4X Metal Ball Fondant Cake Decorating Sugarcraft Gumpaste Flower Modelling Mold

I love these ball tools for many reasons. The price is unbeatable, I actually found these by accident; I was searching for Colette Peters' huge ball tool priced at $10 for one ball tool that has only ONE huge ball end. This ball tool set is double-ended and includes the huge ball end just like Colette's and has the smallest ball tool available, too. They're not only pretty but work better than plastic ball tools. I display them inside their own small glass vase and they either match my other baking tools I display or they go well alongside them!! You won't be disappointed with these ball tools. The added weight of the metal allows for better handling, in my opinion.I own color shapers* that allow me to blend mistakes on fondant application on a cake, when joining panels and in "erasing seams. The smaller ball tools helped in these areas as well. There's something about the metal being cold that allows for better control, I can't explain in words how much better these tools are than plastic. Also, the smallest end worked so well to make pre-indents on fondant where I later applied dragees. In modeling figures, these worked marvelously!!*color shapers are silicone-tipped artist tools; they use them for use with painting techniques for oil, acrylic and watercolor painting mediums. Cake decorators use them as modeling tools and are a must have in a cake decorator's tool box. There are cake decor companies that are now making these but the prices are outrageously expensive, lik Buy color shapers in the Art section and save money and you'll get more for less money because color shapers are generally double-ended.

These are just fine for the price. I did not find any rough edges on mine which was what concerned me so I checked immediately. I almost did not get these because of all the negative and marginal reviews. But they were not expensive and the shipping was free so I gave them a shot.. They are nice and heavy, stainless steel, they are inexpensive and worked very well for me on fondant flowers and leaves to thin edges - much better than my plastic Wilton set.I had to screw them into their sockets tighter when they first arrived, but this was not difficult and took about 2 seconds and I have not had to tighten them up since then.Also they are blue. Just exactly like the picture.But in my world, these are tools and they live in a dark tool box most of the time, so I really would not care if they were green or pink or purple with yellow polka dots.What you are seeing in the picture is a soft piece of (blue) plastic wrapped around a metal shaft with a ball screwed into a socket each end.They arrived a little later that some of my other things in the same order, but not horribly. They took about a week -10 days maybe. I was not in a hurry so this was not an issue for me.I don't really know what the other people are talking about because I have had no difficulty with them and found them to be as advertised. I like them just fine and they do the job I bought them for.

then look no further because these are the worst quality tools I have ever purchased. Thankfully, I purchased these for working with polymer clay and not food. The packaging alone was terrible and these tools had all fallen out of the flimsy plastic zip top bag they were in and were tossed around inside my box mixed into my other items. It took a moment to find them all! At least packaging is usually a temporary failure. If it isn't a gift, it doesn't have to be pretty, just get the tools to me in one piece, or rather four here. It's the product's failings that I'm more upset about.The balls are not turned on a lathe as par of the handle and instead appear to be poorly welded onto the handle piece possibly with another bit of metal inside the handle which connects to the ball. The poor connection means bits of clay and food can collect in here providing a lovely area for molds and bacteria to grow--certainly not something I want near my food!The blue 'grippy' handle are a sticky feeling vinyl. Unfortunately, the handle plastic wasn't even put on these tools with any care. One end on each ball tool has a nice and smooth taper at the cut end of the plastic facing the ball. The other ball end of each tool is terrible. The plastic was cut poorly and crookedly. On mine some have bits of plastic coming off where it was cut several times but not all the way through the plastic each time so there are pieces coming off.Lastly, these balls are not smooth. My largest ball has dings in the end as though it were pounded into rough concrete. The metal plating is starting to flake away here.This would not be remotely suitable for use with a food product like gum paste flowers due to the rough texture, the flaking off bits of outer metal plate, and the host of bacteria and spore harboring cracks and gaps along the poorly cut plastic handle covers and the improperly welded attachment between the balls and their handles. However, ifi you're going to be dragging the edges not the rough ends of the tools across a non-food grade surface, they're just barely okay enough to use for some very general shaping. You'll need something else to make sure everything is smooth after these pitted balls mar up your sculpture. Be sure to get a few sturdy pipe cleaners or some old toothbrushes to try to keep the cracks all cleaned out too!

There is a greater feeling of control and power and this is a really good thing.Only a couple of little inconveniences: the first is obvious from just looking at it. The grip between the ball tools is a little on the thin side causing your hand to get tired faster than it would if you were gripping something closer to pencil size. The second problem is the awkward weight distribution when using the smaller end. This is especially annoying when the biggest ball ends up on top and your tool becomes something you're fighting gravity with.I still use the plastic tools when working on big and long projects, but for finessing I pull out the metal.