Liquid Polymer Clay - 3 Brands Compared

[@marionrayner4988]

It's so great to have you test samples for us. Must get some Kato liquid polymer clay asap! Thank you Cindy!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi Kyle, yes my husband and I run the Polymer Clay Tutor website full time. We have been up on the web now for almost 6 years now. You should drop by our blog and check it out. The link is above in the description. Thank you for commenting!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi DeeEll86442 and ninjafoshox, like I said in the video and to Bette in the comments below, Fimo Liquid Deco Gel is not an easy product to get around here and that is why it was not included in the comparison. When I do manage to pick some up, I will make sure to do a video on it. Thanks for commenting!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi A. Krishna Isley, I have never heard of Sculpey Bake and Bond being too watery... mostly heard of it being too thick, so that is a new one for me. You could thicken it up by mixing in a tiny amount of translucent clay. That should give you the texturing ability you are looking for. Good Luck!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Like I said in the video, I will need to track down some Fimo Deco Gel. I have never seen it here in Canada or on many places online. Is there somewhere that you like to purchase yours that you would suggest? When I do get some, I will add it to the list of PcT Test Lab videos. Also, I have not heard of a Pardo liquid, if it does exist, I would also be interested in testing that too! Thanks for your comment!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi corneater23, you probably could use paint thinner on baked clay to remove acrylic paint but I would just use rubbing alcohol. it works great for removing paint and inks and won't harm your clay. As far as using liquid clay to perms bond paint, if you mean seal it in, then yes. But you'll find most any good quality acrylic sticks very well to polymer and the liquid clay isn't necessary (unless you want it there).

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi tacotac10. Yes liquid polymer clay is waterproof. As for whether you could use it on a planter I am not sure. It would work at first but over time the moisture from the inside of the pot, may cause the liquid clay to separate from the outside of the pot. If you still want to do it, I would test it 1st on a small pot if I were you. For painting Sculpey first then applying TLS, that should work, but since I haven't tried it, you should test that as well. Good Luck!

[@aurdigitus]

I am a Kato fan; I've had excellent results with all the clays, the liquid and the gels. Nothing that I have tried can offer the depth that the liquid Kato does since its clarity allows you to apply several layers without the buildup that would occur from even a tiny bit of cloudiness. One tip that I've found extremely helpful is that if you run a heat gun over a finished piece with Kato Liquid just until it re-liquefies and reaches perfect clarity, then quickly turn the gun off, the finish turns super glossy and glasslike. It takes a little practice, though, so I don't recommend doing it on an important piece until you've gotten the hang of exactly when to stop, because if you heat it too long, the finish will scorch. Still, it's easy enough that a few practice runs is plenty. As long as you are in good light, it's fairly easy to do. Also, keep the heat gun moving the entire time. That's really the key to avoiding overheating. Hope someone finds that helpful. :)

[@rosysimpson3293]

+Albert Priori that was very helpful for me, thanks

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Thank you for your question! Although I do love to get questions from everyone, it has become impossible for me to answer them personally on my social media sites because of the sheer number of questions that come in. The only place I am able to answer questions now is at my blog (link in description). Use the search box there to find the appropriate post to ask your question on and either myself or another member will do our best to help. Thanks for commenting!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi Janis Dyer, if you're speaking about solid polymer clay, my favorite brand is Premo. As far as the liquid polymer clay though, I think I like the Kato Liquid better for shine and clarity, though I do like the others as well.

[@PolymerClayTutor]

I didn't forget it... I just haven't got any to test. Where did you buy yours?

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi blahblah12344420, why don't you bake your piece first without the deco gel. Then you can bake it for longer and at the higher temp. Then add the deco gel and bake it again, only for the shorter time and the lower temp. Polymer clay can handle multiple bakings. This way you solve both of the issues you are having. Hope that helps!

[@tattooskin72]

I've mostly used TLS and I love it. I do have some Kato Liquid Clay but have only used it once. I have mostly done photo transfers with it, but have also created some beautiful faux ceramic glaze looks. I love tinting it with alcohol ink.

[@blahblah12344420]

I forgot to mention it also says not to bake it for higher than 265 f and I use premo and sculpey and as you know their baking times are higher than 275

[@jazzmonkeyification]

Thanks for these video's. I have only just found them and they are so thorough and useful. Keep going they're great. I live in England and it is really hard to get hold of anything polymer clay related that isn't from the Fimo brand in the shops. I will look forward to seeing what you make of the fimo deco gel in comparison. Obviously I can still get some non-fimo stuff off the net so this is still useful!

[@weezie64weezie]

I've use the kato to fill shallow cavities to create a resin look and after it is baked it is still somewhat foggy because of thickness of it but I take a heat gun and hold it over the kato until it turns crystal clear. It looks just like resin!

[@bettelorman5345]

I love your comparison examples. Would you please include Fimo products if possible. I use Fimo Gel a lot and would love to see how it stacks up with the others. I understand that there is also a liquid Pardo product that is supposed to be very clear. Have you done any comparisons on either of these? Thanks for all the great work you do for us. Who has time or ability to do these comparisons for themselves? You and Doug are the best.

[@IAMGiftbearer]

I have not tried them yet but am getting Kato tomorrow. Your comparison confirmed that I made the right choice! I'll look and see if you have another video on the other stuff you mentioned.

[@neverlandonearth77]

I got some gloss glaze sculpey brand, I know someone mentioned it in one of the other posts, and if you expose it to sunblock it deteriorates. Completely went sticky all over a clay piece I did because I had sunblock on my skin. When that happened I turned to using resin as a sealer instead. I know someone mentioned just using plain acrylic paint, that too will deteriorated exposed to water. Which leads me right back to resin.

[@jennaseppa]

I've worked with TLS bake & bond and fimo deko gel. I just ordered some kato liquid polyclay and I'm so excited to try it out. I'm pretty sure it'll resemble the fimo liquid clay.

[@neverlandonearth77]

I use sculpey brand gloss sealer as an base coat for acrylic paint, or certain kinds of acrylic paint will make your piece sticky exposed directly to the clay. The gloss sealer hates sunblock, though. I was using nail polish remover to clean off my clay pieces that had paint on them, and it even got the sticky clearcoat sealer off.

[@neverlandonearth77]

I got some flex coat resin (used for coating fishing rods) from my dad. I just finished testing it on some clay and it seems to make a good waterproof glassy transparent seal. It's a two-part resin with a hardener and a resin base. It takes until the next day to dry, and it can be kind of liquid, but it is really really waterproof.

[@denasewell]

Sculpey Glaze Gloss in a clear jar comes out almost as clear as the Kato which is good for sealing and adding sheen but I am not sure if it is a polymer product?Lisa Pavelka has a great product I used to use but haven't been able to find in stores recently...also I am interested in making one of the polymer clay purses..have you ever made any thing like that?are you familiar with artist Kathleen Dustin..she makes amazing flower purses !

[@christinarobin3846]

When you use Kato for top coats, do you have to bake again? I presume!

[@tacotac10]

Are any of these liquid clays waterproof? I am looking to make a planter & I want it to look like ceramic. Is it ok to paint my Sculpey first before applying this?

[@shellsandpetals1652]

Just received my Kato liquid clear today. But I don't know if it is a knock off because I got it on Amazon. Do all bottles have yellow label ? Mine has a white label and the heating time is 300F-350F Thank you.

[@nailbiter64]

I have used the Kato polyclay and bake and bond. The Kato is a very very liquidy substance. So I wouldn't recommend it for gluing things together because it just slips off. It is a very nice smooth glossy coating though and that is what I use it for. The bake Ian's bond however is a very thick consistency. I like it for holding pieces together. It's finish is very foggy and not so shiny so I don't use it as a glaze. I don't think that there is too much of a difference between B&B and TLS.

[@corneater23]

I want to paint skin tones on but i have to thin the paint out before i mistakenly add thick globs i want a translucent look to it but have no clue if thinners added to paint would do anything in the future to the clay. I guess i could try it because polymer clay reborners are thinning paint with something and their clay dolls look great.

[@blahblah12344420]

Hi again!! (: I wanted to ask a question about fimo deco gel. I recently bought it online and it arrived today. I read the instructions and I'm very confused. It says to bake it for 20 minutes for 265 f. It also says not to bake if for longer than 30 minutes because it can release harmful fumes. How would I go about baking this with different brands that bake at higher and longer times without releasing harmful fumes into my oven.

[@rdecook651]

where can I find a tutorial on how to use the Kato Liquid PolyClay? I found some bottles on sale at HL and thought I'd try. The website offers NO help on how to use it.

[@kylemann3260]

Do you do this as a full time job

[@krisnaisley]

yes I have been using the color kato liquid poly clay , in a full sized oven it leaves a beautiful ceramic look in textured premo clay , the studio by sculpy I love for its thickness and I use as a texture element before applying pearl ex to a peace . I do not like the new sculpy back bond because it is so watery that I cannot use it for texturing. I desperately want to find a way to recreate the studio effect on my work. Any suggestions on how to do this ?

[@corneater23]

I have 2 questions, Can i use paint thinners on cured polymer clay to thin out acrylic paints or genesis paints? I asked because i know allot of things react to polymer clay but every time i Google this question all i get is people talking about UN BAKED polymer clay when i only ask about cured. And if you know anything about it please tell me what you think about the mona lisa oderless paint thinner on polymer clay. My other question is can i use liquid clay to perma bond paint to the clay?

[@FranOnTheEdge]

I'm so glad you've done this test, I been wondering about these (and Fimo) for a long time. I've tried all 3 of those but like you, not the Fimo Deko Gel. I'd really like to try the Fimo, as I think it is pretty clear even at low temps, or at least temps as low as Premo clay bakes at. I wasn't sure how clear Kato would be at 275C, since I've used it to make clear beads, but I used a heat gun not the oven. I've only used TLS and Bake and Bond to fix breaks in baked clay, or to ensure a good bond between raw clays, like when putting 2 different coloured clays together, yet not blending the colours - funny, I never thought of bake n bond as a clear liquid clay, just as a sort of clay glue. I use them interchangeably, whichever is nearest to hand - does it make any difference, which one you use? Not sure what you meant by sanding the Bake N Bond, does it get clearer if you sand it? Or did you like it when sanded for some other reason? You said it will buff up quite well... in what way 'well'? (Does TLS do the same?) Please, please, do try and do the Fimo as well, that would really complete things for me. As usual a very useful and informative video. Thanks for doing this.

[@gillianwiseman3518]

I use Kato liquid all the time - if you heat it with a heat gun after baking, it will go super shiny and crystal clear, like glass. Just be careful to avoid burning! Kato clays (including the liquid) can handle temps up to 300 degrees F.

[@bearpawz_]

Another AWESOME video!! ~♡~ Thanks so much for your helpful, informative tutorials! :0)

[@Saramu720]

I've never used liquid clay before but I'm waiting on some TLS in the mail and I cant wait to try it out :)

[@Rosie83844]

I would like to know , that when you used the Kato LQD polymer clay , is it OK to use over fimo , and other brand polymer clays. Just that when I use the Kato block polymer clay it is always heated higher that any other clay. And I want a Lqd clay to do an effect using oil paints , which have to be dillluted with the LQD clay. Thank you. And also your trial was very helpful. Cheers Rosie.

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi Rosie Donnelly you would need to do some test samples since Kato Liquid cures the clearest at 300F+ and Fimo cures at 230F. You may be able to bump up the Fimo temp just a little and still get the Kato to set, but it might not be that clear. If you're careful you could try and hit it with a heat gun to push the temp a little higher just on the Kato but you may cause the Fimo to bubble. I have used Premo clay with the Kato liquid, but they are much closer in baking temps. Do some test samples and see if it works. Let us know how it goes!

[@SkullHerder]

I used TLS forever due to the fact that its the only one sold in my area. But I recently started order Fimo Deco Gel online, and even though it costs alot more to me its worth it because it holds better, it is crystal clear, and I just love it more all together. I swore to myself that I would never use any other kinda again, but now you have me wanting to check out the Kato kind...hmmmm

[@supermanisrad]

I hope I didn't miss this if it was in the video but I tried to google this but couldn't find the answer. Can I use liquid sculpey with Fimo clay? :) I'm new to this and got some Fimo clay for Christmas. I am super hooked and went to Michael's today and bought a bunch of supplies, one being liquid sculpey, but didn't really think about the fact that Fimo and Sculpey are two different brands lol any help would be so appreciated :)

[@sarasarahi1070]

If i wanna choose between all kinds of clay softner and t and bake and bond which one is more necessary ? Which one can help me more like glue ?

[@PolymerClayTutor]

sara sarahi Bake and Bond is the most like glue and very versatile imo.

[@sarasarahi1070]

You know you are my role model ?

[@DianetheCraftster101]

thank you for this! now i know which one im going to get next time!

[@ninjafoshox]

You should've also added Fimo deko gel to compare lol

[@joannmendez5897]

Cindy can you please help me? Please help me, pretty please, I'm a new beginner in polymer clay but my question is, if Katie liquid polyclay can be use with polymer clay clay, like mixing up before I make the design or what ever I use it, before I cook it? and do I use a lot when I use in like just a brush in the clay or couple of drops like in body of a bunny or do I just brush it on the outside? The reason I'm asking is because I had make a beautiful leopard and after it dry and I pick it up to show to my friend it start to fall apart from the tail and arms and legs, can you please let me know how do I use this polyclay liquid. Pretty please.

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi JoAnn, if your clay is breaking easily you may either be using a low quality clay like SculpeyIII, Craftsmart or a cheap clay on Amazon, or that you are not baking your piece at the right temp for long enough. I would suggest that you go through all my baking videos and really learn about the best way to bake polymer clay as well as learn about the good quality of clays and how best to use them. As far as using liquid clay, you can use that to soften up dry crumbly clay, if you need to. You would just add a pea sized amount at a time until you have a clay that is soft enough to work with. I am sorry to hear that your piece fell apart. But if you spend some time watching all the videos that I have, you will better understand polymer clay and will be able to have more success with it moving forward. Great skills take time to develop, just keep going! 💖

[@joannmendez5897]

@@PolymerClayTutor Thank you so much for your time and I really appreciate it so much I sure watch your videos.

[@LeenaLellu]

for how long do you bake "bake and bond" and at what temperature? :)

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi Leena, it says on the package that it should be baked at 275F for 30 minutes, but you can push those limits a bit, if you want it a little clearer. I have baked it at up to 300F and for 1 hour depending on the project and what it was put onto. You don't need to bake it longer or hotter for strength though... just if you want it to bake a little clearer.

[@sigalyakobson843]

You forgot the fimo deco gel

[@edustruct530]

Great job and thank you!

[@sigalyakobson843]

I live in israel and we need to buy it online and i need to know what works better before i'll buy... :-)

[@terrarenee317]

Thank you for sharing this! I appreciate it when professionals do product reviews for things I'm interested in. It helps me justify making impulsive purchases better. =P Happy crafting!

[@franciscourena5636]

great job

[@sandradavis847]

Thanks.

[@clayartideas]

Nice sharing 💕💕💕

[@franciscourena5636]

if you look at that utube video, you may have the answer for us, please

[@jennaseppa]

If you go to www.shadesofclay.com you can purchase some Fimo gel for only 1.599! Just thought I'd let you know. It's also a Canada-based shop, in Ontario I think. I've just placed my second order from there and I love the shop!

[@PolymerClayTutor]

Hi MicloSculpeyCrafts Looks like you made a typo... it should read $15.99 not $1.599 which is quite different. :) You are right about Shades of Clay being a good shop though. Thanks for commenting!

[@rebekahgrace4984]

EJR Bead I am pretty sure caries FDG

[@DeeEll86442]

You forgot to add Liquid Fimo to the comparison.

[@franciscourena5636]

we all ask that person on utube gor information about the type of liquid polymer but he just ignores our questions

[@graciedanee1161]

Tls.

[@blahblah12344420]

Oops I meant 265. I suck at typing xD

[@graciedanee1161]

I like the t