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Thank you, i found some pieces that i had rubbed with the black oxide and then used the varnish. I did this 3 years ago, just found, and they are fine. Think I'll go ahead.

I recently covered a stoneware cone 10 piece in heavy black iron oxide, I then washed it all off, changing my plan. The resulting bisque piece is super gorgeous, showing texture etc, and it was suggested by a few other potters to leave it the way it is. Don't glaze and fire again. My question is : will the oxide "powder" eventually wear off? And also, my desire now is to cover the piece in clear water soluble non yellowing varnish that I use on my paintings. I have done this before on bisque ware and the result is great when it is a decorative piece, and I am not using glaze but want a smoother surface. BUT, will the oxide fade even thru the varnish? Suggestions....thank you

Thanks Kelly and Rae Yes, did everything with care and it came apart today when I was very carefully scraping off the little excess dried spooze sludge. the contact spots were just too minimal. however, I am now left with two wonderful pieces that after sanding off the dried sludge can now be put thru the bisque and then glazed etc in another way. It was worth all the effort and I am still committed to forging ahead with geometric shapes and balance. thanks, Maine is a wonderful place to be working with clay.... cheers, Robin

Thank you Rae. A further question about your thoughts is below. Yes, i want a clean look. It is now bone dry, both pieces. I am not going to do the wire fix. I am thinking spooze the pieces together and bisque carefully. Then glaze very carefully. I tend to simple glazing and/or oxides. I use a cone 10 gas kiln. The glaze method you suggest is exactly what i plan of if go that route. BUT, and your response will be greatly appreciated, is spoozing the two pieces together for the bisque, and then a simple glaze more apt to work vs glazing as glue, which you say is very fragile.... As it won't be moved around much the fragility factor is maybe non issue. Bleh, stuck here.

Hello Kelly in AK. This is hopeful. I had thought of the gravity issue, total bonus. And I've been intrigued by the concept of glaze as glue but no one i know had done it. I saw the technique discussed somewhere, soak both pieces at the small part of the bisque ware where it will be connected, so that the glaze will NOT dry when glazed, then add the second piece and hope that stays. Is that your info, the method ?

Hi Johnny, thanks for you response. Yes, this is cone 10, a wonderful Sheffield clay that I have had great luck with. the vinegar method hasn't seen good luck in my studio, esp with flat smooth pieces. But that may be all that's left....Spooze method.. I am soaking dried clay body pieces as we speak. I will see if anyone has any ideas about he wires. cheers from Maine

I spent days making a cone 10 sculptural piece. when almost bone dry, while moving it an attached base piece came off. I am really trying to reattach the broken piece and am thinking about various methods and stages. I do not want to simply "do it again" if I can otherwise fix it. Both pieces are still in perfect shape, closed forms and smooth sides. See photos. It is the small base piece that came off.. Originally put on with "score and slip" and dried VERY VERY slowly. I am wondering about two options : 1. attaching at the glaze stage by saturating the bisque small areas and then glazing until they stick, OR, 2. I am really wondering what people think about using appropriate wire to simply stick straight wire pieces at the original attachment area from one to the other for initial bisque and therefore they would be attached when ready to glaze? I really want this to work. this is the only one of a few that did this, it may have been the design balance issue... I am uploading and HOPE they come thru to show the base piece I am talking about. THANKS< ANY IDEAS ARE WELCOME !