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FAQ - Pens

  • Q: What are the features of Razertip pens?
 Laser-welded tips: Less stress in manufacturing means that the industry's longest lasting tips will now last even longer! Every tip is laser-welded into every Razertip pen.

Front Ventilation Ports: No hot air trapped inside. Ceramic front plug provides less contact between tip posts and pen body for cooler operation.

Mid-Body Ventilation Slots: Slots are strategically placed not to interfere with comfortable operation.

Rear Ventilation Slots: Additional ventilation at the very back of the pen for the coolest operation ever!

Corrugated Front Pen Body: Beneath our comfortable foam grip lies our exclusive corrugated pen barrel, with more surface area for better cooling. Less direct contact between the pen body and the foam grip also means cooler operation.

Comfortable Foam Grips: Keeps your fingers comfortable while allowing for superb control.

Advanced Polymer Construction: Using the most advanced temperature resistant resins available today, this pen is built to provide years of dependable service.

Tapered Rear Pen Body: They are all about quality and comfort. Never before has this much design and engineering gone into woodburning tools.

Warranty: All Razertip pyrography pens carry a full one year unconditional warranty.
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Q: What kind of pens do Razertip offer?
A: Razertip has two main types of pens. Fixed Tip Pens: the tip is laser welded onto the pen body and it can't be removed. BPH Pens: the tip is held in place by two screws. Tips can be changed. 
Razertip Fixed Tip Pens come in two types, Standard (F prefix) or Heavy Duty (HD prefix)
  • Q: What's the difference between Standard and Heavy Duty pen?
Heavy Duty Pens are slightly larger than the standard pen. They have heavier connector posts and heavier tips. They are more robust and durable than Standard Pens and are built to take more punishment. Heavy duty pens require a higher heat setting than most standard pens and are best used with a heavy-duty cord.
Note: BPH Pens and some Fixed Tip Pens are only available in heavy duty.
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Standard Pens are the a little smaller. They are ideal where a lighter application and fine detail is desirable.

    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)
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    • Q: Which is Better? Fixed Tip or Interchangeable?
    Fixed Tip Pens burn more consistently. They can be happily used when burning for prolonged periods of time. They recover heat faster. They cool faster. The handle is cooler to hold over long burning periods. They are durable. All excellent points, I'm sure you'll agree. The one draw back? They cost more to buy than the BPH Tips.
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    Interchangeable Tip Pens can burn unevenly, especially when used for prolonged periods. They are adequate for short burning periods, not long. They recover heat more slowly. They cool more slowly. Changing nibs can be a pain. The handle can get warm when burning for prolonged periods. They don't sound quite as good as the Fixed Tip Pens, do they? But, they do have one strong advantage - they are cheaper.
         
        • Q: Is there a place for both types?
        If your budget allows there is certainly a place for having both kinds of pens.
          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.
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          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 laser welded 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 Pens. The bottom line is that 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 interchangeable 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.


          BPH and Fixed Tip Pen Comparison 
          BPH pens pros:
          • Less expensive
          • Economical way to try out different tip profiles before committing to a solid tip version.
          • Good for rarely needed tip profiles...where it's hard to justify the expense of a solid pen for a rarely used tip.
          • You can fashion your own nibs.

           

          BPH pen cons:
          • Changing the tip can be annoying/time consuming.
          • Nib heat can fluctuate slightly.
          • 90 day warranty on the tip
          • Heat recovery is slower than Fixed Tip Pens.
          • Tips have to be placed correctly in grooves & screws tightened correctly.
          • Carbon build up at the connection point needs to be cleaned.
          • The inability to push heavily when burning/texturing/carving.

            

          Fixed Tip pens pros:
          • Best electronic conduction.
          • Consistent burning.
          • Better burning for prolonged periods of time.
          • Can take heavier pressure/more punishment. (Especially Heavy Duty Pen.)
          • More durable & I year warranty on pen & tip
          • Good heat recovery.
          • Fast cooling down.
          • Cooler handle.

           

          Fixed Tip pens cons:

          • More expensive.
          • What is the difference between Standard, (T prefix) and Heavy Duty Tips, (TH prefix)?

           Heavy Duty Tips are slightly larger and more robust than standard tips. They are more durable than Standard Tips and are built to take more punishment. Heavy duty tips require a higher heat setting than most standard  tips. Note:  Some tips are only available in heavy duty.

          Standard Tips are a little finer. They are ideal where a lighter application and fine detail are desirable.

           

          • Why does my BPH pen make a buzzing sound and the tip doesn't heat properly?

          1) This means there is a slight short in the pen. (It's not dangerous.) Check that the tip wire is properly slotted into the groove on the pen post, then check the screws are sufficiently tightened. This will properly complete the circuit through the tip wire.

          2) Check that your handpiece cord is properly seated in both the burner power base and in the pen body. Razertip plugs make a snug fit, so even if the cords look fully seated, they may not be. This will also cause a slight short in the circuit. (Not dangerous.) Full seating of the cords should complete the circuit and fix the problem.

          To prevent excess stress on the cord we suggest you don't pull on the cord itself. When unplugging a pen please hold both the jack plug and the pen end in each hand. Start turning the pen clockwise while pulling the pen from the jack. When unplugging the cord from the power base, hold tthe power base base down with one hand and use the same twist and pull motion to remove the jack. Reverse these procedures to plug in cords and pens.

          3) Clean the posts of the tip wire and the pen post metal to ensure there is a good connection between the two.

          • Why does my fixed tip pen make a buzzing sound and the tip doesn't heat properly?
          

          1) Check that your handpiece cord is properly seated in both the burner power base and in the pen body. Razertip plugs make a snug fit, so even if the cords look fully seated, they may not be. This will also cause a slight short in the circuit. (Not dangerous.) Full seating of the cords should complete the circuit and fix the problem.

          To prevent excess stress on the cord we suggest you don't pull on the cord itself. When unplugging a pen please hold both the jack plug and the pen end in each hand. Start turning the pen clockwise while pulling the pen from the jack. When unplugging the cord from the power base, hold tthe power base base down with one hand and use the same twist and pull motion to remove the jack. Reverse these procedures to plug in cords and pens.

            • Can you advise me about tip or pen selection?

            I certainly can. I know tip selection can be daunting and no one wants to waste money, so if you can't decide, feel free to Email or Phone me 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, what size 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 or tip for your needs.

            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. 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 enough for the a beginner set.

            Best Skews: 14M, 14S, 5M, 5S, 7M, 7M
            Best Writers: 99.008, 99.012, 99.015, 99.023, 9, 9S
            Best Shaders: HD2SC, HD2MC, HD5MP, 5MC, HD30M, F73.07

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            • Can Razertip replace broken or unwanted tips on Fixed Tip Pens?

            Razertip can replace broken tips at their factory in Saskatchewan, Canada. As yet, there isn't a facility in Australia that can do this. I believe Razertip charges $12.00 CAD to re-tip each pen. 

            Please visit the re-tipping advice page at Razertip for more details.

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            • Can I order Razertip pens or tips that aren't normally stocked here in Australia? 

            We place orders with Razertip approx. every 2 - 3 weeks. We'd be happy to special order in anything that you see on the Razertip site or from the Razertip catalogue.

            • How many pen and tip configurations does Razertip offer?

            Hundreds! They have, by far, the largest pyrography tip selection in the world.

            • Do you recommend heavy duty cords or standard cords?

            I recommend and only stock the heavy duty cords to connect the pens to the power base. Heavy duty pens can't be used on a standard cord. In comparison all both types of pens can be used on a heavy duty cord. 

            I can special order in standard cords if wanted.

            • Can Razertip pens be used on other pyrographic machines? 

            Razertip have a few different adaptors connector and adaptor cords to allow their pens to be used on other machines. Keep in mind that Razertip pens are designed to work on Razertip power bases and may not work well on other brand power bases. This especially applies to imported 110V burners that don't suit our 240V power source. These burners operate so hot on our power supply that they can melt the Razertip pen components.