Although I have published lots of video tutorials on various cane making techniques, I have not yet done anything specific on working with already cured canes. I will add it to the list.

The link by my name will take you to the index page where all of my video tutorials are listed. You can scan through them to see if anything interests you.

By the way, what country are you from? I'm always interested in hearing about how popular polymer clay is in the various regions around the world.

- Use a straight bead piercing wire or needle. Even a slight bend will cause problems.
- Put cornstarch, water or rubbing alcohol on your pin to help ease it in.
- Make sure pin is clean and smooth. Sand if needed.
- Start at one side and go in about have way, then flip bead and start from that side. Hopefully the two meet.
- Twist pin or bead back and forth while pushing lightly. Just pushing hard can cause problems.
- Try to pierce bead after it has cooled a bit. If it is all soft and mushy, you will distort the bead and the hole will probably be crooked.
- Try to look straight down on the bead, instead of at an angle.
- Practice on a piece of scrap clay until you get the hang of it. This will take the pressure off of making a mistake.

Have fun and hope that helps!

I have been making lot of beads, and have tried a few canes (they are not turning out quite as nice as I like but, practice will improve that skill. My question is how do I make the holes for the beads straight. I have tried the was you show us but mine almost never are my bead hole straight. I start in the middle on one end but always end up on the other end off to the side.

I love making the beads into jewlery. I also love doing the wire work. practice mostly with wire I get from the wiring job that Larry has left over. Also read on the site recently that we should bake the beads for an hour.

Hope you have a good day. I have to go to work, can't wait till I get back home to play with the clay.

Barb

@Helen and Melinda – thanks for "kickstarting" this blog post by getting the comments started. I appreciate it. The more you guys share your ideas, the better this blog becomes as a polymer clay resource for everyone who visits. The information in these comments sections is often better than what I share in the main article. So please do keep those comments coming!

Thank you for your videos – they are emazing and very clear and helpful!

I wonder if you have some tutorial on the appropriate way for slicing the cane.

I have some problem to slice the cane which doesn't have plain edges, like flower cane, for example.

Thank you a lot and best wishes,
Marina from Netanya, Israel