Does anyone store their silicone toys in plastic bags (like a Ziplock freezer bag or something like that)? Are there any potential concerns in doing this? I generally store everything in cloth bags or original packaging, but I've run out of space (again) by keeping things in original packaging plus I have a hard time finding cloth drawstring pouches. Not to mention I have to open all my pouches when I forget which black bag the toy I want is in. I've always avoided plastic bags because I felt like somehow it would mess up the material, but then I thought that the original packaging is plastic so I guess it would be okay. So are plastic bags safe for silicone toys? less

Thanks so much for all the responses!!

I always put not to store silicone next to silicone in my reviews. I've always though that was correct information, but now Antipova has posted a super scientific reason why that might not be the case. So now I don't know if I should put that info in reviews anymore. lol

Antipova - A lot of that was way too scientific and over my head! LOL! I will take from that to keep dual density toys extra safe but that other toys will be okay in plastic bags.

What's a plasticizer? You say you keep your toys away from things that might have them, so now I need to know what they are to keep my toys away from it. less

Silicone is absolutely 100% fine with other silicone. You should see my closet of silicone molds all stacked together. Some are tin based and some are platinum based and even then they are completely fine together. Same rule applies to silicone toys.. I agree with Antipova on the if it smells like a new shower curtain dont trust it.

Basically once Silicone is vulcanized (the process which it solidify from the silicone and catalyst) not much can mess with it as another solid. You can chop a silicone toy up, throw it in another mold with silicone and catalyst and it will adhere itself into one thing, which is kind of cool but off topic. less

Silicone is absolutely 100% fine with other silicone. You should see my closet of silicone molds all stacked together. Some are tin based and some are platinum based and even then they are completely fine together. Same rule applies to silicone toys.. I agree with Antipova on the if it smells like a new shower curtain dont trust it.

Basically once Silicone is vulcanized (the process which it solidify from the silicone and catalyst) not much can mess with it as another solid. You can chop a silicone toy up, throw it in another mold with silicone and catalyst and it will adhere itself into one thing, which is kind of cool but off topic. less

So here's something I've wondered- is the catalyst a solid chunk, or in powder form? How much contact does the silicone have to be in for the process to work? How easy is it to recover the catalyst?

When you make a mold (or maybe it's a cast? 'Pologies for layman's terminology) and fill it up with yoursilicone, are you filling it with a liquid? I've always assumed so, given the swirly patterns Happy Valley and Tantus have, but you make it sound like the raw material could come as granules too. Details? less

Here is step my step on how it goes from idea to in your hands.

1. Design (pretty obvious)
2. Mock up. While I would go in and make one out of clay some companies do theirs by computers and have them cut out of foam or whatever.
3. Molding your model. I think most toys probably are made with a resin mold or even maybe fiberglass. Its basically making a hard shell on the outside of the model, then cleaning it out hollow, so you can pour up copies.
4. Casting your toy. For silicone you have 2 parts, the silicone which is white and kind of has a thick texture like thick glue. And the Catalyst which is about the constancy of a thin liquid. Catalyst is pretty dangerous stuff so you cant get it on your body or you will become sterile or blind or a 100 other things they warn us about. But you measure out the amount you need depending on what you are running,and you mix them together very very very well, the silicone will turn a color depending on what you are tinting it. Most silicones are blues and stuff pretint. But it stays the constancy of the thick gloopy silicone and you pour it quickly into your mold, usually from really high up standing on a chair or something because you dont want airbubbles and high pours help prevent them. It will take a few hours to set or "vulcanize" so you just let it sit there. Depending on heat and stuff like that in the room it can take longer or there is stuff called quick kick that you can add to your silicone before you pour it that will make it have a quicker set time. After it sets you pop the mold open, clean up seams and its done.

You cant really recover the catalyst in the sense that you liquify it again and reuse it. What I mean by the whole you can take your old silicone and throw it in a mold with new materials is that sometimes after a few 100 runs of something if its a silicone mold it will start to break apart. Or say you have some flawed toys you ran and you dont want to just throw it away. You can cut up the silicone into tiny chunks (the silicone being a solid at this point) and you can add into your poured liquid silicone for a new objects and it will adhere together. So basically it can be used a filler so you wont waste more liquid silicone. Kind of like packing peanuts or something, it takes up space in the box basically. less