Heavy + smooth. Rolling pin + accessories are very helpful for clay!
This rolling pin is heavy! And I mean that in a good way. I was hoping for something with a weight like this. I’m making some gifts using polymer clay and I’ve been using a regular acrylic hand roller rolling pin for a while. I also use a pasta machine to help rolling out and condition the clay, which is great. But the acrylic hand roller is pretty lightweight (which you would think is a good thing, and for many- it is), however I have found that *i* need to apply the pressure to the acrylic roller by hand (duh) but that can result in uneven thickness of the clay underneath, due to natural uneven formations/pressure points in the hand, if that makes sense. This is just my experience, and I’m still relatively new at polymer clay. The pasta machine also does what it’s supposed to, but the even the largest/thickest mm setting is too thin for what I need to make. I have been just folding the clay and trying to snuff out the air bubbles as I go, to build overall thickness of the slab. But, I’m a bit of a perfectionist when I do… well, anything. (This is not a good thing, people. It’s known to be a trait that people use as a “positive negative”, like, it’s seen as more of a “strength” than a “weakness”. But it is not something to strive for. Humans aren’t meant to produce “perfect” things— precisely because we’re not machines. Sorry for the rant- it’s just a very involved and frustrating thing to try and fix in your own mind!)SO- my “perfectionistic” issue cause me to take a very, very long time to complete a project- if I ever complete it at all. That’s where these tools come into play.I’ve accepted that I’m gonna need some help overcoming perfectionism- and that there are literal tools out there that CAN offer some relief. This rolling pin is one of them.Very deep stuff for a rolling pin, I know. lol.Anyway- I love the weight of this rolling pin. I believe it’s real white/grey marble- definitely feels like it. The side handles are easy to use and the whole thing rolls smoothly. I got the option with the mat, food cutter, and thickness rings. The rings are specifically why I chose this rolling pin. I wanted one with handles, so I could apply even pressure as I rolled. And I’m aiming for 1/4” thickness for my clay slabs. The yellow thickness rings included with the rolling pin offer that exact thickness. They’re easy to get on and off. They’re made of silicone, I believe. And those little rings have taken some weight off my mind and put it back onto my clay lol. It’s not perfect- but like I said, humans are not perfect. However this pin/accessories allows me to get close without losing my mind over every tiny detail. It takes the guesswork out.I have in the past used an acrylic roller rolling pin, as I mentioned, along with acrylic thickness “blocks” - and these do work. But they move around a lot for me, and I just find it frustrating. Maybe when I’ve got more experience with this craft, I’ll prefer other, more common methods. But for now, and for me personally- this rolling pin is awesome.Oh, I think the mat is also able to go in the oven, which will be great for baking the polymer clay.Also- the food cutter thing (the silver cutter) that comes with this product is awesome— cuts clay so well, and it’s so easy to hold.(P.S.- I don’t think I have the included mat pictured in my photo. The rolling pin is just sitting on my glass craft mat).I’ll update here if anything changes.