GC luster paste vs Zirlux stain & Glaze

[sidesh0wb0b]

man, i wish Jensen would just suck it up and send me a trial kit of their stain and glaze

i would pay shipping, fwiw....i am a nice guy like that after all.

 

[charles007]

Advantages using GC Lustre:
1. Nice surface texture from thicker stains.
2. Easy to add contacts if needed.
3. Diluting chroma easy to adjust mixing with L-N
4. Works very well using GC porcelains.
5. Use on emax, pfms-GC porcealin, pfz, fcz

Disadvantages of Lustre:
1. Slight learning curve.
2. Easy to get spots unglazed if not careful .
3. Easy to get tight contacts if applied to heavy.
4. Limited colors, no dark browns, lack of yellows as compared to InSyn
5. In my opinion the A stain isn't as accurate as InSyn A stain
6. Stains dry out quickly compared to InSyn.

Advantages of InSyn
1. Large selection of colors
2. Easy to achieve smooth glazed surface.
3. No learning curve.
4. Wide firing range from 700+ to 900c + range
5. Stains don't dry out like Lustre
6. Lower cost
7. Stains don't puddle .
8. Wider selection of colors makes it a better stain kit to use to correct shades on FCZ..
9. Use on fcz/layered and emax mono/layered

Disadvantages of InSyn:
1. Can't be used on metal ceramics

Zirlux ?

I use both kits, prefer using Lustre on GC porcelain surface and using InSyn on zirconia surfaces. I do like the surface texture that Lustre leaves on FCZ but InSyn is easier to use and easier to get better shades. In my opinion, InSyn A,B,C, D, are more true to shade than Lustre, especially A and B stains.
Will continue to use both kits alone with my Vita stains on VM9 and eventually order Wielands Art stain kit and dump them all.... maybe ? lol
When staining pfz with zir in occlusion, I stain porcelain with Lustre and also use InSyn on zirconia surfaces in one glaze firing.

 

[2thm8kr]

Thanks for the post Charles!

 

[Gru]

"Disadvantages of InSyn:
1. Can't be used on metal ceramics"
Please clarify. I don't do many pfm's, but I have used it on them and haven't had trouble. Is there something I missed? But of course I mix-n-match too, so maybe that's why?

One other pro: because the (InSync) stain and glaze are so thin, you don't loose any surface texture you put into your work.

 

[charles007]

We don't do a lot of FCZ's but the ones we have completed have been Zirlux and finished with eMax stains & glaze. The results haven't been terrible but I think they could be much better. My research keeps leading me to choosing between GC luster paste and Zirlux stain & glaze. I am also planning to experiment with other zirconia materials and would like a dependable, all around stain & glaze kit.
Reviews and opinions appreciated. Thanks much!!!

No stains can overcome poorly colored zirconia, and any lab can get bad results using the best materials. Ask other labs which milling labs does the best work before you jump from one stain kit to another. The reason I like InSyn so much is all the colors in the kit. I can get the same results with emax stains and Empress stains. InSyn stains come in jars in perfect consistency, so its easy to stir, stain and glaze quickly. You don't have to continually add liquid to thin down to a usable consistency. The glaze goes on zirconia as smooth as the stains, unlike some glazes are thick and gummy.
OK, no more hype on InSyn stains...

 

[charles007]

"Disadvantages of InSyn:
1. Can't be used on metal ceramics"
Please clarify. I don't do many pfm's, but I have used it on them and haven't had trouble. Is there something I missed? But of course I mix-n-match too, so maybe that's why?

One other pro: because the (InSync) stain and glaze are so thin, you don't loose any surface texture you put into your work.

Jensen told me not to use on pfms.. If it works,,, great
InSyn is thin and you will not loose your surface texture ...
Jensen told me to not pour off the excess liquid floating on top when first opening up the jars.. Others at Jensen told me to pour off a little of the liquid so the stains will be a little thicker... I did both !! Its a personal opinion of consistency you like to use..

 

[Gru]

Thanks for the why. So far it has worked for me.
Don't waste the liquid in the bottle. Just use a mixing tool and thoroughly mix the stain. By the end of the bottle there is no excess anyway. If my info is correct, Don Cornell (sp?) helped create them and did a fabulous job.

 

[charles007]

Thanks for the why. So far it has worked for me.
Don't waste the liquid in the bottle. Just use a mixing tool and thoroughly mix the stain. By the end of the bottle there is no excess anyway. If my info is correct, Don Cornell (sp?) helped create them and did a fabulous job.

Alone with Peter Pizzi and others from what I heard..