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This is Part 1 of a series comparing decoden tools. Any deco princess (or prince) has come across a situation in which they had to work with tiny components. Our hands can only do so much!! It’s a challenge, trying to set a component only to have it flip on you or set itself all wrong. When I started crafting, I thought these sorts of things were unnecessary. And I guess if you want to get technical, that’s true. But, OH MAN, life as a crafter can be so much easier with tools like these. A little investment can go a long way. I have decided to write a few posts about new and old tools that I’ve used. Hopefully, this can save you some time and money when deciding what is right for you.

Decoden Tool Pencils: What Actually Works

Part 1 will focus on the “pencil” genre of component grabbing tools. To be fair, I used the same type of components with these pencils and all tools involved in this blog post series. I mostly use rhinestones (sizes ranging in and between ss4-ss30) and light weight cabochons.

I am no expert. I will never claim to be one. These reviews are all based on my personal experience with these tools. I have purchased all these items with my own money. I will always be transparent as to whether or not I have received something to try or if I bought it myself. Rest assured that you are reading an unbiased review.

Let Me See!

This is what the pencils look like un sharpened.

Here they are after I’ve gingerly used a pencil sharpener.

White Pencil Picker Tool Review

I felt the need to start with this infamous white pencil.

Pencil looks sleek and straight forward. You’ll receive it unsharpened. It has the same thickness as a regular pencil so it is easy to hold. After I sharpened it, I felt the tip. It isn’t waxy by waxy standards (I know, not descriptive enough). I suspect it’s a combination of wax and a chalky substance. I wouldn’t say the tip was soft by any means. When I ran this across my forearm it felt like a legit pencil. This could easily be mistaken for a white colored pencil.

When I began the application process, I found quickly that a super sharp pencil isn’t your friend. As I would touch the tip to the rhinestones, the tip would crumble. To remedy this, I kept a scratch piece of paper near by to “draw” on to smooth the tip. I had to press a little harder than I thought to grasp components. As I started to use larger rhinestones, it took a few attempts to get the component to adhere. This was frustrating. If any residue was left behind it was easily removed by my finger or paper towel.

Pros

• Very affordable
• Easy to find and purchase as an individual consumer
• Easy to store

Cons

• Only good to use with small, light components
• If it is too sharp, the tip will crumble on you.
• Harder to grasp lager rhinestones

Wax Pencil Review

I buy my crystal rhinestones at a local bead supply store, Sun’s Crystal & Bead Supply. I’ve been duped a few times, so I prefer to go to a store. When I was cashing out I saw these interesting wax pencils at the register. Naturally, I bought one to try it out.

This tool is quite intriguing because no two pencils looked the same. They are waxy in the core and then wrapped with what appears to be magazine like paper. To me, that was super cool. I used the same sharpener as I did for the White Pencil. The tip definitely had a wax like quality, but was rather soft when I dragged it across my forearm, however, it wasn’t so soft that it changed shape.

As I began to apply rhinestones, I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting this pencil to leave residue. The rhinestone guy said it was an inferior tool compared to the one I was buying, Embellie Gellie. Minimal pressure was applied and easily grasped the rhinestones. If it did leave minimal residue, it was easily clean with my finger or paper towel. One thing that was a little bit cumbersome was it’s size. This pencil is a good inch or two longer than a regular #2 pencil. If I was really concentrating on gem placement, I’d goose myself. lol. I suppose you could cut it in half.

Pros

• Easy to hold
• Picks up rhinestones of any size without problem
• Unique look

Cons

• Extra long initially which can make it harder to store.
• Not as easy to find online for individual purchase.

Which Decoden Pencil Tool Is Better?

These are great options for the beginning crafter who is looking to get more serious about decoden. Of the two, my favorite is the Wax Pencil, but at the end of the day, it is a true draw. Considering the White Pencil is 1/3 the price of the Wax Pencil, that could make it easy to over the look the flaw of not being able to consistently pick up small components. On the other hand, the ease of use with the Wax Pencil may be enough for a consumer to pay the extra. Thats the best thing about being human. We all have choices and preferences.

In Part 2, I will be comparing another 3 Picker Tools that I have used.