SilkeMat

SilkeMat is a non-carcinogenic refractory fiber blanket for building your own kiln forms. The soft blanket cuts and shapes with ordinary tools and needs no respirator, which makes it a practical alternative to traditional ceramic fiber products for glass artists who want custom mold shapes. Once a board is rigidized and dry, wear a dust mask when you cut, drill, or sand it, as with any cured fiber.

What's in this category at AGS

The range includes standard SilkeMat blanket, lighter weight SilkeMat Lite, liquid SilkeMat Rigidizer, and Powdered Rigidizer. The blanket handles one-off draping and texture work on its own, while the rigidizers turn shaped blanket into hard, reusable molds.

Working with SilkeMat

Cut the blanket with ordinary tools, shape it over or into a form, and fire it as is or rigidized. SilkeMat Rigidizer is non-flammable and cures at 1450F, and it can be applied to just the outer shell of a mold to keep a soft, release-free interior for slumping. Powdered Rigidizer is formulated for demanding uses like pot melt and vitrigraph molds. Properly prepared and fired, SilkeMat molds are usually reusable for many firings.

Firing notes

SilkeMat contains no shot, and most firings come out clean, leaving only a light fiber texture on the glass. A high-grade boron nitride separator such as ZYP can be used for art glass firings but has not been found to be necessary.