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Hi Dakka,
I am working on sculpting a true scale marine and for the project would like some Clay shapers.

#1: Is the best company for clay shapers Royal Sovereign "Colour Shapers"? If not, what is?

#2: Cloud someone please provide me a link to an online store that has clay shapers in variety, quality, and low prices, please?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

i have to admit i have had serious problems finding these so i had to resort to purchasing master shapers from my local fine arts store, i will admit, i could not go without them now that i have them! just make sure you get medium to soft

Yeah, I just went to my favorite arts and crafts store and they only had 2 different kinds of them. Each were twenty bucks which is why out of my budget. They weren't even the shape I wanted.

http://www.squirestools.com/

you want the fine art section (second from left), section 13, page 10.

They don't have an on-line shop but you can order via post or fax.
Not great but they have an awesome selection of tools, materials etc

In the US, try Dick Blick Art Supply...

http://www.dickblick.com/products/colour-shapers-tools/

Thank you both for those links.... Even though Dick Blick is in the US and I'm in the US, I have to go with Squire's Tools because of it's selection. I'm still open to options, though!

EDIT: I didn't see the individual ones on Dick Blick..... Dick Blick it is!

But 1 more question, Could somebody either tell or show me how large a size is? You can either tell me how wide it is in mm or show a comparison picture with something else (WOW that sounded really bossy....)

Khargrim wrote:i have to admit i have had serious problems finding these so i had to resort to purchasing master shapers from my local fine arts store, i will admit, i could not go without them now that i have them! just make sure you get medium to soft

That is interesting Khargim

recently bought some hard ones as I assumed that they would be preferable on GS
would appreciate your yhoughts please, as I have not had problems with them but not used them a lot as yet.
Have seen them in the UK in art supply shops and also at Hobbycraft.

Maybe they're not as common in the US, seeing as I haven't found them anywhere....

http://armadilloart.com/colour_shaper.htm
First on a google search

should be loads, and they seem to be sometimes called colour shapers so try searching that too
hth

I'm going to buy from Dick Blick once I know how large each size is (or at least one, so I can use it as a starting point).

Mini ones are 1/8" wide according to dick blick, not sure about the regular ones... my guess is 1/4".

In regards to whether to buy soft or firm, what sizes and shapes are best, this blog has fairly comprehensive advice which seems to gel with the other stuff I've been researching.

http://40kmaunderings.blogspot.com/2010/03/sculpting-104-silicon-shaping-tools.html

I've been looking for these myself, but my local arts and crafts store just stopped stocking them because they weren't selling, and only have the kids ones left. :\ And they were on sale a week ago and I hadn't discovered them yet. Gutted.

Honestly, the GW sculpting tool is one of my favorites. It is probably one of their best hobby products. I would suggest it to anyone and its use is unlimited.

Thanks for that Link, Cassandra. Great review. Although I'm hoping to order online tonight and still don't know the sizes..... Please reply.

Well, the colour shapes recommended are sizes 0 and sizes 2 respectively. On the Blick site, you can see the size ranging from 0 to 10 next to each option. Unfortunately they only seem to carry the 0 sizes in the Mini-set. The consensus seems to be that either size 0 or size 2 are the best for mini work.

Examples of Size 2 colour shaper (grey angle chisel - firm)



and clay shaper (black taper - extra firm).

Thanks! Ordering now....

Aha! For any who read later, Antenociti's Workshop also stock them. As I buy regularly from these guys from their Scratchbuilder's Paradise, this means I can save on shipping. Yay!

hate to bump this old thread, but I am also looking for a US distributor of these products. I think the general consensus is extra firm, I am a little torn on size 0 and size 2, I believe the flat and taper would be the two I would need.

I would get 0, it was recommend at troll forged. I have these on my wishlist but I had a different website with higher costs fsss. Will change now.

Massive threadbump is massive.

Yeah hated to bump it, spent like 2 hours this morning trying to find out the info and where to find the best deal on them.

No harm done.

Depending on the amount of greenstuffing you do then a few more will be necessary.
A couple of times have found It would have been useful to have some bigger ones as the tip has not been able to cover the putty and the heel as dragged through and left a mark.

Of course that could just be me making errors.

Thanks for the bump...now know where to get some too!

and, of course:

DarkAngelsRK wrote:Hi Dakka,
I am working on sculpting a true scale marine and for the project would like some Clay shapers.

#1: Is the best company for clay shapers Royal Sovereign "Colour Shapers"? If not, what is?

#2: Cloud someone please provide me a link to an online store that has clay shapers in variety, quality, and low prices, please?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

1- Absolutely they are the best of the one's i've tried, ensure you get size 0 firm sets to start, or, if you are willing to make the investment, get all 3 sets, soft, firm and extra firm. Best to have a variety, each has it's place in your workflow. You can also find singles on ebay instead of sets of 5, I just ordered 2 firm round cup size 0's, that is my go-to tool. It is important to note that the silicone of the tips will be slowly degraded by epoxies like GreenStuff and Fimo, so they won't last forever. But don't worry, you will get quite a bit of mileage out of them before they go bad.

2 - As stated by other gents, http://www.dickblick.com/products/colour-shaper-mini-sets/

Alright, thanks but I bought mine about 4 months ago.

DarkAngelsRK wrote:Alright, thanks but I bought mine about 4 months ago.

I'm sure the post wasn't just for you. It was for the benefit of everyone who reads this which is why its probably a good thing this got bumped.

Well alrighty then!