# Is there any way of \*hardening\* non-hardening modeling clay? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-of-hardening-non-hardening-modeling-clay/313885 "2005-07-24T02:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-of-hardening-non-hardening-modeling-clay/313885/1 "2005-07-24T02:28:26Z")
My mom knows I like to make things out of clay, so she surprised me by buying me a huge set of modeling clay in many different awesome colors. The only problem is, she forgot to get HARDENING clay that you can bake in the oven - I like to preserve my sculptures. Sculpey and Fimo are what I prefer. Is there any way of hardening this clay? I know I can’t bake it, but is there something I could _spray_ onto it that would do the trick? I don’t expect there to be anything so I’m not going to be terriffically dissappointed if everyone calls me an idiot and tells me there’s no chance in hell. On the other hand it’ll realy make my day if there is a way! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-of-hardening-non-hardening-modeling-clay/313885/2 "2005-07-24T03:02:06Z")
No chance in hell. At least if you are talking about [Plasticine modeling clay](http://www.yarecruising.com/): > [@](#): > > Hobbycraft Plasticine© is a non-toxic, peanut free modelling material. It is made from limestone, lard, food colouring, petroleum jelly and a secret ingredient. It was first made in England around the late 1880’s. It is oil based, so it will never harden, short of putting it in the freezer. But it will soften again when it warms up. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-of-hardening-non-hardening-modeling-clay/313885/3 "2005-07-24T04:29:29Z")
You could use your sculpture as the original for a mold, and then use the mold to make something permenant. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-of-hardening-non-hardening-modeling-clay/313885/4 "2005-07-24T15:24:31Z")
The plasticine sculpture will last a very long time as long as you don’t squish it. (I had something for 20 years before it was squished.) But the standard thing is to make a plaster cast. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-of-hardening-non-hardening-modeling-clay/313885/5 "2005-07-24T15:31:02Z")
The cast idea is likely the best solution, but I wonder if plasticine can be shellacked? That might be better than nothing. When I was a kid I made a plasticine clay E.T. I was quite proud of (yeah, this was the 80’s) , and I kept it the freezer for a while.