Speedball Deluxe Block Printing Kit - Includes Inks, Brayer, Bench Hook, Lino Handle and Cutters, Speedy-Carve Block, Mounted Linoleum Block

I haven’t used it yet, but upon opening my kit I soon found it did not have the lino cutters or handle as the box specified. Now I have to make yet another purchase to just begin carving. Pretty disappointed. It was shrink wrapped, and it does contain everything else.

very much satisfied by the product; especially its compactness. Totally it gives me immense joy everyday.

As expected no problems at all

Very cool. Its got everything a beginner could want.

Good product. Good price. Id recommend this seller to family and friends.

Would like to see a sheet of the linoleum as well as the wood block and the new gel block for comparison of techniques

This is a nifty little tool that conveniently holds its own tips in the handle with some multi use ink and two types of block to test out. Great for anyone just getting into linocut, carving, or stamp making as well as long time dabblers like myself. My last speedball tool like this was much older but the same style handle with tips. It was reliable for years (well maintained of course) unfortunately, it was lost in a move. Naturally, I thought this would be the newer and improved version. Alas, while it is new and arrived in perfect condition, the tips tend to jam and stick in the housing. I have to rip them out with a rubber grip and needle nose pliers or try to not screw them in too tight and hope they dont wiggle out while im carving. Overall, considering the whole kit, its almost worth getting this kit for the ink and blocks then toss the tool and buy a set of non interchangeable carving tools.

A reasonable starter kit. The cutter handle is plastic but does not unscrew to store the cutters. A minimal amount of ink - enough to do a few prints. The lino is mounted on a wood block - nice. You would have to add some good paper to make this a usable gift. I found it on sale and the lower price ($30) was necessary to make me feel the contents were worth the money.

it was a great product and i did well in the class that i had to do block printing for!

This set has all the basics: a bench hook (also used as the inking plate) which keeps you from cutting your hand when carving; soft and hard (mounted) linoleum, cutters (stored in a plastic handle with a chuck) ink, ink extender and a brayer (the roller.) No baren or buren--the pad used to press the paper and burnish it onto the block to impress the ink evenly. You can use a large spoon or buy one from Speedball. The hard linoleum (the yellowish kind) is what I used many years but this piece is way too tough. As to using a bench hook as an inking plate, I say no. Get a pane of glass or plexiglass (if glass, duct tape all the edges.) Use that plate to roll out your ink with the brayer. This ink is water soluble and washes off, but if you are seriously printing, often oil-based ink is preferable but its messier. Ive also used oil pastels to make monoprints on blocks. You can press directly to print from oil pastel applied to the block, but spraying with a solvent like turps or (what we used in past, may not be a good idea) rubber cement solvent lets it transfer more deeply. I print on mulberry paper (Hosho paper, usually. This is the traditional paper for sumi-e ink brush painting, calligraphy and also ink block printing. This set has nearly everything, and though I prefer a wood handle for my cutting tools, the plastic handle is fine and the set is a very good value for starting to print. Only the mounted block was not great, being way too hard to cut and I would not recommend using it for kids, as they might press too hard on the tool, skid off and cut themselves.