Are you an artist who specializes in pencil or pastel drawings? Then you should know how to make a kneadable eraser just from materials around an office in case one is inaccessible to you. I will share methods of making kneadable erasers in this post. My methods make use of old erasers, sticky notes, or even clear silicone craft glue.
Let’s begin.
How to Make a Kneadable Eraser Using Glue
The first method I will share with you requires only two items: a glass jar and clear silicone craft glue. Craft glue is the best option here because it remains flexible and malleable even after it has dried. Also, it should be colorless so it won’t stain the artwork you are doing when you rub it on the paper.
Step 1: Squeeze Glue into Jar
The first step is to squeeze all the glue into the glass jar. The size of your eraser will depend on how much glue you squeeze into the jar. Keep in mind that the glue will shrivel slightly as it dries, so make sure to squeeze enough glue to make a usable eraser.
My advice is to squeeze out more glue than you think you would need. It is easier to use a large eraser than a tiny one.
Step 2: Let the Glue Dry
Let the glue sit in the jar for a day. When it’s dry, it should look like dried wax. Touch it; if it feels sticky, let it sit in the jar longer.
Step 3: Scrape out and Knead the Glue
Scrape the dried clear silicone craft glue out of the jar. It should still be flexible and malleable. Knead it around your hands for a while, and it should be ready for use soon.
Step 4: Test the Kneadable Eraser
Finally, why not give the kneadable eraser a test run? Knead it into a sharp point to see how malleable it is. Then try erasing graphite with it. If it works, then you have done the process right.
How to Make a Kneadable Eraser Using Sticky Notes
This method uses sticky notes and a rubber eraser. The color of your kneadable eraser will be the same as the rubber eraser with which you begin. The color of the sticky notes will not affect the color of the end-product. However, since the sticky notes will be useless after the procedure, choose sticky notes you don’t like or won’t likely use. Just for reference, six sheets of 3” x 3” of sticky notes produced a kneadable eraser twice the size of a pencil eraser.
Step 1: Rub the Eraser Against the Glue of the Sticky Notes
Rub the eraser against the sticky side of the notes. You should use enough pressure to rub the glue off the sticky notes but not too much to tear the paper. When one sticky note runs out of glue on its side, move on to a new one.
Step 2: Collect the Eraser Shavings
As you rub the glue off the sticky note, collect the eraser shavings. The more eraser shavings you get out of the first step, the bigger your kneadable eraser will be. A good amount to shoot for is a pile of eraser shavings that can fill a spoon.
Step 3: Knead the Eraser Shavings Together
Carefully pick up the eraser shavings and squeeze them into one clump. Roll and knead the clump in your hand until it becomes nice, cohesive, and smooth. Your putty is finished when the lump becomes soft and malleable.
The trick in this method is the glue off the sticky notes. The little bit of glue makes the shavings stickier to each other, making it easier to form the shavings into a kneadable eraser.
The advantage of this method over the first method is that the previous process does not produce a kneadable eraser as potent as this one. Because the first process only includes glue, it does not have the same erasing power as the second method. The disadvantage of the second method, on the other hand, is that it requires more work.
If you want a more potent kneadable eraser, it’s best to make it purely out of an eraser. Here’s how to do it.
How to Make a Kneadable Eraser Using Rubber a Vinyl Eraser
This process requires a standard rubber eraser and a hi-polymer vinyl eraser. The rubber eraser will comprise the bulk of your final kneaded eraser, so choose its color according to your preference. The vinyl eraser will barely affect the color of the kneadable eraser, so it does not really matter what color it is.
Another point to keep in mind is that the softer the rubber eraser is, the better. Also, the vinyl eraser should be large enough for the rubber eraser to rub against it.
Step 1: Rub the Rubber Eraser Against the Vinyl Eraser
Place the vinyl eraser on a flat surface and hold it down. Then, rub the softer rubber eraser against it. Because a rubber eraser is softer than vinyl, the rubber eraser will produce more shavings. The softer the rubber eraser is, the faster it wears and produces shavings.
Over time, you might notice a crater forming on the vinyl eraser. It will also produce shavings, but not nearly as much as the rubber eraser will.
Step 2: Collect all the Eraser Shavings
It will not matter whether the shavings are made from the rubber or vinyl eraser. Both kinds are effective at erasing. And both will suffice to make a kneadable eraser.
Step 3: Knead the Shavings into a Kneadable Eraser
Finally, knead all the shavings to create a kneadable eraser. Clump the shavings and glob them together. This step will take longer than the previous method because this process does not involve glue. The glue from the sticky note in the last method helped the shavings stick to each other more easily.
For this process, you have to be more patient and keep kneading the shavings until you form a nice, smooth, and uniform kneadable eraser. The advantage of this process over the other ones is that it produces a more effective kneadable eraser.
Conclusion
The easier methods on this list I shared on how to make a kneadable eraser produce the least effective eraser. If you want a kneadable eraser that is very effective at erasing, I suggest you do the third method.