Razertip FAQs
|
Razertip's Exclusive Unconditional WarrantyWhen Razertip say unconditional, they mean it! Here's the deal - if any Razertip or Razaire products fails within the warranty period for any reason whatsoever - simply return the item(s) to Razertip and they will make it right. This includes your satisfaction with their products. For example, if you buy a pen and later decide that the tip doesn't meet your needs, send it back and they'll re-tip it with the tip of your choice - at no charge! If you need service after the warranty has expired be sure to contact Razertip. Razertip products are designed to last many years and they can re-tip or otherwise repair most products in a very cost-effective manner. Please, don't throw it out without checking with them first. Razertip Burners3 (three) years on the power supply. Razertip Pens1 (one) year on all handpieces including fixed tips. Even if you drop your pen and break the tip - it's covered! Razertip Interchangeable Tips90 (ninety) days. Re-tipped PensThe new replacement tip is covered by a full, unconditional 6 month warranty. Warranty at work
2) What's the difference between Fixed and Interchangeable Tips?
 Razertip pen with an interchangeable tip.(BPH - Interchangeable-tip Pen.)  Razertip pen with a fixed tip. (Fix-Tip Standard Pen or Fix-Tip Heavy Duty Pen) A Brief Explanation
So...the all important question; which is better, interchangeable tips or fixed tips? I know you are asking yourself; 'After I've bought a BPH for $26.75, I only have to spend no more than $4.50 on an interchangeable tip. Why would I buy a fixed tip if the BPH alternative is cheaper? Why do pyrography suppliers even offer and extensive range of fixed tip pens if these interchangeable tips are so cheap? Are they trying to rip us off?'
Well the answer is this:
A Place for Both Types
Fixed Tip Pens have the tips soldered to the pen. A solder produces a great connection for conducting electric current. The better the conduction, the smoother and more consistent the burn....especially during longer burning stints. Soldered connection also provides more consistent and easier burning during heavy texturing and when burning energy sapping materials, such as paper.
Razertip Interchangeable Tips are connected to the BPH Pen by screws. Even though screw connection is better than a slotted connection, it still isn't nearly as good as a soldered connection. Remember, the better the connection, the better the flow of current, the better the burning. So, even though the BPH is an excellent interchangeable pen, it still hasn't got as good a conduction as a soldered Fixed Tip Pen. Bottom line, Interchangeable Tip Pens are not a perfect set up for the more frequent burner.
In conclusion, I recommend that you buy fixed tipped pens for your serious burning and leave the interchangeables for the lesser used tip profiles. I've seen a lot of budding pyrographers end up on the verge of quitting because of the pure frustration of burning inconsistently with an interchangeable pen set and I'd hate for you to be the same. Yes, I know they are cheaper and so tempting, so how about the compromise that many other burners use: they have a set of fixed tip pens that they use for the majority of their work but they also have an interchangeable pen with a set of tips that they use more infrequently. My last thoughts on this...honestly, for the serious burner that has a limited budget...it's better to have just 3 good Fixed Tip Pens than an Interchangeable Pen and all the tips in the world. BPH and Fixed Tip Pen Comparison
BPH pens pros:
BPH pen cons:
Fixed Tip pens pros:
Fixed Tip pens cons:
For decorative burning I believe you only need 3 basic tip styles, (a skew, a writer and a shader), to burn almost anything you desire. (Please see FAQ #4 for further explanation.) Based on this principle and following my tests I judged these tips the easiest and most versatile to use. They are excellent tips for the beginner to start with. In time, like many other burners, you may wish to expand your tip range. But for now I believe one skew, one writer and one shader from this range will be all the beginner will need.
Best Skews: F14M, HD14M
Best Writers: 99.008, 99.015, 99.023
Best Shaders: HD2SC, HD2MC, HD30M, F73.07
I know selection can be difficult and no one wants to waste money, so if you can't decide, feel free to email me, Sue Walters, for free advice. Please try to tell me, if you can, what material you want to burn on, what types of subjects you wish to burn, if you want to push heavily to texture or carve, if you have any physical limitations...or anything else that may help me better help you in choosing the correct pen for your needs. You can view further details about these tips on either the Fixed Tip Page or the Interchangeable Tip Page. 4)Can you explain the 3 basic tip principle?
5) How do I know what tips to choose?
For decorative burning I believe a huge variety of burning can be accomplished by using just 3 types of tips: A skew, a writing tip and a shading tip. These 3 tips have 3 distinctive profiles and each burns a unique impression or mark in comparison to the other. A combination of these profiles are more than enough to allow the pyrographer to burn any type of picture. The Skew will have a straight, knife like edge and is used for burning or cutting crisp, neat lines. (Think of it as a pen.) The Writer tip culminates in a round point and is used for lettering, drawing and filling in small areas. (Think of it as a pencil.) The Shader has a broad surface and is used to colour in large areas and to burn gradient tone. (Think of it as a brush.) If you think of these tips in the terms of pen, pencil and brush, you will see that these profiles are enough to portray anything you wish. When selecting a set of pens to burn with, this should be your starting point: make sure to select at least a skew, a writer and a shader. (You may wish to select more than one type or size of the 3 basic nibs, but be sure to have at least one of each in your kit.) I have grouped all of the tips and pens under these 3 profiles so you can compare them to each other easily. It's then a matter of reading my description, viewing a picture of the tip and seeing what impression the tip burns, before selecting one you feel would suit you best. 6) Can you advise me about what tips to buy?
I certainly can. I know tip selection can be difficult and no one wants to waste money, so if you can't decide, feel free to email me, Sue Walters, for free advice. Please try to tell me, if you can, what material you want to burn on, what types of subjects you wish to burn, if you want to push heavily to texture or carve, if you have any physical limitations...or anything else that may help me better help you in choosing the correct pen for your needs. 7) Have you personally tested all of these tips?
Yes, I have tried and tested every one of the tips and pens I offer for sale. It's vital to me that I can advise you from personal, hands on experience. An * is placed next to the name of the tips that I preferred over others. 8) What is the 'burning profile' and how did you test it?
The 'burning profiles' of each tip can be seen on the Interchangeable Tips and Fixed Tips pages. Each tip was tested for function and versatility by burning a series of lines, curves and impressions. I burnt each on the exact same material and I tried to keep a consistent pattern for each test so you can easily compare one burning profile to another. For the same reason, each profile is shown in actual size. When possible, I also inverted the tip and burnt upside down with it. For example, a skew can often be inverted and the toe used to burn tiny dots, which is useful when stippling. This was done to show the possible versatility of each tip, even if you choose never to use it that way. Examples
 Burning Profile for HD14M - Medium Knife
A) Straight burnt line, B) Cross hatch, C) Inverted tip stippling
D) Curved line, E) Side of tip impression, F) Edge of tip impression
 Burning Profile for 99.047 - Ball Tip
A) Straight burnt line, B) Cross hatch, C) Stippling impression
D) Curved line, E) Colouring in
 Burning Profile for HD2SC Shader
A) Gradient burn, B) Straight line with toe, C) Curved line with toe
D) Straight line with edge, E) Impression of base
9) Do you use a Razertip Burner?
I sure do! I've burnt with a Razertip SS-D10 for around 8 years.  Myself, Sue Walters, using a Razertip to burn details on 'Turtle Rising'.
10) What is the 'low adjuster' used for on the Razertip SS-D10?
Think of the 'low adjuster' as a second heat dial. It is used to change the heat range of the main dial. It allows you to turn the heat down further if the #1 setting is still too hot for the material you are burning on. This is excellent if you are burning leather, sculpting wax or detailing plastic. The adjuster is altered by inserting a small screwdriver in a slot and turning. Turning left cools the dial, turning right makes it hotter.  The low adjuster is located above the heat dial in the dual handled SS-D10 Razertip Burner.
11) Are Razertip burners safety certified?
Yes. The Razertip units are covered by CSA and C/US Safety Certification. This coverers both Canada and the USA, making Razertip tools the only hot-wire pyrographs that can be legally sold in every province and state in North America. 220/240V units have been tested and certified to Australian C-Tick standards for safety and electromagnetic interference. 12) I have another burning machine, will Razertip pens work on it?
Yes. Razertip have a full range of Adapter Cords that will allow the Razertip pens to be used with a large range of other burning machines. Supported adapter cords include: Detailer, Nibs, Optima, Detail Master and Colwood. For those wanting to try Razertip Pens on their non-Razertip machine, Sue Walters Pyrography is offering the special price of $10 per adapter cord if a pen is purchased at the same time. 13) Can Razertip replace broken or unwanted tips on Fixed Tip Pens?
They sure can. If your tip breaks or fails in any way during the 1st year, Razertip will replace it for free. (Not only that, they will replace a tip for free if you aren't satisfied with the tip you chose. They can't be fairer than that!) If a tip fails or gets damaged after the year, don't throw it away! It costs only $5.00, including shipping and taxes to have it replaced. Please see Razertip for further details. 14) Is there any way to use two pens at the same time on the SS-D10?
No. You must select one or the other. Even if the SS-D10 were wired to allow use of two pens at once, it would not work well as the transformer can only provide power for one tip at a time. 15) My burner will not make a dark mark on wood until its set at "5" or higher? Why?
Razertip burners are designed to give a very broad range of heat. The lower half of the dial is used for waxes, plastics, or for detailing wood without leaving a brown mark. The top half of the dial provides enough heat to scorch wood. On the SSD10, you can change the low-end temperature range using a small screwdriver in the low-end adjustment port. 16) Sometimes my burner works great at a certain heat setting, and the next day I have to use a different setting to get the same burn. Why is this?
When the voltage from a wall plug changes, the temperature of the tip will change with it. Razertip burners are set to perform optimally at their rated voltage. Wall outlet voltage can change depending on time of day and demand on the system. 17) Can you get me a Razertip tip that you don't have showing on your sales pages?
We sure can. Just email us and we'll order it in specially, at no extra cost. All you pay is our standard discounted prices. 18) What is PayPal and how does it work?
What is paypal? It's a safe easy way to pay online. Pay without exposing credit card numbers to the merchant. Fast checkout when shopping. Can I use a credit card with PayPal? Yes, you can use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express with PayPal. Plus, when you pay with PayPal, you do not expose your credit card number to the merchant. Is PayPal free? It's free to sign up for a PayPal account and to send money. You can also transfer funds from your bank accounts to your PayPal account at no charge.
19) I want to purchase multiple items using PayPal. Can I do this?
You sure can. Simply click on the relevant PayPay button next to the items you want. The PayPal shopping cart will keep a track of your items. At any time you can click on a 'View Your Cart' button to check the carts contents. The cart will show you how much each product is plus it's shipping and the total. You can remove or change any items before proceeding to check out. 20) What if I make a mistake using PayPal or I decide I no longer want to proceed with the sale after I've checked out?
No worries. All you have to do is email me and I'll issue a full or partial refund...whatever you need. (My contact details will also be on the PayPal receipt issued to you at time of purchase.) 21) What other payment options do you accept?
*Payments can be made using PayPal, VISA, MasterCard, Cheques (Canadian, U.S., Australian only), Bank Transfer, (Australia, Canada only) and Money Orders, (Canadian, U.S., Australian only). *VISA/MasterCard credit card payment buttons are situated next to each product and are completely safe. All information is transmitted and secured by SSL Encryption.
*If you don't wish to pay online, the postal/mail order form can be used. Please fill in the items wanted by typing and printing or by hand writing. Fill in the credit card details or include a cheque/money order for the full amount, plus shipping. (All prices are found next to the product.) Print and post to the address indicated on the form. (This is not a secured page so there is no submit button present.)
*You can also speak to us in person by telephoning the numbers indicated below.
(You can also use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express to fund PayPal payment. You can also pay directly from your back account using PayPal. Please visit PayPal for more information.)
(You can also use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express to fund PayPal payment. You can also pay directly from your back account using PayPal. Please visit PayPal for more information.)
(You can also use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express to fund PayPal payment. You can also pay directly from your back account using PayPal. Please visit PayPal for more information.)
(You can also use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express to fund PayPal payment. You can also pay directly from your back account using PayPal. Please visit PayPal for more information.)
22) Are there any Canadian or US taxes applied to the prices?
No, there are no extra US, Canadian or Australian taxes to be paid. 23) How are the good shipped? Where are they shipped from?
24) My BPH Pen makes a buzzing sound and the nib doesn't heat properly. What's wrong?
From my experience this could be one of two things. A) Check that you have the nib nestled securely in the double-slotted stainless-steel nut housing and that the nuts are tightened correctly. If the nut isn't correctly tightened the current won't flow freely. You may hear a buzzing sound, (especially when the nib is in contact with the burning surface), and the nib won't heat correctly. B) Make sure that the 2 posts, (that hold the nuts), aren't touching. Gently lever the posts apart to correct the problem. 25) Why do you only sell a heavy duty cord?
Best results are obtained with HD pens on HD cords. In fact, any pen will perform better on an HD cord. They heat up quicker and run cooler on the fingers with a HD cord. Some pens will only operate properly on a heavy duty cord. I have tried a standard cord and found the heavy duty a far better option. For these reasons I have elected to sell the cord I think performs the best, the heavy duty cord. Considering all of this, if you would still like the slightly more flexiable standard cord, we can certainly get one for you. 26) What's the difference between a spoon shaped or curved base shader compared to a flat base shader? Why do you prefer a curved base shader for burning Gradient Tone?
Some people, especially beginners, have trouble burning gradient tone with a flat base shader. If the base is tilted during burning one of it's straight edges can dig in more than the other, causing an unevenly burnt line. Also, one edge of the flat shader can dig into the surface, causing it to catch. This makes a smooth burning motion more difficult. The smoother the hand motion when burning, the more consistent the speed....the more consistent the speed, the more even the burn. A spoon shader, like the 30M or a curved base shader, like the 73.07 have a convex shaped base. There are no hard edges to catch in the surface during movement. Because of this, the pen can also be dragged in any direction. There is effectively no edge on these convex shaders so tilting the pen causes no damage. 27) What is Gradient Tone?
Gradient tone is a burnt area that smoothly and gradually changes tone. This technique would be used to burn skin tone, the skin of an apple, water etc. Any area you wish to burn/colour and have it smoothly change colour,(or tonal range), is Gradient Tone. 28) How do I use the 73.07 Pen to transfer a pattern?
1) Using this method, the image will transfer as a mirror of the original. You can use computer software to mirror the image prior to printing. When this mirrored image is transferred, it will then be the right way around (I'm sure I could have made that sound more confusing if I tried really hard.) Tip: Imaging Software is often used to manipulate photos to make patterns. 2) Print the pattern on a laser printer or use a photo copy machine. This method will NOT work using a regular inkjet printer. Tip: Use freshly printed patterns. Old prints tend to not work so well. 3) Place the pattern face down on the project. Heat the 73.07 to a good medium heat and then rub it over the entire back of the pattern. You can move the tip in a sweeping or circular motion. Tip: The heat doesn't have to be so hot as to scorch the paper. The paper will 'stick' to the surface when heated enough. 4) The resulting transfer is a mirror image of the pattern. I personally find the transferred image too dark for pyrography purposes. I tend to use graphite paper myself, but if you choose this method I advise you to lighten the transferred design with a light sanding. Tip: This is an excellent transfer method for carving. If you would like to see a pictorial demonstration of this technique, please CLICK HERE. 29) Why is your Razertip equipment so inexpensive compared to others?
Why are our Razertip items so heavily discounted? It's simple, I'm a little fish in a big pond. I'm competing with large companies that have little or no knowlege about pyrography, (woodburning), but they are still the first place people approach when thinking about purchasing burning equipment. They have thousands of products to pad their incomes...I don't. I do one thing and I like to think I do it well. They don't specialize in burning, but I do. I am simply pricing my goods low enough to beat the competition...a win win situation for both of us. You come away with a great product at a great price along with all the help and inspiration you need. 31) What is the free DVD you are offering with every purchase of a Razertip Burner or Razertip Package Deal?
Tip choice can be one of the most daunting propositions a decorative woodburner can face...it can also be one of the most expensive mistakes made. No one wants to spend good money on a piece of equipment that will only end up in a dusty drawer. The Sue Walters DVD, 'Tip Profiles and Their Use' is designed to address this issue. In it I will explain decorative tip profiles, how each burns, it's potential use and how to keep the nib maintained. The DVD will be offered for individual sale at the retail price of $12.95 US Dollars. Each person buying either a Razertip SK or SS-D10 Burner, or any Razertip Package Deal will receive a free copy of this DVD. 32) Why does Razertip equipment cost more for Australians to buy?
The Australian dollar is getting closer to the US$, (late 2010, early 2011,) so why doesn't it costs the same to buy an Aussie burner compared to a US burner? It's a good question and one I've been asked more than once. After all, we have the cheapest Razertip prices going in Australia yet the Razertip equipment still costs more than the US. Why? Here is a point by point explaination:
If you were to import a dual burner, pen and cord yourself you would have to pay import tax, GST and brokerage fees. Add to that the foreign exchange charges or credit card charges for purchasing overseas...or bank charges. Added to this you will then have to pay at least $86 Canadian dollars to have it shipped to you. (Canadian Post Jan, 2011) You would be up for approx $346.00 AUD and I charge $285.95. (At least $20 cheaper than any one else selling Razertip in Australia. Nov, 2010) You will also have to pay all of the costs to ship the burner or equipment back to Canada should something go wrong. When buying from me, I handle all the headaches locally for you. I also handle all of the costs when dealing with a Canadian company...and give you full free pre and post buying advice. Adding all of that up, I hope you will consider me when buying your Razertip equipment. Aussie owned and run. |
