Softbaitfishing Cristallo STP Super Soft – plastisol (5 L)

Initial preparation and heating

For the 5 L pack, our SAF workshop method is to transfer the entire contents to a clean, dry 10 L mixing bucket with a lid, suitable for storing plastisol. The extra space makes mixing easier and helps reduce splashing. For the first preparation, we proceed as follows:

1. Open the top of the canister around the neck and pour part of the clear upper liquid into the prepared bucket. Leave the settled white paste and enough liquid to mix it in the canister, with the level roughly halfway up. The space above the mixture helps reduce splashing. The poured-off liquid remains part of the same batch and will be recombined with the sediment.
2. Mix the remaining contents in the canister with a larger paddle attached to a cordless drill. Use a clean, dry paddle suitable for this material and secure the canister on a stable surface. Start at low speed to loosen the paste, then gradually increase the speed and incorporate it thoroughly into the remaining liquid. Keep the head submerged and clear of the sides and bottom, adjusting the speed to avoid splashing and unnecessary air bubbles.
3. Pour the mixed contents into the bucket containing the liquid set aside earlier. This progressively brings all components of the original pack back together.
4. Recover the paste trapped in the moulded recesses at the bottom too. After removing the paddle and pouring out the contents, in our workshop we cut open the emptied canister roughly halfway up to reach the remaining material. Use a clean spatula to scrape sediment from the recesses and sides into the same bucket. Keep all plastic cuttings out of the mixture when modifying the packaging.
5. Thoroughly mix the entire combined contents in the bucket until uniformly white and milky. No separate layers or unmixed paste should remain. Close the bucket after use and label it with the material and firmness grade. All components from the canister must stay together to preserve the correct plastisol formulation.

For later sessions, remix the material directly in the working bucket. Open the lid and homogenise the full volume again, including the bottom. In our workshop, after thorough initial preparation, this often takes about 30–60 seconds; the goal is a uniform milky consistency with no sediment, rather than a fixed mixing time. Pour the required portion into a borosilicate heating container, such as a 500 ml Pyrex jug, leaving enough space for stirring and heating.

Heating the prepared mixture

1. Continue stirring after transferring the mixture to a heating container. Our workshop experience shows that STP can separate again quickly, including during the early stages of heating. A thicker layer may form at the bottom while the rest of the mixture has a different consistency. At each pause in heating, stir the full volume, including the material at the bottom, rather than just the liquid at the top. Use a suitable dry hand-stirring tool in the heating container. Heat the material in working batches, not in the original canister.
2. When using a microwave, work in short heating cycles and stir after every cycle. During the first stage, we use roughly one minute as an upper guide at SAF; check earlier as needed for the amount, microwave power and temperature. Use shorter cycles for small batches, higher power settings and towards the end of heating. For initial heating, we recommend a maximum of 180 °C in the SAF workshop. For casting, our best results come at around 170 °C; keep the final reheats at approximately 175 °C or below. Towards the end, shorten each cycle further, stir the full volume frequently and check the temperature after mixing. Even heating without unnecessary temperature spikes helps preserve clarity and good casting behaviour. Around 200 °C is a critical upper limit. A brief spike towards this temperature need not mean immediate damage, but leaves very little margin against overheating. Do not aim for it or exceed it. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific material and container.
3. During initial processing, the mixture thickens and gels; this is a normal stage. Between heating cycles, stir slowly to incorporate thicker areas until the whole batch is fully processed. The finished uncoloured base should be uniformly clear, liquid and free of persistent unprocessed lumps. Work with effective ventilation and suitable eye and hand protection.

Stir thoroughly before using an infrared thermometer. It reads the surface temperature, which may be lower than that of the material at the bottom. First stir the entire volume slowly, including the bottom, then immediately measure the exposed plastisol surface rather than through the cup wall. A surface reading alone does not guarantee the temperature throughout the batch; a suitable contact thermometer can be used to check it.

A SAF workshop tip for regular bait making

If you cast regularly, you can fully process a larger quantity of clear base in advance, let it cool and set, then cut off and remelt only the pieces you need for your next session. This saves you from repeatedly incorporating sediment and carrying out the initial processing of the original liquid mixture.

This is an optional workshop tip. You can equally prepare just the amount you need each time from a thoroughly mixed working bucket. Process a full 5 L canister in batches suited to your container and heating method. Keep the solidified base clean, dry and labelled with its firmness grade. Continue stirring and checking the temperature when remelting.