topofmurrayhill Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I've been beveling soap using the planer/beveler from Kangaroo Blue. It works well, but I wanted to investigate products that automatically bevel at the correct angle.Maybe the most inexpensive product is the Lil Shaver from For Crafts Sake. It consists of two pieces of "stuff" screwed together at right angles, with a small cutting wire threaded through and stapled to the back of each side. Hopefully the wire is secured well, because you may have to buy a new beveler if it ever comes loose. The supplier specifically excludes this item from any guarantees covering their other equipment.At only 5 inches long, the Lil Shaver is easily small and light enough to hold in your hand while using it. It makes a nice 45 degree bevel. One very good design feature is a channel behind the cutting wire. The extra space helps make a clean cut without clogging, especially if the soap is a little soft.For Crafts Sake is fond of using some sort of recycled plastic crud for parts of their cutting equipment. That's probably okay in most cases, but it's a poor choice of material for this device. The plastic crud is rough and bumpy enough to ruin the finish of your soap when you slide it through the beveler. The photos below hopefully show the rough surface of the device and the resulting gouges.I can think of several fixes and workarounds to help make the product usable, but I don't believe there's any excuse for such a basic design flaw in this sort of product. As shipped, used as intended, it does not produce acceptable results.Price: $13.95Pros:Inexpensive.Does not clog.Produces a nice bevel.Cons:Scratches the hell out of your soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-GRAN-ONES Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Top..I have this one from Tog...I think it is about the same price at the one you were showing...It is made out of smooth varnished wood..I have not beveled lots and lots of soap,but it does a nice clean bevel...You do have to after a while clean out the wire..but that has not been a problem to me so far...I checked it is $14.75.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I'm glad he varnished it. I had one of Paul's earliest versions and it was raw wood... rough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 26, 2008 Author Share Posted March 26, 2008 Top..I have this one from Tog...I think it is about the same price at the one you were showing...It is made out of smooth varnished wood..I have not beveled lots and lots of soap, but it does a nice clean bevel...You do have to after a while clean out the wire..but that has not been a problem to me so far...I may get that one and review it. The channel behind the cutting wire in the FCS beveler seems like an excellent idea, as I've heard about the TOG beveler clogging with soft soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scent Cellar Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I have one of each of the bevelers you mention in your post. The Lil Shaver has really gone up in price as I paid $5.95 for mine 3 years ago. Mine appears to be made of a different material however and is a plastic that is quite smooth. I love, love my planer/beveler from Kangaroo Blue and can't think of anything negative about it. It takes practice to always hold the soap at the right angle to get a 45 degree bevel and I like that it gives you two bevel depths. It is a great deal for the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 WOW, the price of things has gone up dramatically. I think I paid 5.00 for mine at the Chicago conference a few years ago. It is smooth on the inside, all grey resin construction. But I only use it on rock hard, cured soap. For best results.I almost took a finger off with the KB tool, so I sold it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 26, 2008 Author Share Posted March 26, 2008 I see the grey resin in the product photos. My stuff doesn't look like that. In addition to the beveler, I have the log splitter with the sliding cutting platform and the single-slice cutter. Everything has the white crud where you see grey in the photos. Wish I got the original material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 LOVE LOVE LOVE my Lil Shaver!!! I use this lil jewel on all my soap and have never had any marks on mine. I had the Kangaroo Blue one when I first started and it didnt trip my trigger...too bulky and the bevels looked horrible. There is no guessing with the For Craft Sakes shaver. I think I paid $5 for mine too at the Chicago Conference 3 yrs ago. Loved it so much, I ordered a spare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasBrat Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 WOW, the price of things has gone up dramatically. I think I paid 5.00 for mine at the Chicago conference a few years ago. It is smooth on the inside, all grey resin construction. But I only use it on rock hard, cured soap. For best results.I almost took a finger off with the KB tool, so I sold it.Oh, I did too, I just got mine last week and my hand is healing up finally after almost cutting off a big chunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I have 2 LiL Shavers (his and hers lol) and mine does not leave scratch marks on my soaps. I've never had a problem either. I think I paid like $7.00 ea.I also have this one:http://www.lotioncrafter.com/store/Soap-Planer-Beveller-c-263.htmlIt makes very unique bevels and is built to last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 Top~ this is a cool tool I bought from eBay for sample bars:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=360026079409&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=023Might be worth a peek for cutting soap in custom widths.But I know you can cut a straight line. LMAO!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-GRAN-ONES Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 That's a pretty neat looking tool...Is the blake rippled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 That's a pretty neat looking tool...Is the blake rippled?It comes with a straight and crinkle cutter knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
showoffs Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I have the Lil' Shaver also. I stopped using it as it scratches the heck out of my bars.Shannon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenW Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I ordered the Lil Shaver Soap Beveler along with the Tank on March 7, but have to wait until mid April to use them as my SIL will be bringing them home to me then. I am excited about the Tank, but wished I had a review of the beveler, and might not have purchased it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 26, 2008 Author Share Posted March 26, 2008 It seems clear from responses here and on The Dish that the Lil Shaver used to be made of a different material that didn't scratch. I don't understand why they would change it or how one is supposed to use the new version without ruining the soap, but I will ask the supplier and see what they say about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 It seems clear from responses here and on The Dish that the Lil Shaver used to be made of a different material that didn't scratch. I don't understand why they would change it or how one is supposed to use the new version without ruining the soap, but I will ask the supplier and see what they say about it.It could be because FCS changed hands a while back. The original owners came up with virtually everything they offer and the design. Perhaps it was more cost effective to change the materials. Which should have been listed on the website, or shown in a picture, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbren Posted March 26, 2008 Share Posted March 26, 2008 I posted this reply at the Dish:I have the older version of the 'Lil shaver, bought maybe 4 or 5 years ago, and while it is not as smooth as glass, it's not as rough looking as the one in your photo. It also does not bevel that large a piece...my bevel scraps using that are as fine as angel hair pasta...so thin that they are almost transparent. Just enough to take off the sharp edge.I also have the KB version planer/beveler.Now, that being said, I got my lil shaver out and hunted down an old bar that hadn't been beveled yet just to show you the size of the bevels. They are WAY smaller than the one you have pictured. I can only think that maybe the whole thing was re-designed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Anyone ever contact the seller about the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kari357 Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Top, Why not try applying a couple coats of polyurethane to rough surface to smooth. Worth a try before investing in another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Anyone ever contact the seller about the problem?Nobody has mentioned contacting FCS, but I decided to drop them a line today. Originally I planned to move on and not waste any time if the beveler wasn't good. Posting a review was just an afterthought, but it led to discovering that there have been different versions of the product. Now I'm curious what they'll say.You know, I asked about scratching and whether the beveler was smooth when I spoke with them on the phone. I don't remember what they told me, but one way or another the issue became minimized in my mind until the test bar ended up shredded.Top, Why not try applying a couple coats of polyurethane to rough surface to smooth. Worth a try before investing in another one.That possibility did cross my mind and I think it could work, though it's an investment either way. I only have eco-friendly water-based polyurethane on hand right now. The solvent-based stuff that goes on thick might be a better choice. I'm sure this particular job would require multiple coats with sanding, plus a good while to dry properly.Guess I'll see what the supplier says and decide what to do next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I posted this reply at the Dish:I have the older version of the 'Lil shaver, bought maybe 4 or 5 years ago, and while it is not as smooth as glass, it's not as rough looking as the one in your photo. It also does not bevel that large a piece...my bevel scraps using that are as fine as angel hair pasta...so thin that they are almost transparent. Just enough to take off the sharp edge.I also have the KB version planer/beveler.Now, that being said, I got my lil shaver out and hunted down an old bar that hadn't been beveled yet just to show you the size of the bevels. They are WAY smaller than the one you have pictured. I can only think that maybe the whole thing was re-designed?This is exactly the same as mine. It's not completely smooth, but doesn't seem to scratch the soap. BUT it doesn't take off enough to even tell it's been beveled. My slivers weren't even quite that big, but it may be that my bars aren't perfectly square either. If the slant is in the wrong direction, even the slightest, it doesn't take anything off. I cut a couple pieces of wood and made my own. It's not great, but at least the soap looks beveled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbren Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I kind of LIKE that it doesn't take off too much. It's just enough to take away the sharp edge. I use it mostly for the 3 sides of my log soaps. When I want a deeper bevel, I use the KB version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 The advice I received from FCS is to sand it. I'll try that and maybe use the high-deposit polyurethane also. I wouldn't mind if the bevel was just a bit smaller and building up a polyurethane coating might accomplish that. I'll test some on a non-business surface first to make sure the solvents don't dissolve the eco-crud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 odd, you would think they would say "oh no - we'll send you a perfect one!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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