Tried using a cheap 9mm graphite paddle from the hardware store versus a proper marver from a glass shop.

The hardware store paddle left black marks and grit in the glass, but the real marver gives a clean, smooth surface every time, so what's your go-to for shaping off-hand?

3 comments

3 Comments

fiona_young25d ago

Yeah, the black marks and grit thing is a total deal breaker. That cheap graphite is full of binders and fillers that just don't belong near hot glass. I learned the hard way that a proper marver is one of those tools you just don't cheap out on. The right surface makes shaping so much smoother and predictable, saves you a ton of cleanup grief later.

janac2225d ago

But what if the grit is part of the process? I've used a cheap marver for years. Those black marks just wipe off with a damp rag after it cools. The slight texture from a cheaper block can actually give you more control on a gather, like a subtle grip. Sometimes the perfect, slick surface makes things move too fast when you're learning.

lilykelly25d ago

Wipe it off and keep going, that's what I do. My first marver was a scrap of steel from the hardware store. It left marks but the glass never seemed to mind. People get really hung up on having the perfect tool when half the time the workaround does just fine.