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bobwonderbuns
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 5555
Location: one block from the edge of the earth...
Birthday: Nov 01
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 Posted:
Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:58 pm |
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| antonia74 wrote: | | sara91 wrote: | | Stainless steel is a much stronger metal than copper so I don't see how it could be less durable. |
I'll have to argue that one with you! (My dad's a metallurgist  )
I think she was refering to them being easily bent/mishapen? You can very easily bend the stainless steel cutters, but the solid copper ones are super strong.
The high-end copper cutters on the market are great because they don't bend out of shape over time or have closures that can come open and get dough trapped in there. Their drawbacks include: higher pricing, they usually don't have sharp cutting edges and they tarnish (but this doesn't affect them at all, you can simply use ketchup or purchased foodsafe anti-tarnish cleanser like one found at www.kitchengifts.com to clean them.) |
I've bent stainless steel cutters before without even trying to. They're not as bad as tin but my heart still lies with the copper. |
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vicki0052
Regular Member
Joined: Mar 07, 2005
Posts: 154
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Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:04 pm |
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Simon's doesn't have a website any longer. Is there anyway to get Simon's cutters? |
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bobwonderbuns
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 5555
Location: one block from the edge of the earth...
Birthday: Nov 01
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Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:13 pm |
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I think Simon's has been gone for a while now. I've seen some of their cutters on ebay but you'll have to sign away your firstborn male child to afford one.  |
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Joanne1944
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 11, 2006
Posts: 94
Location: Tampa, Florida
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Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:49 am |
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vicki0052 - Simon's cookie cutters are awesome. I have several and wish I had more. Every now and then, one will be listed on ebay and there are always a lot of collectors who bid on them. John Newton, who owned the business and made the cutters, has retired. At one time, I heard his wife, Debi, was going to publish a book about John and his cutters, but I haven't heard anything lately. Maybe someone else knows?
Simon's Cutters are a unique treasure. They are large copper cutters and have a flat back and a nice, solid handle. The name Simon's is written in cursive on the handle.
If you look under the Events Section of this website, go to 2009 Central Florida Fair. Simon's cutters were used for several of the cookie entries. My daughter used my cutters to make her Mardi Gras masks, a jester mask, a butterfly mask (measures 11 inches across the top), and one with "feathers" on the side of the mask called Midnight in the Garden. It is a Simon original and I think the only one like it ever made. |
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sophisticake
Newbie
Joined: Jul 02, 2009
Posts: 1
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Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:12 pm |
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ovenon
Newbie
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Posts: 1
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Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:09 pm |
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Has any tried FancyFlours.com? Every year they issue a limited edition set of custom cutters--pricey but incredible. Last year they had the 12 Days of Christmas. This year they have a Dutch Canal House set. The site has some really, really clever decorating ideas. |
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sara91
Regular Member
Joined: Apr 21, 2009
Posts: 174
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Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:45 am |
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| Quote: | | 'I'll have to argue that one with you! (My dad's a metallurgist Laughing ) |
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I disagree stainless steel is far stronger than copper as a metal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensile_strength
As you can see from the table the tensile strength is much greater for stainless steel than copper.
Copper, is much easier to manipulate than stainless steel and is a softer metal.
I have seen plenty of make your own cookie cutter kits in copper and tin, but none in stainless steel.
While the copper cutters are nice, and I do have many, they are very expensive compared to stainless steel. You can also use the stainless steel cutters for gumpaste and other areas of cake decorating whereas the copper tends to have a much thicker cutting edge. |
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sallene
Regular Member
Joined: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 110
Location: Missouri
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Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:39 am |
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Thanks for all the great sites? Any chance of getting this thread pinned so that we always have it up top?? Or at least get all the links consolidated to one post and pinned? |
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antonia74
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: May 06, 2005
Posts: 2392
Location: Toronto/Kingston, CANADA
Birthday: Aug 08
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Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:39 pm |
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| sara91 wrote: | | Quote: | | 'I'll have to argue that one with you! (My dad's a metallurgist Laughing ) |
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I disagree stainless steel is far stronger than copper as a metal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensile_strength
As you can see from the table the tensile strength is much greater for stainless steel than copper.
Copper, is much easier to manipulate than stainless steel and is a softer metal.
I have seen plenty of make your own cookie cutter kits in copper and tin, but none in stainless steel.
While the copper cutters are nice, and I do have many, they are very expensive compared to stainless steel. You can also use the stainless steel cutters for gumpaste and other areas of cake decorating whereas the copper tends to have a much thicker cutting edge. |
We're not talking about a piece of copper and a piece of stainless steel of identical thickness here. Stainless steel cookie cutters are made of thin metal easily bent out of shape by your bare hand. The high end copper cookie cutters are made of thick copper that are super strong and durable. As basic metals per se, the argument would be different.
Sorry if I confused the two matters, but I do still maintain that the solid copper cookie cutters on the market are indeed stronger than the cheaper stainless steel ones out there. |
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andpotts
Frequent Member
Joined: Jul 31, 2006
Posts: 422
Location: WA
Birthday: Jul 30
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Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:12 pm |
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cakeladyatLA
Frequent Member
Joined: Aug 24, 2005
Posts: 232
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Birthday: Jul 19
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Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:45 pm |
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bobwonderbuns
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 5555
Location: one block from the edge of the earth...
Birthday: Nov 01
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Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:58 am |
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conchita
Regular Member
Joined: Jan 28, 2005
Posts: 179
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Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:33 pm |
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 thanks Antonia for the info |
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bobwonderbuns
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Nov 17, 2006
Posts: 5555
Location: one block from the edge of the earth...
Birthday: Nov 01
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Sun Oct 25, 2009 3:16 pm |
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| bobwonderbuns wrote: | I love www.kitchengifts.com and www.coppergifts.com I do NOT recommend Ecrandal at all for various reasons. www.karenscookies.net has some great tips and techniques. Personally I love the copper cookie cutters over anything, they last forever and don't lose their shape. Tin cutters are the most common and can be found everywhere but they rust and lose their shape almost immedately, thus not making them a good investment (which is why they are so cheap.) Stainless steel ones (like what Lindy Smith sells) are not bad, they don't rust or lose their shape as quickly but they aren't as durable as copper. Hope that gives you a starting point anyway.  |
Hi everyone, I want to publicly recant something I said in this post regarding Ecrandal. They are a small, relatively new cookie cutter company, a real "mom and pop" enterprise if you will. Between mom and pop there are something like six kids too, so you can see how crazy things can get in an environment like that. My issue with Ecrandal was NEVER with the quality of the cutters. They make probably the sturdiest copper cutters on the market. The workmanship is top notch and Eric (the dad) makes all the cutters himself.
What happened was that I had ordered a couple of times from them and through a series of silly misunderstandings I perceived a “wall of silence” from them when in fact it came out that it was just much ado about nothing and I overreacted. So I will continue to shop with Ecrandal and I am hoping in the not too distant future (hopefully when I update my website) to do a spotlight on this company as well.
So please don’t let my lack of patience reflect poorly on this company, they really are a dream to work with and the cutters are top quality. |
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Joanne1944
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 11, 2006
Posts: 94
Location: Tampa, Florida
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Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:36 pm |
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bobwunderbuns,
I am so glad to see your message. I really admire you for posting this.
I have been dealing with Eric and Jamie - ecrandal cutters - www.ecrandal.com for some time now. Each time I order I am amazed at the quality of the cutters. I just love all their original designs. Eric and Jamie run their small business along with a little help from their six young children.
For all of you who haven't looked at this website, I hope you will take a few minutes and take a peek. There is a great family picture posted on the website in addition to some amazing cutters. I have already give my children the website and my Christmas wish list.
The customer service I had received every time is beyond my expectations (and I expect a lot).
I think my favorite cutter is the cinderella coach. It is absolutely stunning. I just received the banana split cutter and now I am going to order the parfait to go with it.
I have never met Eric and Jamie, but one of these days when we are traveling through North Carolina, I hope to. |
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I ordered all of the sets so I have my own. I am so beyond bummed I'm missing making cookies this season when I know so much more than I have in years past. IMO this is the ultimate cookie time 
