Demystifying Woodburners
I discovered pyrography when I was looking for a way to “draw” on wood. I headed to my local craft store to browse the options. I found a woodburning tool that looked like a soldering iron and another that had a small unit with a pen-like component connected to it by a cord. This kit included four wire tips that I could experiment with: a drawing point, universal shading point, ball point and rounded shading point.
Although this was the most expensive tool of the two, the “pen-like” tool seemed more ergonomic than the bulkier “soldering iron.” The soldering iron type included different shaped solid nibs. Both of these woodburning tools are manufactured by Walnut Hollow in Wisconsin, U.S.A. I opted for the Creative Woodburner, the tool with the two-prong wire tips that snap into the top of the pen.
It was only after I purchased my first woodburner that I began to view videos on how to woodburn. That’s when I realized that there are more woodburners to choose from than what’s available at local craft stores.
Wire tips versus solid nibs
The woodburner you choose will depend on whether you prefer using a wire tip or a solid nib for woodburning. The advantage of wire tips is that they heat up and cool down more quickly than solid nibs. It can take up to five minutes for a nib to heat up or cool down. A wire tip takes seconds, whether you switch out the wire tip or pen. Some pyrography artists prefer the solid nibs or use a combination of solid nibs and wire tips.
Fixed pens or pens with replaceable wire tips
If you prefer to woodburn with a wire tip, you have more options to choose from. You can choose among the many woodburners that offer either or both fixed pens or pens with replaceable wire tips. With the fixed pen option, you simply switch out the pen each time you want to use a different wire tip. You therefore need to purchase a separate pen for each wire tip you want to use.
If you prefer to use a pen with replaceable wire tips, you can opt for the ones that snap in with two prongs or those that are screwed in at the end of the pen.
I like the simplicity of switching out a pen without having to manage wire tips, hot or cold. If you want to customize your own wire tips, the pen with replaceable wire tips is your best option.
After experimenting with the Walnut Hollow Creative Woodburner for about a year, I bought a professional woodburner. My first woodburner had allowed me to learn the basics of woodburning and afforded me the time to expand my knowledge through online resources. I watched other pyrography artists demonstrate their techniques and purchased books by pyrography artists in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. I was hooked on woodburning!
I was ready to experiment with a woodburner that offered more precise heat settings and a wider selection of wire tips. With my first woodburner, I had to snap the wire tips in and out. This time, I wanted to invest in a dual woodburner with a fixed pen for each wire tip I wanted to use. I also wanted to have two pens at the ready with the flick of a switch.
Woodburners
Although my woodburner of choice is a Razertip woodburner, you may want to consider some of the other woodburners used by woodburning artists.
The Optima 1, made by PJL Enterprises in Minnesota, U.S.A., offers single and dual woodburners. With the dual woodburner, you can have two pens connected to your woodburner. You can choose between a standard pen or heavy-duty pen. Both are fixed pens, which means you need to buy a separate pen for each wire tip you want to use. The heavy-duty pen needs to be connected to a heavy-duty cord, and the standard pen needs to be connected to a standard cord.
A New Joursey company, Colwood also offers a dual woodburner (the Super Pro) and fixed pens. Similarly to Optima 1 and Colwood, TRUArt makes a dual woodburner. This Texas company, however, doesn’t offer fixed pens. Although the replaceable wire tips didn’t meet my criteria, I know that some pyrography artists appreciate the comfort of holding the TRUArt pen. Some of the pens can feel hot to hold at higher temperatures. You may have noticed some woodburning artists wearing finger guards or gloves while woodburning for that reason.
There are multiple online reviews on the most popular woodburners and pen options available to choose from. Although I didn’t consider the price in my criteria, most woodburners are quite affordable. Some companies offer starter kits for those venturing into woodburning for the first time.
Razertip woodburners
Last but not least: Razertip! A Canadian company based in Saskatchewan. The Razertip woodburners and fixed pens had all the features I was looking for. I purchased Razertip’s SS-D10 (a dual pen woodburner) and several standard fixed-tip pens. A year later, I also bought the Razertip SK (a single pen woodburner) and a few heavy-duty, fixed-tip pens. I use the SK with a fixed-tip pen that Razertip designed for me. The tip has my company’s name on it: PyroArtisan Boutique. I find it more convenient to brand the back of my products with this customized tip than to woodburn each letter of my business name individually.
Razertip woodburners and pens are popular internationally. This Canadian company is hitting the mark with its suite of pyrography woodburners, pens and accessories. Purchasing a woodburner that offers heat stability can be an advantage when it comes to consistent woodburning.
Enjoy woodburning no matter which woodburner you choose!
