The Crystal Katana setting tool by the Crystal Ninja was another one of those “Hot 20” products I saw as a judge at the CHA 2014 Conference. I thought, “OK, that’s nice, but it’s a one-trick pony.” Until I needed to place some little rhinestones and I lost a dozen because they keep flipping out of my tweezers. And I dropped a ga-jillion flat-backed pearls wrong side up in my glue. I cracked open the Crystal Katana and now I’m sold.
Here’s how it’s described on the Amazon.com website:
Improve your “blinging” skills! This “Patent Pending” Crystal Katana by CrystalNinja was created by award winning Flatback Specialist and master user, Kellie DeFries and proven to shave time off the process of hand setting-gluing Swarovski Flatbacks, ss05-ss40. Do you use regular beeswax, but too soft, leaves residue? Tweezers cramp your hands and fling crystals across the room? Do other china markers/grease pens break, chip, and leave extra residue on crystals? Have you noticed the taller, sharper table facet of the gorgeous #2058 Swarovski Elements shredding other pickers and tips to smithereens? Me too. My answer to this madness, The Patent Pending, Crystal Katana.
Let’s take a look:
It’s a lightweight barrel (bamboo?) with two nibs- one, a dark tip made of wax (??) or some such slightly- grabby material, and the other end is a metal barrel. It’s a lot like a ball point pen with the nib retracted.
It’s very lightweight and fits easily in the hand.
My package also came with a sculpting-like tool. (Shown in the video.)
The Crystal Katana is so low-tech it’s almost laughable. Just lightly touch the black tip to whatever you want to place (right side up) and it sticks. Like magic, it is!
I make you a little video of it in action, just so you can see for yourself!
So now you can see for yourself how it works. Do you difficulty picking up itsy bitsy peices? What do you use to help?
Disclosure- sample provided for review. Link below is an affiliate link.
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This is so cool! Here is another reason I sub to your fantastic site.
Thanks for all you do.
Thanks for sharing this! I don’t use crystals often, but I do have a ton of sequins. Also, where did you get your flat back pearls? The colors are great.
Those flat-backs were from 3Birds when I represented them on HSN. Not sure if they are still available though.
Thank you so much!
I have two tools for graving them, one is like a pen with a silicon-rubber like nib and the other one is a wax pencil. The wax pencil works really well, it does leave residue sometimes but you just clean it with a cloth once the rhinestone is set. The pen style one worked well, it started loosing its tackiness, so I washed it with soapy water but after three washes it starting not to work as well, it was pretty expensive. I prefer the wax pencil, when it loses tackiness I just sharpen it and it gets like new again.
Enjoyed your video Jen. I use the pickmeup which cost $6.99 and can be found at many craft stores. It works very similar to the tool you introduced and cost a lot less.
Where do I buy the crystal katana pen at
You will need to Google that. I don’t get distribution information.