If you had to choose which brand would you buy and why?

[Taters Auntie]

Out of sculpey III, Fimo, and Premo? Thanks for your comments, being a newbie I want to buy the best!! I will be making Christmas ornaments and jewelry. Thanks Tater's Auntie

[Noadi]

None of those are bad clays, they all have different properties depending on what you need.

Sculpey III is the softest of the clays, that makes it easier on your hands if they get tired easily. However it also isn't quite as durable as the other two. I'm not saying it'll fall apart on you but should it be dropped on the floor it's more likely to break. Not a good choice for jewelry that's going to take a beating like bracelets, but fine for ornaments, pendants, earrings.

Fimo is the middle clay, it's stiffer to work with than Sculpey III but also more durable. I don't do any caning but it seems to be the preferred clay for that.

Premo is the toughest one. It has more flex to the clay after baking so it can take more of a beating than the other two. The downside of premo is that it feels kinda rubbery when you're working with it and tools have more of a tendency to drag in the clay rather than give a crisp mark.

My recommendation would be if you can to buy one block of each and try them out to see which looks and feels best to you.

[dragonwhimsy]

My personal preference is Premo, because it's soft enough for what I do, but generally not too soft. I used to use Sculpey III for sculptures, but I find that it's way too soft for anything with much detail. Sometimes it feels like it wants to melt in my hands. The same is true for Fimo Soft. Premo is just soft enough for me to work with and holds details very well.

I find Fimo Classic too hard to condition for my liking, but once you get it soft enough to work with, it's a good clay. It's a favorite for caning, and probably one of the best choices for jewelry.

You might also want to look into Kato polymer clay. I found it a bit stiff to work with at first, but once conditioned, it works well. Many polymer clays have a tendency to darken a bit after baking, but Kato clay is the most color-true.

Note: I think sometimes the age of the clay (and whether or not they've been exposed to a lot of heat) is a factor in how "good" it is. One time I opened up a package of Premo that was way too soft, and other times I've opened up packages that were dry and crumbly.

Like Noadi, I recommend trying out different ones and see what you like best.

[gbot]

I like the Fimo for some jewelry, but I also use Sculpey III because of arthritus in my hands. I have tried most brands because of the availability in my area. I also believe that age has alot to do with how the clay is when you open the package.

[Penguintrax]

Kato Clay first...Premo Second..Fimo Soft, third

[gbot]

YES....Kato Clay is awesome. I just tried it because I can get it locally now.

[Bendaini]

I buy sculpy, mainly because it comes in a big 1lb block of white, while all others around here come in little blocks. I prefer using large quantities and painting it later.

[Michelle77]

I make beads, and find that Fimo is best for that. Sometiems I will use Premo translucent because it is better than the Fimo variety. I hear good things about Kato, though, but haven't tried it yet.