BEST and WORST AIR DRY CLAYS!?! | Testing 5 Clays (Amaco, Creative Paperclay, Crayola, Das & Jovi)

Best and Worst Air Dry Clays!?! | Testing 5 Air Dry Clays (Amaco, Creative Paperclay, Crayola, Das & Jovi)
UPDATE I made a NEW video testing out another 5 different air dry clays. I tested sculpey, craft smart, activa supreme, mont marte & pepy. here is the link: • *NEW* Best & Worst Air...
Hey guys, so I wanted to test out 5 popular air dry clay brands and see which ones were better and which ones weren't worth buying. I hope this video helps someone out there pick a clay.
Creative Paper Clay: amzn.to/3AlKntO
Das air dry clay: amzn.to/3crqV72
Jovi air dry clay: amzn.to/3e1CUc5
Crayola air dry clay: amzn.to/3Tggm7D
amaco air dry clay: amzn.to/3QXLQ0u
Basic Clay Tools: amzn.to/3clyo7X
Air dry clay playlist link:
• Easy Air Dry Clay Mush...
links to individual air dry clay videos
Hamsa incense holder & female body key holder:
• DIY AESTHETIC BOHO AIR...
Mushroom Terracotta Planter & Urban Outfitters inspired planter:
• Boho Air Dry Clay Pots...
Air Dry Clay Pots for Plants (Wonky face & boho sun)
• Air Dry Clay Pots for ...
Mushroom, Moon & Monstera Leaf Trinket Dishes:
• Aesthetic Air Dry Clay...
3 easy speckled Air Dry Clay Candle Holders:
• Easy Air Dry Clay Cand...
Easy circular Air Dry Clay Wall Hanging For Beginners:
• Easy Air Dry Clay Wall...
Easy Splattered Air Dry Clay Taper Candle Holders for beginners:
• Easy Air Dry Clay Tape...
Air Dry Clay Zodiac Themed Wall Hanging:
• Air Dry Clay Zodiac Th...
Boho Air Dry Clay Rainbow:
• Boho Air Dry Clay Rain...
DIY Air Dry Clay Cactus Hair Tie/Jewelry Holder:
• DIY Air Dry Clay Cactu...
Air Dry Clay Body Vase:
• Air Dry Clay Body Vase...
Air Dry Clay Mushroom Jewelry Tray:
• Easy Air Dry Clay Mush...
Boho Celestial Wall Hanging:
• Boho Celestial Wall Ha...
bg music:
eternal by akito

[@IvettDIY]

Hey guys, I just made a NEW video testing out Another 5 AIR DRY CLAYS. In this new one I tested Sculpey air dry clay, Activa Supreme, Craft Smart, Pepy & Mont Marte. I also added in a clay mold test & a Concrete Drop test. Heres the link if you want to check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6mXl2Wan618e9k

[@stk7033]

Thanks for a great demo on the clays. Learned a lot.

[@hafj9939]

If you could find Funbo clay can you try it please, It’s really DIFFICULT to work with and i don’t know why it keeps cracking all the way it’s so weird

[@beckstarr]

Are you referring to he saying d***? A lot of people don't see this word as being a swear word any more to be fair. I even had to look it up out of confusion. I think it really depends on your background to how you see this word. I personally think the comment wasn't tasteful from you. It's a great video with so much effort and time being put into it. I think it's unfair to be so harsh in the comments. If you don't like the video, maybe just move on. Making suggestions that she wants to say bad words to be cool with the young people isn't fair either. Small content creators don't deserve this.

[@rosalioinojosa]

Das and creative did not crack or break, because they are paper-based clays, and the paper fibers help with their lightweight and cohesiveness.

[@nightmaresturningoftendejavue]

That is not it. Clay while they dry shrink, so leaving plastic cups inside is wrong procedure. It is normal for earth based clay to shring up to 20%.

[@CarolinaGirlCreationZ]

All air dry/paper clay is all paper based. It's why they are air dry as opposed to using a kiln. The terms seem to be used interchangeably though but folks don't seem to understand that.

[@alexisrobinson3225]

If anyone here really likes crayola clay even though it cracks, cracks can be avoided by air drying it with a damp paper towel on top. This allows the clay to dry slower and more evenly. The cracking is happening because the outside is drying faster than the inside.

[@sarcasticuser0332]

Ty! I was wondering what I was doing wrong

[@itkahsramal4983]

Yes thank you, my first time playing with Crayola clay I let it air dry and it has cracks all over my piece. I fixed it, which made it crack more. What do you think about wrapping a project up in a plastic bag or so for drying?

[@LittleMissStamper]

I was so confused as to why Crayola got last especially over Amaco lol

[@JaysClay1029]

Yup!! Or what I do sometimes is place it in a tote that I’ve poked small little holes in. Usually makes it take about 2 to 4 days for it entirely dry. But it’s worth it. I use amaco

[@radishkat]

​@@itkahsramal4983yes you can do this! my parents do pottery and this is their preferred method for drying larger pieces because it prevents cracking

[@GrannyGooseOnYouTube]

Yes, earth based clays are going to crack when wrapped around a surface. Natural clay shrinks as it dries. If you've ever seen a dirt farm road that cracks into patterns in the sun, that's the clay earth shrinking as it dries.

[@nightmaresturningoftendejavue]

Finally someone with basic knowledge about clay. ❤

[@hollyingraham3980]

You must have taken that class in how to lay out experiments, and gotten an A+. Just when I was wishing you had weighed the disks, you did just that. I'm calling the DAS the best at retaining small details. Thank you so much for this!

[@IvettDIY]

I'm so happy that this was helpful :) I was just trying to think of things that I would want to know

[@beereal2514]

I like Das. It's good quality and reasonably priced.

[@stigyanblue1442]

Place ice cubes in your bottle. It will cause the glass to sweat, and it wille easier to roll out. This is also great for rolling out pie pastry!

[@jacquicherry1721]

Great tip! Thank you!

[@deepikanandhini5643]

Thank you so much for this awesome tests.i am so confident now to proceed my craft with das clay

[@IvettDIY]

Yay! I’m glad this was helpful 🙂

[@vivyrach]

I genuinely value your generosity in providing these valuable insights. I've recently made the choice to explore the world of air-dry clay crafting, and your input has been instrumental in helping me decide which brand to begin with.

[@arianawishart2303]

Same I'm looking for jewelry options. So far it's das for me. I can get from micheals it's lighter and if I want to wrap things and such won't break and stays flat. For jewelry that's a must. I plan to watch the other video. Going to micheals later for clay so I hope to have my final decision here soon 😊

[@uhoh6243]

For earth based clays you should score/scratch it and make slip which is the best way to adhere 2 pieces of clay

[@kennadihenn9073]

this was amazing! I went through all 10 lbs of amaco as my first clay and i always thought i was doing something wrong when things cracked or broke. Never buying it again. I was going to give up on making things out of clay until if found this video and realized there are better options! Thank you so much

[@IvettDIY]

The same thing happened to me when I was starting out with clay. I’m glad that this was helpful! 😊

[@eggboy178]

Wasn’t really the brands problem, it’s earth-based, so it will definitely shrink. However, if your taking about durability, yes, it is worse than most other brands. I personally would NEVER use it.

[@chavrits]

This was a super useful video :~) I'm a beginner to working with air dry clays and got crayola terracotta because I really liked the color and wanted to start somewhere cheap. Once I've gotten used to working with clay I'll probably switch over to creative paperclay for future projects. Thank you so much for your help!!

[@IvettDIY]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@cadoo5591]

WOW I haven't even worked with clay yet and went through a ton of reviews on amazon, almost bought the Crayola and ended up buying the DAS - I was holding my breath through your whole video! Even your "worst" result for DAS with rubbing out any crack or impression made me feel better because I plan on using it with molds. I'm happy that it will retain the details. I have a lot more confidence now to break into that 2 lb package 😄 Thanks, great job!!! ❤

[@felicicorpus3288]

I got so invested in the "drop test" and betting for Das! LOL!! Glad it made it to the top 2. Thank you so much for taking the time & effort, Ivett :)

[@IvettDIY]

❤️❤️❤️

[@tomerahawkins6684]

I think crayola is good for a beginner like myself it doesn’t take much for simple projects. But das seem like the one to use for heavier and more intricate.

[@reaper7769]

Thanks so much for making these tests on them!!! As someone that wants to try out crafting stuff with air dry clay, I was struggling on deciding which one I should buy to use. Thanks so much for the help 💖

[@28SongTube28]

Thank you so much for your time testing all the products! I really appreciate it that you also mentioned the scent as this is a very important information for me :)

[@serenityjewel]

Thanks for taking the time to do these tests. I do want to say the following for beginners who see this and think they have to get DAS or Creative to have good clay. Amaco is an awesome air dry clay that's hard to break but once it's broken, the entire structure is weakened and repeated drops will guarantee it breaks. That will happen with any of the clays but it'll happen faster with the real clays, like Crayole and Amaco, vs the paper clays like DAS. Amaco is way cheaper than DAS, Creative, or Jovi. Amaco is only $1.42 per lb, while DAS is $10.49, Creative is $11.99, and Jovi is $11.95. Real clay shrinks as it dries so putting it around something guarantees it's going to crack. There are videos on how to make a closed container with real clay to prevent cracking. For jewelry, trinket dishes, things to hang, etc., I recommend Amaco. It's inexpensive and it'll work for almost everything. If someone is creating something and they don't want any shrinkage, then I recommend a paper clay like DAS.

[@ceewood3358]

AWESOME and EDUCATIONAL!!!!!! I have used DAS in the far past and it's great for holding detail and sticking to both ceramic and plastic. I added beards to angel heads to make them male and they came out Fantastically and when one beard dried out and popped off the face, I just glued it back on with Elmer's glue! I will try Creative Paperclay next. Great Video!

[@IvettDIY]

Thank you!! 😀

[@itisjayden_]

I've been using Das since I started to work with clay and I was honestly rooting for it during the drop test ngl 😂 I'm definitely gonna see if I'm able to find Creative in my country, if not I'll stick to white Das :D I'm just a sucker for paper clays 👉👈 Thanks for the video, it was great help!

[@OminousMoss]

I just discovered this video so glad I wasn't only one rooting for Das during drop test

[@okashi10]

Thank you for the super in-depth review! I tried Das for the first time this week (and haven't tried any of the others) and enjoyed using it. It felt a lot like real clay (heavier, responds well to water, leaves a lot of residue on your hands), but like you said, it was hard to blend out. However, it did dry perfectly with no warping or cracking. I might try Creative Paperclay next time!

[@carlycharlesworth1497]

Ivett, that was a brilliant idea to test them all! I had thought of doing this myself because I really want to get into sculpting in the future, and I really wasn't sure if Das or Jovi would be strongest for me. The.mushroom test was a decisive test because I WANT my clay to keep its marks I put on it, so that encourages me. I won't get Creative as your test proved it won't be what I need after all. Thank you for doing this video, you have saved me a lot of effort. Can you tell me if you have ever tested Hearty Air Dry Clay in the same way?

[@IvettDIY]

I'm so happy that this was helpful! No, I haven't ever tested hearty cuz I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list of clays to try out.

[@bloomzeyestudio]

Your video is amazing!! This is soooo helpful to me as I’m looking at other air dry clay options. From what I’ve worked with, your experiments were spot on and super educational! Thank you 💕💕💕

[@1wascallywabbit]

Oh gosh, THANK YOU so much for doing this video. I'm brand new to working (or should say....wanting) with clay. But was unsure of which to choose for the type of projects I'm wanting to do....this helps!

[@dorothykovak4900]

Thank you for doing all the comparison work. This was very helpful. I appreciate it.

[@partyhatkid9940]

Wow thank you for taking the time to make such a thorough video! I loved it!

[@nulllifidian]

this was so thorough & informative! really appreciate you taking the time to test out these easily accessible clays! I'll definitely be looking back at this for my future purchases n projects! thanks again!!

[@IvettDIY]

You’re welcome ☺️

[@jbartsy1]

Great video! Taking the time to share this information with your viewers is awesome and appreciated! With the high prices of art supplies, it's good to have an idea of what would work best for a creative project! @Ivett, do you normally use something on your surfaces to prevent the clay from sticking? But were trying to test how each clay responds to different surfaces? You probably normally do use something to prevent sticking. I wanted to mention in case anyone hadn't tried different things to prevent sticking, I use cornstarch and a soft fluffy make-up brush, to get a thin coat of the cornstarch on any surface I try using from what I work , I have tried many different things, I like the cornstarch because I haven't found a surface that wouldn't take a thin coat and I can use so little that it doesn't affect any of the clays I've experimented with.

[@thefairyqueen369]

Brilliant video, well thought out and informative and funny when you put in the sound bites when dropping them...thank you as I am now going to buy the best air dry clay! DAS was what I used as a kid as it was the only craft clay available at the time lol....I am happy that this is the best for what I need!

[@JojosCraftyLove]

Thank you for the comparisons! The only air dry clay brand I use is Jovi because it's the only one that's readily available at the craft store in Australia... besides the Daiso paper clay. I think you should re-test dropping Jovi on the tile because as you mentioned in 19:25, the Jovi clay wasn't rolled out properly and possibly because of it, the Jovi clay broke when it hit the tile. I will definitely pick Jovi clay over paperclay because paperclay doesn't dry as hard (not as durable in the long run in my experience) and not as heavy as Jovi clay. Once again, thank you so much for the comparison! Truly appreciated!

[@chanchimi]

This was a fantastic comparison video! Very helpful and fun. Thanks!

[@bhavyatekwani4629]

Thank you for this elaborate test, super helpful 💜

[@karlau1084]

Loved "I'm just going to drop it from the top of my head" - great info all around and very thorough. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! Very helpful!

[@celticdowser5566]

Thank you. You have answered all my questions about airdried and what I could reliably use it for. Brilliant.

[@artsymaddieDIY]

What an awesome video 🤗💗 Thank you for doing all the research and sharing 🙏🏻⭐️

[@faridaseyam9817]

that was such a good video! super informative. Jovi is the only brand available to me where I live, am so happy t did so well amongst other brands that i thought would be better. now i can feel happy about Jovi

[@saniikakatamari]

Enjoyed the editing a lot. Thanks for this test.

[@RNGETheArtist]

Perfect video! This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you.

[@dianaf1669]

I love it when someone does the homework for me! Great presentation! I enjoyed it and learned a lot! Thank you!

[@nm9412]

Thank you for this video. You did a very good job explaining each clay type.

[@dot_t]

Thank you for posting this video. It is so informative! I'm just starting out with air dry clay and this was very helpful in deciding what brand to go with. I have DAS on hand and I feel pretty good about it! 👍🏼❤️✨

[@user-np5vy4ds5o]

You did such a great job explaining all the air dry clays..I was confused about using them.. or polymer instead..I just wanted something easy.thanks so much🥰

[@cw4608]

A very well done comparative test, thanks!

[@Jo-db9eq]

So informative, thorough and useful!!!! I am new to all of this. Glad that I saw your video. Subscribed!!!! ❤❤❤

[@AnabelleJorgenson]

😊 Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate the difference in air dry clay. I really appreciate ❤

[@pthaloblue100]

Great review, and yes, you did help me decide which air dry clay was going to work best for my project, thank you!!

[@JP-dv7rf]

Very helpful video, thank you for the comparisons!

[@amiekim]

I like your methodology/process. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. 🥰

[@lenkatrattata]

Such an investigation! Thanks for showing us pros and cons, it really is helpful!

[@debbiemcconnaughay3823]

I am getting back into crafting and looking for crafts that I can make for little money but still sell I stumbled onto air dry clay products and this video has helped me figure out what type of air dry clays will be best for me BEFORE I spend any money. THANK YOU SOO MUCH.

[@vividhashinde]

This has been so helpful for beginners. Thankyou so much😊

[@joannedavies9235]

Thank you so so much for this! I was so overwhelmed by which clay to get for my projects as a total newbie and this was perfect.

[@harmonyhomeandgarden]

Great video! I have a clay project that I want to do and I wasn’t sure which air drying clay to get, but was considering Das. Glad I found your video. Thks!!

[@katherineraymond9234]

This is so thorough and straightforward. A perfect informative video for beginners (like me). Well done!

[@lolosrainydays]

As a potter it's not great to be honest! For instance it's better to use a wooden roller to roll the clay and roll on fabric so it won't stick.

[@athenadixon2110]

Very nice review! This is what we need thank you! ❤️

[@tristindurocher-batley4780]

From what I can tell creative is the one to use for pendants and jewelry and Das is the one for clay figurines and those I have already been using for a while now for both those purposes and both have had ups and downs and I will eventually get some more once they’re back in stock I just need to find paints that’ll endure being worn for the pendants since the paints keep peeling off even with modge podge sealer for waterproofing

[@itkahsramal4983]

Hi, okay I'm here to learn about better clays. While working with Crayola Air dry clay and wanting my finished clay to be outside, I found a product called Liquitex Professional Acrylic Mediums! It totally makes your project waterproof, little bit pricey $38 for 16fl oz. I tested a thin piece of cardboard painted with acrylic paint, 3x painted with this product. Then after it dried I placed in a bowl of water and it didn't bend or bleed it's color! Good stuff so far.

[@RealCheeseOnly]

Thank you for this thorough comparison! I was trying to decide on my first air dry clay and was wishing there was a good review of them and here you are. For my current purpose, I want it to dry flat, so DAS is best for that as you showed. Maybe after, I'll try creative. Thank you!!

[@betsart]

huhuhu really appreciate you making this video 😭✨💖 For someone who's just planning to tap on this medium, I'm truly glad to have stumbled upon this video. Very very helpful! Thank youuuu 💖💖💖

[@IvettDIY]

You’re welcome! I’m so glad this helped! ❤️😊

[@chocolatemuchie8403]

I absolutely love how in-depth and thorough this video was. I was wondering about what clay to buy and decided to look up a video on which was the best one to get (in terms of if it cracks or not/can you mold it well/how durable is it). Creative,Das, and Crayola appear to be the best ones!!

[@Toltecgrl]

Thanks! This really helped me decide which one to use on old glass jar projects. I was almost getting ready to buy Crayola. But now that I saw your video, I changed my mind.

[@tjsims8891]

Enjoyed learning about the different clays!

[@nobody___knows]

I love everythung about this test - thank you! :)

[@lorendaaltenbern4988]

Extremely helpful and informative for “new to clay” crafter!

[@joeycarter2678]

Great video and thanks. It's great to now know which clay is the most durable.

[@simonleaf2765]

I've been using Das and had good results. Definately going to try Creative. Thanks for sharing.

[@winstonchaychel]

We had to make a sculpture in art class as a "one piece" where it would have no limbs or other pieces by themselves. The teacher said it was because as a one piece it would keep it from breaking off (which is why some sculptures with earth based clay LOOOOOOONG ago wouldn't break) and this just strengthens that theory in the sixth grade art class I took a VERY long time ago 😅💜. Thank you for this!! I was looking at some clays for sculpture purposes and this helped a lot.

[@dianamcedenovaldes5828]

Wiggle test was my favorite ❤. In all seriousness thank you for this review, really helpful.

[@quietlyobserving6531]

I really like that you did this. Thanks! Great video :D ✌

[@miriammoriarty8588]

Very thorough testing, thankyou!

[@613.]

This was so useful. You tested things that I didn't even realize would be useful to know. Thank you for the review! Definitely gonna go with paper clays. So glad I found this vid!

[@IvettDIY]

I'm glad that I could help :)

[@joelle3596]

I really like the Creative Paper Clay and then based on tis video I have purchased Das brand to see that goes too. It's always goodly to have more than one product to use. Thanks for sharing your views on these clays.

[@remytherat706]

ahh thank you so much for this video!! ive only used the crayola clay before in my art class & it was definitely not the best so i’ve been looking for alternatives bc i want to start selling my own clay items along w my art as well ^-^ THANK YOU SM FOR THIS i definitely will be buying creative clay🦋💫🌷🧚🏼‍♀️☺️

[@IvettDIY]

Yay! I’m so glad this was helpful 😊

[@jafetg]

This was so thorough and helpful, thank you!!

[@IvettDIY]

thanks for watching! :)

[@dthomp06]

This is THE video I’ve been searching for. Now I know which clays to use. Thank you sooo much. 😊

[@IvettDIY]

you're welcome and I'm glad I could help!! 💖

[@dsa2591]

Great comparison! I'd like to see a comparison of the various recipes of homemade ADC, with a cooked vs non-cooked comparison.

[@CoreativeNaomi]

Yes me to! I've always kind of wanted to make handmade clay but it's always been very daunting.

[@Aerynvala]

this was so helpful, thank you!

[@tesssmith4036]

A very concise and informative video. Thank you so much for your tremendous effort!👌

[@IvettDIY]

Glad it was helpful!

[@constancepentzer3017]

This was very helpful. I’m just getting into this. I’m very familiar with Sculpey for smaller projects, but wanted to know how these clays compared. Thank you.

[@vickinoeske1154]

This was such an informative video. I've only ever used DAS clay and had no comparisons. I'm used to using real clay to make pottery that needs a double firing. This is all new to me. Thank you for the information. 😊

[@leegrace817]

Thank you this was so informative. I used Crayola on a bowl project - on the outside for one and on the inside for another. Both cracked. I did use a paperclay recently that was so lightweight and retained it's shape perfectly and most importantly didn't crack. I'm going to get my hands on DAS and Creative and give those a go. Thanks again for this awsome vid -

[@IvettDIY]

Thanks for watching! 😊

[@artwithjam3304]

This is really useful 😸. Now I feel more confident using Das clay to make bracelets charms, which is great cus I have a lot left over from a project I just finished.

[@jonifejes6815]

Thanks for the crack / drop tests. I’m new to clay creation and this was extremely important. You are a natural at making turtorials.❤❤

[@IvettDIY]

Thank you!! 💖😊

[@JL-qj1jc]

Thank you! I’ve been looking for a clay for decorative molds.

[@shavoniaknowles8877]

Love this video 👌🏽 very informative 🤗

[@IvettDIY]

Thank you :)

[@Upper_echelon_exotics]

Thank you for this video. It's very helpful!

[@real_one8749]

I so much thank you for reviewing these clays. You really helped me out.. I can't thank you enough 🙏🙏

[@IvettDIY]

I’m so glad that I could be of help! :)

[@MonaeKekeDesignz]

I have tried the amaco air dry clay in the box...that was my very 1st time ever working with it...I made plenty of projects with it before and i still have a few of my art projects and it has lasted me a long time...i had it since 2015 or 2016 it does crack a lil bit but if you add a varnish protection or gloss it will last a long time...i have never used the other ones before but will love to try them out one day...😊

[@fatemehshzd]

Thank you for this detailed evaluation

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thanks for sharing this testing. I haven't used any of them. But I have been thinking about starting to do some projects. So this will save me some disappointment as well as money. Great job!

[@IvettDIY]

I’m so glad that this was helpful! 😊

[@tropezando]

Wow! At least the Crayola bubbles could be saved with a coat of paint, but that Amaco is a ticking time bomb! Impressed by strength of the other three.

[@nancypatricio9972]

Thank you for this test. I only have used das clay and Crayola. Crayola had a strong smell and my little projects were really fragile. Das clay once is dry, it gets really hard. I have never tried the other ones, but I'm definitely going to try the Creative brand.

[@kristifallon9027]

This was so helpful, thank you!

[@saltlifegull4091]

Outstanding, thanks soooo much!!

[@dlynch4ever]

Thanks for this demonstration!!! I tried a project using Amado and it cracked so bad. So I thought the clay was expired so I purchased a new box and it happened again. I used cayola and it held up better. I will try the Das and creative clay. Thanks again !

[@ZarpeParadise]

Most AMAZING!!! I didn't have the courage to do this test on my DAS. DAS is the only air dry clay available here so happy it passed the drop test! Loved your sound effects also on the drop tests! EXCELLENT video!

[@IvettDIY]

Thank you!! 😊

[@Angelacreatesart]

the thickness also plays a role in the breaking but das is my favorite,also good vid 😃

[@pilarvaldes3689]

Great review and very useful !!! thank you

[@Ibrahim_M]

This was very helpful, thank you!

[@jjazy00]

It's so much fun when you're trying each one who's gonna break/crack first🤣 I enjoy your video. Thanks for reviewing what's good to buy and not and I preferred Jovi to buy💗

[@lindaarcher9150]

Good video. Thanks! I have worked a bunch with creative paper clay. It is sticky and ucky when water is needed. It takes paint in a strange way which I don't like. Maybe you could try a paint test on various clays? I've seen Das painted, on youtube videos, and it looks great as does Darwi clay.

[@sjane7229]

Thank you! I like 'Sculpt it!' It's lightweight and non toxic. It does crack while drying, but it's easy to repair. It seems to shrink, so drying it over an object wouldn't probably work well. It seems very durable, though I haven't dropped it from heights! It can be sanded and painted but not carved, though I haven't yet tried using a rotary tool for that.