I bought 2 blocks of kato clay and threw them away in the end, maybe it was an old batch I had but trying to condition the dam stuff was impossible, it crumbled and split, and even adding clay softner didn't work and after what felt like hours of trying to pass it through the pasta machine to no avail I binned it, won't be buying that again

Me too. Loathe the stuff.

An absolute nightmare to condition and even when you think it's ready, it's not. I too binned mine and won't be using it again.

Premo for me...every time.

Mind you, the liquid Kato clay is really good stuff.

the liquid kato is great, haven't played with it enough yet but what I have done Im well impressed

I too use premo, so easy to work with and I love the colours, although I do use fimo translucent as I find that more transparent than the premo

It was Kato clay we used at the Clay Carnival and we spent ages conditioning it...but we got used to it and for some of the things we made it was ideal - very fine caning, for example. It is also strong when thin.

I personally thought it was horrible for modelling but perhaps that's because I am used to ceramic clay which is a whole different kettle of fish!

In Carol Blackburn's class she decided that she would try her latest technique for that marbled end-paper look she does in her book with unconditioned clay to save us the bother.....it wasn't a good idea and we had a lot of cracking. I covered unbaked beads with the sheet I made, but even though I sealed joins very carefully (well, as carefully as I normally do!) they all split and I binned them.

However, a couple of the tutors said that if you hold the beads tightly in a dishcloth when they come hot from the oven and have split, the crack will stick back together. I don't know if anyone tried it though, with other cracked things. Too much bother!

I'm using Fimo soft (and find it ok for now) do pop it in the fridge if it gets too soft

I've just ordered some Kato liquid clay, so good to hear that people find that ok.

I've also just got Donna Katos book (Effects & Techs) and she sings her own clays praises (as she would)

Getting close to plucking up the courage to show some of my first polybeads might have a glass or two of wine before I hit the submit button

Tracey

We would love to see them Tracey!

Di

A medium sized bead I made with Kato clay the other day split in the oven, but I held it together wearing an oven glove and it has healed. I don't know if it will show after I have buffed it though...got a backlog of buffing and OH is hogging his shed......

I wouldn't want to go to that palaver with little beads though....I shall be glad when I've used up all my Kato clay - I came back from the Carnival with quite a bit, and unfinished projects.

It's interesting to hear that others have had this problem - I thought it must have been something I was doing wrong!! I've still got several blocks of Kato clay but I'm not going to waste any more time with it!

Are you all putting your clay into a pre-heated oven to bake it or putting it into a cold oven and bringing it up to temp?

One of my theories about cracking clay in general is that the outside of a bead is baking hard before the inside has had time to heat up, expand and then contract again.

As yet, it is just a theory, because I haven't had time to get seriously scientific on its cute little theory-butt and test, test, test.

But I did have some preliminary sucesses by putting the clay into a cold oven, taking it slowly up to to temp and then baking for the full time.

So if you want to help me investigate this idea, please do some tests and report back!

Emma

Yep I tried that too Emma - still cracked! To me the Kato clay just didn't seem to have much stickiness to it. Even after loads and loads of runs through the pasta machine, squishing in my hand, rolling and twisting it didn't seem to stick well to itself. Personally I think it was quite old stock - I'd be interested to know if the newer formulation still has the same problem.

How old was old?

I know there were some bad batches of Kato doing the rounds a few years ago. I had cracking when I mixed kato with fimo, but didn't recall it cracking when used just alone.

Sounds like there just isnt enough oil in the clay though, (try heavily leaching clay and it goes like that).

So you could always try mixing it with some fresh stuff or using some sort of clay softener (not sure what goes with kato clay. If you are ready to dump it anyway, try mixing in a little baby oil though)

I have some old kato clay around someplace. Will have to try it out and report back.

If I were you, I would try getting a new block just to be sure you didn't have some of the pants stuff. No point giving up on a clay unless you really know it isn't for you (even though the businesswoman in me is screaming "no - switch to Fimo and buy it from me! " lol)

After all, Donna Kato does some pretty exacting work herself, so I cannot imagine that her clay is routinely cracking for people. There must just be something wrong in the clay you have, or maybe some secret knack to using the clay we don't know about yet!

Emma