Optima 1 Dual Wood Burner Pens
Liliane Hubright
Each manufacturer seems to have their own preference on which term they like to use. If I should use either tip or nib in this blog, just be aware that the words refer to the same thing.
The handset has a triangular shape that is designed be ergonomic and self-aligning. Ergonomic it might be, self-aligning it is not. I had to reposition it a couple of times when I grabbed it.
I prefer a lighter weight handset because it makes it feel more like a pencil to me. Based on that, Burnmaster is last, receiving a score of 5. Goodcrafter scored a 4, Razertip a 3, Colwood a 2. Optima is the lightest, so gets a score of 1.
The next measurement I took was the circumference. For this I used a piece of ribbon, wrapped it around the widest spot on the heat guard or grip, and marked where the ribbon touched.
Because the Goodcrafter handset is completely covered in foam, I measured the smallest area on the handset. This spot happened to the the slight depression adjacent to the yellow arrow on the photo.
If you have large hands, gripping issues, or arthritis in your hands, then you might want to consider a handset with a large circumference. Either the Burnmaster or Goodcrafter handsets would be good choices for this.
Burnmaster is the heaviest of all of the handsets. This was difficult for me to get use to because I had to exert more effort gripping the handset compared to lighter weight handset. It took me a bit of time to discover the best gripping pressure that allowed me to control the handset without having a death grip on it, so to speak.
Now I will admit that at first I hated this handset. I hated the size. I hated the weight. I only bought it because it was compatible with my Colwood burner, and I was working on this comparison.
Of all of the handsets, this one took me the longest to get comfortable with. I was actually surprised that I got comfortable with it. I was expecting to hate throughout my entire testing and acclimating process.
A yellow arrow is pointing to the slight depression on the handset. This depression is a major reason why the handset is so comfortable. It fits the pad of my finger really well (see previous photo).
If they get too close to the back end, then I become much more aware of the size difference between the shield and the handset. I really dislike how much of a difference there is between the two.
The unbalanced weight issue took quite sometime for me to overcome. For a while I quit using the handset because I hated how much it force me to concentrate on gripping versus burning.
In fact, I would advise against it. If one of the tiny screws should drop to the floor, it is a pain to find. It is rather amazing how far the screw can travel from the point of impact with the floor. Or so I have heard ?
Given how long Razertip has been in business, you would think they could come up with a better system. Of all the handsets I tested, this is hands down the worst system for exchanging pen tips!
When the pen tips are equipped, it puts the handset very close to the board. I felt that it was a bit too close. Depending on what angle the handset was held at, it was hard to see the pen tip. That could make it difficult to burn with precision.
For this test, I adjusted the heat on my burner to produce a medium to dark tan burn result. Then I proceeded to create a row of gradient color. Once the heat is set, I do not adjust the setting on my burner. Instead, I use re-burning and hand speed to create different colors. The darker the color is, the more I re-burn and slow down my hand speed. Slower hand speeds result in darker burn results because the metal is in contact with the board for a longer period of time.
Next up is birch plywood. Depending on the variety of birch used, will determine its Janka rating. From what I could find, I believe that yellow birch is the variety most commonly used. Yellow birch has a Janka rating of 1200.
Again, I set my burner to produce a medium to dark tan burn result. The exact setting varies for each handset. After the heat was adjusted where I needed it to be, I created a gradient test burn.
When that happens I recommend trying pen tips with longer metal leads, or use larger pen tips. Preferably a pen tip that is larger and has long leads. The reason is that those style of tips tend to require more heat. That might be just enough of a difference to allow you to successfully burn on leather.
2) The lower the heat, the easier it is to control the tonal value of the burns. Plus, you are less likely to get dark blotches when the pen tip first comes into contact with the board.
For this section, I will be basing my opinion on how my newer pen tip feels. My reason for this is that if you were to purchase one today, the quality will mostly likely be similar to my newer nib.
Back to the pen tip. The metal on the spear shader is super smooth. It glides easily over the board. It also resists carbon build up better than any of my other tips, and it is easy to clean. It feels like one of my old Colwood pen tips that Colwood professionally polish. It is super smooth, and I really like using it.
Those times when I actually hold the handset correctly to engage the entire tip, I rather impressed at how wide of a line it can burn. Given enough time I will probably get to the point where I can consistently hold the handset correctly.
If you plan to burn on leather, then having polished tips is nice. Polished tips glide much easier over the leather surface than unpolished ones. Plus, they resist carbon build up better. I have two polished pen tips that I only use on leather.
Razertip is another site with straightforward and easy to find warranty information. Any style of handset comes with a 1-year warranty. All of the replaceable pen tips have a 90-day warranty.
With my handsets, I store them upright in a glass jar. The jar is a recycled candle container. I just cleaned up the residual wax, and repurposed it for this. Nothing but the best for me. ?
The reason is that Minisa is able to use a craft burner is that she has spent the time to get comfortable with her burner. She knows how to hold the handset to position the tips and get the results she wants.
A reminder that I have not tried their burner, Nor have I tried Optima or Razertip, so I cannot comment on how good or bad any of them are. I can only comment on their handsets and pen tips.
Colwood ended up with a total score of 34, putting it in first place. This just means that of all the handsets I tested, the Colwood was the one that reminded me the most of a pencil.
The Goodcrafter is the best value of all of the burners. It costs just under $100 dollars, and it comes with a lot of extras. In fact, the machine can run two handsets at the same time, but the handset have different styles of pen tips. One side uses ire tips, and the other handles solid brass tips.
The handset is fairly long compared to the others, and the adaptor makes it even longer. Plus, it puts most of the weight at the opposite end from the tip. It makes using the handset feel awkward and very unbalanced. The shape of the handset is nice. If I could use it without the adaptor, I know I would like it a lot more than I currently do.
Please remember that my goal with this blog is not to encourage you to buy a particular brand. Instead, my goal was to let you know what is available and the distinguishing features of each one. Hopefully, this information can help you decide which handset might be best for you.
Thank you again for your comment. I really do appreciate it when people share their experiences because it helps with the collective pyrography knowledge.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday seaons!
B
Beginners often show up with this burning tool because they are cheap. The problem is they have no way of regulating the heat. If you learn on this one, you will have to re-learn how to burn when you buy the right burner.
This is the part that will direct your choice. Some are thin like a pencil. Others are thick like the boy scout type. I have found that petite people with small hands and a light touch do very well with thin ones.
These tips burn more consistently, and you can work with your fingers closer to the bottom of the handle giving you better control over fine work. Fixed-tip pens are your best choice for fine detail work. They recover their heat more quickly than heavy duty pens and tips and most people find them more comfortable to hold with less heat issues.
This is a really small unit. Most of the gourd artists I have seen with them at festivals say they are a great burner for your travel toolbox. A beginner could start here and then move up and still have a use for this one. The four included Points are Drawing Point, Universal Shading Point, Ball Point, and Rounded Shading Point Uses special tweezers to remove and replace the points to avoid damage to the tips or potential injury.
This brand is very popular but I have some issues with it. My big hands get cramped after I hold the handle for any length of time and that handle does it hot. I have found that ladies with small hands and burn with a light touch love it. When I have taught classes outside with about 10 students these burners could not keep their heat consistent. Also, the handle connector is unique. If you want to use the handle on another burner you will need to buy an adaptor.
This burner accepts any pen (handpiece) regardless of manufacturer & has up to 130 watts of power. Unlike wood burning sets, it accepts all major pen connection systems. You can use virtually any pen without an adapter. The Burnmaster accepts wood burning pens by Leisure Time Prod. (Detail Master), Colwood (Detailer), SMC / PJL, (Optima), Nibs, Navesink, Razertip & others with similar connections.
c80f0f1006