New Torch Testing Yesterday

Yesterday, I got to try out a new Japanese lampwork glass torch at a friend's house. It's the picture above. Now flameworkers will understand me here if I say, there is no focus on the flame. It's the all over bushy, around 3" wide and shoots straight up, which makes it look like it's better for roasting marshmallows, than melting glass. And for non glass making people, that means that when I want to heat just one little nook or cranny- like just the bunny's ear, so her arm doesn't get too warm and melt, I can't do that with this torch. It's definitely more of a challenge. But I like challenges!

The Kinari glass is somewhere around 128 COE too. Satake brand works similarly. The higher the number of the COE (CoEfficiency of Expansion), the softer the glass when molten. So this one just mushes really nicely, but poses more difficulty for sculptural beads. It sure is beautiful though.

After I get my beads back, I'll be happy to share photos with you. In fact, I'll be checking out this torch sometime and perhaps even buying one and some of the glass to go with it. The glass has beautiful colors and looks a little different from the Italian, so it might be fun every once in a while to play with it.