Polyslicer Combo Tool For Slicing Polymer Clay Canes
Video #607: This is a compact tool that works especially well for cutting super thin polymer cane slices for Nailart applications.
More...
IN THIS POST: — polyslicer combo — polyslicer — cane slicing — tools — cutting canes — fimo nailart — nail art canes — nail art — raw canes — baked canes — polymer clay canes — cane work — slicer — blade — square canes — round canes — no distortion — slicing polymer clay canes — (Topics marked with an asterisk* are discussed in the Comments Section below).
Topics Covered In This Video:
- In this video, I demo the Polyslicer Combo Tool. It was originally designed for slicing Fimo Nailart canes, but it also works well for slicing all types of polymer clay canes.
- This tool was invented by a Nailart Technician (her name is Helen), who was having trouble slicing the baked Fimo Nailart Canes thin enough for her nail designs.
- She sells the product over at eBay (see resource link below video).
- Fimo nailart canes are tiny baked polymer clay canes that are sliced paper thin and added to nail art designs.
- I show some old and crudely done nail art canes and fingernail designs from my early days.
- Helen’s husband creates prototypes, so she designed this tool, and he is now manufacturing the units.
- Helen made this one specifically for me in a color that she calls Punky Purple.
- She must have seen my Cindy Purple NeverKnead, and thought that she’d make me a tool to match. If you want a purple one as well, I’m sure Helen would be happy to oblige.
- This tool has a replaceable cutting blade mounted on a levered arm.
- The Combo Polyslicer model comes with two interchangeable cradle pieces for holding different sizes of canes, both round and square.
- It will slice both raw and baked canes.
- You can use this tool to cut very thin cane slices with little to no distortion.
- Now that I have this slicer tool in my studio, I will have to start experimenting more with nail art canes.
- ADDENDUM: Unfortunately, this Product is no longer available and the Company has gone out of business.
00:00:03 –> 00:00:08 Hi guys, its Cindy Lietz, your Polymer Clay Tutor, and today’s PcT Product Demo, I’m gonna
00:00:08 –> 00:00:13 show you a product called the PolySlicer Combo.
00:00:13 –> 00:00:19 Which is a little machine that’s used for slicing Polymer Clay canes and Fimo Nail Art
00:00:19 –> 00:00:20 Canes.
00:00:20 –> 00:00:25 Now this tool is…was invented by a woman named Helen who is a nail technician, and
00:00:25 –> 00:00:33 she sells them at Hytech 3D on Etsy, she also sells them on eBay as well, and she invented
00:00:33 –> 00:00:39 this tool because she had difficulty slicing the Fimo Nail Art canes.
00:00:39 –> 00:00:45 Now if you don’t know what Fimo Nail Art Canes are, they are…now I’ve got a few examples
00:00:45 –> 00:00:50 of some crude ones I made years ago, so I’m…this is something I’m gonna start doing again soon,
00:00:50 –> 00:00:58 now that I have a good slicer, but Fimo Nail Art canes are tiny, little canes that have
00:00:58 –> 00:01:02 a pattern in them…maybe this one would be a better one to show you…’cause you’ll
00:01:02 –> 00:01:05 see it better, this has a little tiny skull on it.
00:01:05 –> 00:01:12 These are pre-baked canes made of either Fimo or you know, any of the Polymer Clays, and
00:01:12 –> 00:01:17 then what you do is you slice them super, super thin, and then you put them on fingernails
00:01:17 –> 00:01:18 in nail art situations.
00:01:18 –> 00:01:24 So, here are some…crude again, examples of some nail art that I tried to do myself
00:01:24 –> 00:01:31 years ago, and I couldn’t slice them very thin, and I had trouble, and I’m not really
00:01:31 –> 00:01:35 a nail artist, if you can tell by my nails.
00:01:35 –> 00:01:40 But this is the same problem that Helen had, she was trying to slice them with blades that
00:01:40 –> 00:01:45 she got, razor blades and stuff, but she couldn’t get them thin enough to do a really nice job,
00:01:45 –> 00:01:54 so her husband is…also creates prototypes, so she designed this tool and then he built
00:01:54 –> 00:01:59 it for her, and she made this one specifically for me and she calls it Punky Purple, and
00:01:59 –> 00:02:02 I thought that was really fun that she made a Purple one for me.
00:02:02 –> 00:02:10 Now, the way it works is you can…this is the combo tool, she has a few variations;
00:02:10 –> 00:02:15 you know a junior and a PolySlicer One and a PolySlicer Two, but this is probably the
00:02:15 –> 00:02:22 most versatile set that she has…the combo, and there’s a blade here, obviously, and it’s
00:02:22 –> 00:02:28 very, very sharp, and then it has this base at the bottom that slides off and you can
00:02:28 –> 00:02:30 replace it for the other one.
00:02:30 –> 00:02:37 Now, it can do square canes and round canes of a whole bunch of different sizes, now it
00:02:37 –> 00:02:40 can do unbaked canes or baked canes.
00:02:40 –> 00:02:44 Now I’ve got a square cane, and what you would do is you would just sit it in the slicer
00:02:44 –> 00:02:50 here, you would look at how thick you wanted to slice it…I’m kind of in a funny angle
00:02:50 –> 00:02:59 here, so I’ll just do it from here, and then just line it up and then slice down and you
00:02:59 –> 00:03:00 can get really thin slices.
00:03:00 –> 00:03:07 Now the very first one is always crooked, because you’re probably not square anyways,
00:03:07 –> 00:03:14 so what I should have done probably was cut a thicker one to start with, and…I mean
00:03:14 –> 00:03:21 it’s just so cool how you can…how nice and straight you can cut these slices, it’s
00:03:21 –> 00:03:28 real easy…just trying to get my hand out of the way, and it just does these perfect
00:03:28 –> 00:03:30 thin slices.
00:03:30 –> 00:03:36 Now if you’re trying to do the baked cane, and you’re trying to do just like wafer thin,
00:03:36 –> 00:03:41 what I’ll show you to do there is you slide out and get the smaller one, and I’ve got
00:03:41 –> 00:03:48 these little prebaked ones, here’s a little flower one that’s pretty, you can put it in
00:03:48 –> 00:03:57 here and then just slice it, just super, super thin, super thin, it takes a little bit of
00:03:57 –> 00:04:07 practice, but you can just start slicing them one at a time, just paper, paper thin, and
00:04:07 –> 00:04:09 you can do it, you know, really fast.
00:04:09 –> 00:04:17 It comes with a little tiny brush, like this, just in case the little pieces slide down
00:04:17 –> 00:04:20 inside, you can always, if they slide inside, you can always dump them out, I think all
00:04:20 –> 00:04:23 of mine fell forward, but it’s very cool.
00:04:23 –> 00:04:30 So it’ll do square…square ones, here…a square side here in a bunch of sizes, here’s
00:04:30 –> 00:04:39 a tiny one here, a medium size here, and it does the round ones so you can do like…this
00:04:39 –> 00:04:48 one’s too big for that one, here or here, you put your slices, tiny, tiny ones like
00:04:48 –> 00:04:49 here.
00:04:49 –> 00:04:54 The big one can handle kind of a range, depending… ‘cause this is just a coming down square,
00:04:54 –> 00:04:59 you can put it down this size or you know, this size will work too.
00:04:59 –> 00:05:05 And then the large one will fit this one or this one here, and the cool thing is that
00:05:05 –> 00:05:10 you’re not gonna have any distortion because of the shape that it’s sitting in, you’ve
00:05:10 –> 00:05:16 got a lot of control and it’s quite safe to use and really sharp, now, I was taking a
00:05:16 –> 00:05:23 look at it and I can see that these are like the blades that are in those retractable blades,
00:05:23 –> 00:05:30 and you can pop this one out and just replace it, it kinda has a tension thing and you can
00:05:30 –> 00:05:34 pull that out and put a new one in, like that.
00:05:34 –> 00:05:41 So I think this is a very clever tool, they’ve got a patent pending on it, so it’s a very
00:05:41 –> 00:05:45 clever design, she’s got a few other styles if they’re interesting for you.
00:05:45 –> 00:05:51 And now that I have a good slicer, I’m gonna experiment more on some Fimo Nail Art Canes,
00:05:51 –> 00:05:53 or in our case it’ll be Premo!
00:05:53 –> 00:06:00 Nail Art canes, I’ve also got a new UV Gel that I’ve…nail gel that I can use my UV
00:06:00 –> 00:06:04 Lamp for, so I’m gonna experiment with it and see if I can start coming out with some
00:06:04 –> 00:06:09 decent nails, and maybe who knows, my nails might get a little bit fancier.
00:06:09 –> 00:06:16 So I hope that was helpful for you, if it was, do let us know.
00:06:16 –> 00:06:23 And if you have a product or an idea or a concept or something that you don’t know about,
00:06:23 –> 00:06:29 and you’d like me to teach you about it, leave those in the comment section below.
00:06:29 –> 00:06:34 And don’t forget, we have a great resource over at PolymerClayTutor.com where you can
00:06:34 –> 00:06:39 use the search box and find answers to all of your Polymer Clay questions.
00:06:39 –> 00:06:40 We’ll see you next time and bye for now.
Our goal is to translate these videos into as many languages as possible. If you are interested in helping with this initiative, then please do contact us and we will figure out a way to make it worth your while :)
Resource Links:
- Related Article: Fimo Nail Art Polymer Clay Canes
- Related Article: Slicing Fimo Nail Art Canes
- Related Article: Fimo Nail Art Designs
- Related Video: Clay Cane Slicing Techniques
- Related Video: Polymer Cane Extruder and Slicing Tool
- Related Video: My Matching Purple Neverknead Tool
Resources marked with a double ** asterisk are affiliate links. If you click on them and decide to buy something, we may receive some compensation. This does not affect the price you pay in any way. What it does do, however, is helps us to continue providing free videos for you, here at the PcT website. Using our links to purchase your tools and supplies, is always greatly appreciated.
Sponsored Ads & Special Promotions
Shareable Images
To share this full blog post anywhere on the web that allows links in comments, here's a shortened url to copy and paste...
>> https://mypct.ca/v607 <<
Want to chat about today’s post? That’s what the comment section below is for. Scroll Down… We’d love to hear from you!
Or... if you would like to request a topic for a future post, here is the link to do that… PcT Suggestion Box
I bought this tool almost immediately after watching this. I’ve tried it with different size canes and different shapes as well but I can’t seem to get it correctly aligned. The blade doesn’t come down smoothly into it’s groove and I get a “chafed” slice that’s not smooth. I’ve tried with varying the thickness but that can’t get good results at all. I’m also finding it difficult to make the cane sit properly. Using a release agent makes it too wobbly and results in wonky slices and not using one makes it stick too much and makes it difficult to push it forward for the next slice. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong here. :( Any help or suggestions would be great.
Hi Krithika, I am so sorry I missed this question from you. I found with this polyclay slicer that keeping it clean with a baby wipe will keep the cane from sticking but won’t cause it to start sliding around. Also, if you line up the machine so that the blade is directly in front of you, you can see the groove under the cane from straight on… which makes it easier to keep the blade going straight and aligned with the groove… so you have perfectly straight cuts with clean bottoms. As well, make sure that the blade is clean, so it goes nicely into the cane and if the clay is warm and too soft, you can pop it into the fridge to harden up, making it easier to slice. Practice slicing a log of plain clay until you get the hang of it. That way you aren’t messing up your good cane. These machines aren’t going to be as precise as the really high end machines like the Lucy Clay Slicer, but they are more consistent than doing it by hand and much more affordable than the expensive machines. With a little practice you will really like using it!
Thank you for the reply Cindy. I didn’t think to use a baby wipe, I’ll try that. I do align the blade as much as possible, but the gap is fairly large. I’ll try standing up and looking down on it to see if it’s better. I have the Lucy slicer and it’s definitely my go-to for square canes and even round canes where I’m layering the slices on a bead or something. But I want something like this for large round canes where I want take a slice and bake it on my hollow bead maker. The Lucy slicer produces quite a bit of distortion that makes it difficult, and I haven’t mastered the art of reshaping the slices consistently. Trying with a log of clay is a good idea. This slicer is buried in my tools shelf somewhere now, I’ll dust it off and give it another go!
This year is nearly ended
We’ve had our Christmas cheer
The Bells will soon be ringing out
To welcome the New Year.
We learn so much with CINDY
Those things we never knew
All the clever tips and tricks
and products all brand new.
When she dons her cute white Lab coat
We’re all in for a treat
and with Doug behind that Camera
Each video is so neat.
No other site can match it
(and I’ve been to quite a few)
Who would have thought I’d still be a fan
Of this multi-coloured “Goo”.
But with CINDY I’m still learning
“Don’t think I’ll ever stop”
She has so much skill that she’s willing to share
Yep CINDY, you come out on top.
So, to all my claymates at P.C.T.
From countries far and near
I wish you good health and happiness
So enjoy this brand New Year.
Oh Elaine I love you! It is such a delight to get one of these poems from you. What a beautiful, poetic soul you have. I really should have included your poems as some of the wonderful gifts I have received over the years. Your words mean as much to me as anything I could hold in my hands. Thank you! Have a wonderful and creative New Year!
Well, I did it. I just bought the combo! I have other tools that I can use but this one looks easier and more precise. And I have friends in the beauty business who might want some of these slices for their clients. Now I will have to practice my canes. I’ve got the bullseye down but it might be time to stretch myself. So far, the only thing I seem to have perfected is buying tools. LOL
Do you know if i can buy the polyslicer combo in Europe ? I live in Belgium. Thanks
Hi Martine, Helen’s e-Bay store will ship internationally.
Thank you Cindy. Wishing you a happy and clay full 2015.
Hi Cindy! Love your vids!
It is now March 2015 and when I go to the ebay site as specified, I cannot order because her settings really are only for the US. Maybe she changed them back?
I already contacted her and her only reply was, yes we ship to The Netherlands, but I cannot order… :(
I hope she will reply soon. I cannot wait now that I’ve decided I wanna order this :)
I would like to purchase the polyslicer combo you did a review on, the only problem is that it can’t be shipped to Australia where I live. Can you please suggest how I could purchase it. Thank you. Seasons greetings. Kind regards Nicola Gray.
Hi Nicola, Helen’s e-Bay store will ship internationally.
Congrats to Helen for such well designed cutters. When I investigated her sites, I noticed she also offers a slab cutter and a neat caddy/slicer. Cindy, hope you will do a demo on both.
Polyslabslicer YouTube Video/description:
Polymer clay slicer ***Polyslabslicer***
Hytek Art – Published on Jan 30, 2014
From the makers of Polyslicer, Polyslicer Jr. and Polyslicer 3 brings to you the Patent Pending Polyslabslicer.
Purchase on Etsy (No Current eBay Listing)
Polyslicer Caddy – No YouTube video.
Purchase/Description on eBay and Etsy
Hytek3d Gizmos Gadgets Patent Pending!
POLYSLICER CADDY Polymer Clay Cane Slicer
It’s a caddy and in the center it’s a cane slicer! One side of the caddy is for cylinder canes… slices up to 2 1/2 inches.
Turn the Caddy to the other side and it’s a square cane slicer! Slices up to 2 1/2 inches.
Includes a sharp 6 inch blade with handles. Easy to clean.. wipe or wash with dish washing liquid or mild soap.
Note: remove blade before cleaning the Polyslicer Caddy. Keep the blade lightly oiled using a Q-Tip and withhousehold 3 in 1 oil when not in use. When using the blade again wipe oil off carefully. Blade is very sharp!!!
You get: 1 Polyslicer Caddy and 1 Blade with handles
Items in the Polyslicer Caddy not included!
Leave a message if you would like Ice White or Punky Purple
Happy Slicing… = ]
That tool looks really cool and so timely as my friend and I were just experimenting this week with some our polymer canes for our nails. I was really disappointed, however, that when I checked Helen’s Etsy shop it says they do not ship to Canada. I was very shocked especially since you have one and you are in Canada…. I contacted her to ask if it was possible and will see what she says. I also could not find the link for her E-bay site.
Thanks for the review.
Hi Carolyn, I just heard from Cara L. (above) and she said Helen is changing the policy to ship internationally and is sending her one to Australia. Helen probably thought it was easier to only ship to the US and hadn’t any requests (until our video that is) to sell outside the states. Hopefully she can ship to you right away. Let us know what happens. I am sure others would like to know as well.
Hi Cindy, I didn’t see Cara’s reply until after I checked it out as well. I contacted Helen and she told me to order from her E-bay site which is set up for shipping to other areas outside the U.S. I will order one through there which is just as easy. So here is the link to her Ebay Store.
That’s great to know Carolyn! Thanks for coming back with the link and letting us know. I appreciate that. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and cheers to a creative and productive 2015!
Good news that Helen is shipping her polyslicer combo to other countries. Have just ordered a set as a New Year gift to myself. Wishing you and everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.;;Cheers xx……
Just to let your readers know that she won’t be changing anything in her Etsy shop — anyone outside of the US has to order from her Ebay store — perhaps you could share the link on your post.
Hope that helps Cindy.
What a neat little tool! It is so simple in it’s design but seems to do a nice job on any size cane.
The price seems very reasonable too but I couldn’t find the combo set listed so I have emailed her.
I personally am for any tool that makes the job easier!
I’m with you, Dixie Ann. I have only made a few canes (so scared) but that’s one thing I’m planning on doing ore of in the new year. I did order the combo and I tried to order it in purple but I don’t think she had any more. Sh was waiting for the maufacturer, so I told her the bright green was okay. Can’t wait for it to arrive.
fabulous! it’s just getting so much easier to work with polymer clay! I’m off to order one.
Thanks Cindy for the tip. Love that you are demonstrating all these new tools- thanks…
Oh No!!!!! again another tool that doesn’t ship to Australia…. how annoying!
Oh, that’s too bad Cara… Maybe she will be able to ship to Australia in the future?
Hi Cindy, thanks for demoing this tool. I looked at it a couple of weeks ago on Etsy and was wondering about it. This may be a delicate question and no need to answer if you’re uncomfortable, but do you have a favorite among the Simple Slicer, the Cane Extruder and the Polyslicer that you’ve demoed?
I just love the abundance of information and resources you provide for us here. Thanks so much!
Hi Dawn, each of those tools work differently and have advantages depending on your needs. The Simple Slicer does a beautiful job of slabs… the other two won’t cut them. The Cane Extruder presses the cane so that it is exactly the same size and shape every time… the other two don’t. And the Polyslicer does a beautiful job slicing a wide range in sizes of baked and unbaked canes, even the teeny tiny baked Fimo Nailart Canes… the other two don’t.
So depending on what you usually make, you will need to choose the one that works best for your situation… In my case all three! :)