Nylon banding straps are far superior to rubber bands for handling and working with molds. The fundamental problem with rubber bands is that they weaken and stretch over time. That can lead to huge, ugly messes when casting, if the weight of the slip stretches the rubber bands enough that the mold can leak.
It’s even worse when the rubber bands weaken when the mold is in storage! There may be no more awful, helpless feeling for a ceramist than watching mold parts shatter on the floor because the rubber bands broke when picking up the mold.
Banding straps can prevent both those problems. We’ve seen that figuring out how to use the straps can be challenging, so we’ve prepared this tip sheet.
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