If you've spent some time browsing our range, you may have wondered which is the best material for you. There are three completely different materials, they all look amazing, and it's hard to know their properties from the photos. Which one actually suits you?
Good news: there isn't a wrong answer here, because there isn't a "best" material. Premium Nylon, Crystal, and Metal Claws are built for different experiences, not different quality tiers. This guide breaks down what each one actually does, where it shines, and how to think about your first (or fifth) set. Each material is the best at something.
Sharp vs scratchy: the idea that unlocks the whole choice
Before the materials themselves, one distinction makes everything else click: sharp and scratchy are not the same thing. The style of Claw you choose sets the sharpness; the material sets the scratch.
A razor blade is sharp but not scratchy. A sanding block is blunt but scratchy. Your style sets the sharpness. Your material sets the scratch.
Nylon is our scratchiest material, with matte titanium close behind. Crystal and polished metals are smoother, still sharp, and that smoothness tends to allow longer play before a receiver's nerves top out for stimulation. This page is about materials, and therefore scratchiness among other properties; sharpness is covered in our Claw Styles Guide.
Premium Nylon Claws: the reliable baseline
Premium Nylon
The scratchiest, toughest, most forgiving set. The classic sensation.
Premium Nylon Claws are precision-manufactured from PA12 (PA2200) using SLS 3D printing, the same biocompatible material we cover in detail in "Are Nylon Claws Safe?". They're our reference point for sensation: smooth internal finger cups for comfort, the scratchiest tips in the range for that distinctive drag, and a high flexibility that makes them genuinely durable through repeat and rough use.
They're also vegan, sold in sets of five (every Claw in a set is a different size, including four fingers and a thumb), and available across all five styles.
Worth knowing: Nylon is cleanable with everyday anti-bacterial products or hot soapy water, but it is not sterilisable. The manufacturing process leaves microporosities that make full sterilisation impossible, the same reason this applies to leather or wood toys. If sterility between partners or sessions is your top priority, that's the one thing Nylon can't offer. Crystal and Metal both can (more below).
- Texture: the scratchiest, toughest, most "classic" sensation.
- Good to know: PA12 (PA2200), biocompatible, vegan, sets of five, every style.
- Fit: flexible, so the most forgiving to size. An excellent first set.
- Not for: sterilising between partners.
Crystal Claws: the atmosphere
Crystal
Clear and UV-reactive. Smooth glide, built for presence and mood.
Crystal Claws are SLA 3D printed from a biocompatible, dental-grade resin, the same clear, UV-reactive material that makes them glow and catch light the way Nylon and Metal simply can't. They're built for presence and mood: think blacklight scenes, ritual framing, slow tease, photography. The surface is smooth rather than scratchy, still sharp, and that gliding quality tends to allow longer sessions before the receiver's nerves top out. Flexibility is lower than Nylon, so they're not designed for heavy pressure or forceful scratching, and style availability currently includes Kitten and Wolfcat.
Worth knowing: Crystal Claws are sterilisable. Wipe them down with Viraclean or a similar disinfectant for hygienic reuse between partners or sessions. That puts Crystal alongside Metal as one of our two sterilisable collections (Nylon is the exception, see above).
- Texture: smooth glide, still sharp, built for longer sessions.
- Signature: clear, UV-reactive, does as much work in a photo as in a scene.
- Care: sterilisable by wipe-down (Viraclean or similar).
- Not for: heavy pressure or forceful scratching.
Metal Claws: temperature, conductivity, and finish
Metal
Titanium or aluminium. Temperature play, electroplay, and your choice of finish.
Metal Claws are 3D printed in titanium or aluminium using metal additive manufacturing, and here's a thing that surprises people: they're extremely light. Both metals are famously lightweight, so don't picture gauntlets, picture precision instruments. What metal changes is everything else: genuine temperature play (cool metal against skin is its own thing), and conductivity, which makes Metal Claws our electroplay-compatible option. Violet wand users, this is your collection.
Titanium is Ti-6Al-4V Grade 23, the same alloy grade specified under ASTM F136 and ASTM F3001 for surgical implants and instruments. Matte titanium sits close to Nylon on the scratchiness scale for that familiar grip.
Aluminium is printed in AlSi10Mg / Al6061. Like titanium it is extremely light, and a polished aluminium finish is smoother, still sharp, and glides like Crystal, allowing longer play before nerves top out. Aluminium is also a little softer than titanium, which makes small adjustments to fit that bit easier.
Finish is yours to choose: matte for grip, polished for glide, so within one collection you can pick your texture.
Worth knowing: Metal is sterilisable too. Aluminium and titanium can be autoclaved or boiled for hygienic reuse between partners or sessions, a step up from Crystal's wipe-down method. They're available in matte or polished finishes and, like Nylon, come in sets of five.
- Texture: your choice of matte (grippy) or polished (smooth glide).
- Signature: temperature play and electroplay. Titanium is Ti-6Al-4V Grade 23, the same alloy grade used for surgical implants; aluminium is AlSi10Mg / Al6061. Both extremely light.
- Fit: aluminium is a little softer, so small size adjustments are easier.
- Care: fully sterilisable by autoclave or boiling.
At a glance
| Collection | Texture | Signature | Sterilisable | Electroplay | Comes in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nylon | Scratchiest | Classic drag, tough, forgiving fit | No | No | All five styles |
| Crystal | Smooth glide | Clear, UV-reactive | Yes (wipe-down) | No | Kitten, Wolfcat |
| Metal | Matte or polished | Temperature & electroplay | Yes (autoclave/boil) | Yes | Kitten, Wolfcat (+ pendant) |
A style is not a material
One thing that trips people up: Wolfcat, Kitten, Steampunk, Armour, and Skull are styles. They describe the shape and visual identity of the Claw, not what it's made from. Every style is available across multiple materials, so "I want Kitten Claws" is only half the decision. The real question is always "which style, in which material." Our Claw Styles Guide compares all five.
FAQ
Can I own more than one material? Many people end up doing exactly this: Nylon for everyday play, Crystal for set-piece scenes, Metal for temperature or electroplay. They're complementary, not competing.
Which material should a first-timer start with? Premium Nylon is the easiest entry point: the most accessible price, the classic scratchy sensation profile, and it's the baseline every other material gets compared against.
Does material affect sizing? No: our sizing guide and standard size sets apply the same way across all three collections. The small exception is that nylon's flexibility makes it more forgiving to size, and aluminium's softness makes small adjustments easier.
Still torn between two?
Take a look at our Find Your Claws hub, where you can answer a few questions designed to help you decide. Or start with the Claw Styles Guide to settle the shape first. Everything is designed in-house and made in Melbourne.