STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Modeling

Curated from 63 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: June 13, 2024

STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Modeling

Brand: STAEDTLER
Price: $14
Snoop Score:
3.9
Sentiment
4.0
Popularity
4.8
Technical
3.6

Snoop's Take

STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay is a versatile, oven-bake modeling clay designed for crafting, jewelry making, and sculpture. It stays pliable until baked and transforms into a sturdy material that can be carved post-curing. Consumers have been vocal about their experiences: while some praise its all-purpose nature – one user noted, “Fimo professional was the best, since I plan on making very detailed pieces” – others lament issues like crumbliness and brittleness. Many find it strong and workable after baking, yet a fair number complain about it being too hard or too soft, with mixed sentiments on conditionability and pricing. Overall, this clay is recommended for creative projects if users are mindful of its quirks; it works best when the inherent trade-offs of texture and durability are taken into account.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Fimo

I work with Fimo as a good all purpose clay.

Positive Feedback

It seems softer to me, and for that reason I prefer Sculpy.

Negative Feedback
Product
3.9
STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Modeling
Jewelry Crafting
4 / 10
Sculpting
4 / 10
Home Décor
4 / 10
Educational Projects
4 / 10
See how this compares to all Fimo

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Fimo is a good all-purpose clay
I work with Fimo as a good all purpose clay.
Fimo professional was the best, since I plan on making very detailed pieces.
I would say that what I've tried of Fimo professional it's a nice clay to work with.
Fimo professional is high quality
Fimo is a good one high quality but just too hard for my liking.
I primarily use Fimo Pro and I love it.
Fimo can be used for detailed work once conditioned
You do have to work it a bit before you can use it or it’ll be crumbly like the previous commenter said.
Strong after baking and easy to work with
It's strong after baking and is easy to work with.
Fimo Soft should be easy to condition
this clay is super hard.
I found the clay to be really soft, and easy to condition.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Fimo can be softer compared to Sculpey
It seems softer to me, and for that reason I prefer Sculpy.
Fimo can be crumbly and hard to knead
i buy a lot of expired fimo. always hard as a rock.
Adding some translucent liquid clay and kneading it works for me.
Fimo soft can be more expensive
Fimo soft is the softest of them all and I like it, but it is the most expensive.
Can be too soft and brittle after baking
it is too soft and it gets brittle after you bake it sooo maybe its alright for getting some experience but for later use i wouldn't recommend it.
Meh, for the money, premo sculpey is much better imo, less brittle after baking and far less burnable.
Fimo can be hard and crumbly when old
You can tell your clay is old if it's not just hard but, if it crumbles when you try to condition it.
I've found that all Fimo is just super hard, unfortunately.
Liquid Fimo is expensive
Plus its fairly expensive.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
STAEDTLER SG Education FIMO 8020 0 Fimo Soft Modelling Clay 57g WhiteSTAEDTLER SG Education FIMO 8020 0 Fimo Soft Modelling Clay 57g White$2
8.7
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Jewelry, Sculpting & CraftingSTAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Jewelry, Sculpting & Crafting$30
7.6
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Jewelry, Sculpting, CraftingSTAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Jewelry, Sculpting, Crafting$14
7.6
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER 8023 C12-3 FIMO Soft Oven Hardening Modelling ClaySTAEDTLER 8023 C12-3 FIMO Soft Oven Hardening Modelling Clay$14
6.1
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER 8023 C12-2 FIMO Soft Oven-Hardening Polymer Modelling ClaySTAEDTLER 8023 C12-2 FIMO Soft Oven-Hardening Polymer Modelling Clay$15
5.9
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER 8043 C12-1 FIMO Professional Oven-Hardening Polymer Modelling ClaySTAEDTLER 8043 C12-1 FIMO Professional Oven-Hardening Polymer Modelling Clay$15
5.6
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Oven Bake Modelling Clay - Set of 6STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Oven Bake Modelling Clay - Set of 6$16
5.2
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for ModelingSTAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Clay - Oven Bake Clay for Modeling$14
3.9
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER FIMO Effect Translucent FIMO Effect Polymer Modelling Clay BlockSTAEDTLER FIMO Effect Translucent FIMO Effect Polymer Modelling Clay Block$4
3.3
DetailsBuy
STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Oven Modelling Clay - Pack of 3STAEDTLER FIMO Soft Polymer Oven Modelling Clay - Pack of 3$9
1.5
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Clarification on different types of Fimo clay
Polymer clay can create many more patterns, shapes, looks, etc, than air-dry clays.
Discussion on clear vs translucent liquid polymer clay
I loved the idea when I found out it was available in clear, because I can’t use resin for anything because of allergies/smell.
Most translucent liquid clays now put the word 'clear' somewhere on the label, but previously they just put 'translucent.'
Discussion on different lines of Fimo and their handling characteristics
all the Fimo's ARE STRONG after baking as long as they've been properly and thoroughly cured.
Discussion on various brands of liquid polymer clay
of those 3 clear versions the Sculpey/Polyform version is usually the least really-clear, or hardest to get clear, with the Fimo and Kato versions being the clearest.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Discussion on methods to restore hard Fimo
For Fimo Professional it's fairly normal to start as crumbly, even on new bricks.
Put it in a plastic bag with a little bit of mineral oil.
I just bought the sculpture clay softener and it does the trick for me.
Mention of using other brands to soften Fimo
Works like a charm.
Discussion on the product's use in crafting kits
Brass-bodied pens are too heavy for me, so I’m just not going to use this.
Discussion on using glazes and finishes on polymer clay
It will protect your piece from potentially getting stained and it will also make the colors more vibrant.
Or even using some amazing clear coat epoxy lightly brushed on if you want a very glossy look:)
yeah good idea! have the transparent spray already at home and it was my first try & then i forgot to cover it.
Polymer clay usually won't get stained more than any other plastic though (including most clear finishes), but using a gloss clear finish or sanding-and-buffing to a gloss will make colors somewhat more vibrant.
Use of liquid polymer for non-traditional applications
I use liquid polymer, but mostly I use it to make 'spreadable' clay for things like icing and sauces.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Discussion on buying FIMO in bulk
I think it's a bargain, don't you?
030 where on earth did you manage to find so much fimo at once? If you don't mind me asking 😅
50 euros is about $58 so a very good deal, especially as long as none, or few, of the bars are too h
What a deal—hope you have fun with it!
Personal experiences and techniques with polymer clay
Discovering the depth of possibilities with clay after a serious accident in 2003 saved my sanity.
Wow, this is a LOT of wonderful information!!

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Discussion about safety of Fimo in long term use
better safe than sorry right?
If it's fully cured, it's just plastic.
I'm thinking it can't be harmful *right?*
Discussion on health and safety concerns with polymer clay
I'm being slightly put off by all the health and safety stuff.
Companies will take the easiest route to explain things, instead of making their product seem incredibly fussy to use.
I always washed and used a cloth to help rub it off before moving onto another colour.
Concerns about smell when cooking polymer clay
I do remember using the liquid it did have a slight odor but I don’t remember it bothering me.
Comparison of Fimo liquid's transparency after curing
It will not give you the crystal clear look like resin will, and it is not hard like glass, but it will be transparent.

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