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Pie Dish Dilemna - Rough, Porous Clay


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Hello CAC -

I am new, and a novice at pottery. I have a question about rough, porous clay. I have a pie dish I just bought at a craft fair. I am told it is made from rough, porous clay suitable for baking with. But grains of something keep falling off the unglazed bottom whenever I pick it up and put it down. Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

I've wiped it off half a dozen times, and picked up and put it down even more, but it keeps happening. I even baked with it, and it's still doing it. It's very fine grains, and you can't really see it. But if you wipe your hand where it was sitting, you feel it.

 

I was able to contact the person who made it, but I don't think she understands what's happening and I haven't been able to talk to her since.

 

Is there a type of pottery that behaves like this but is still good?

 

Thanks.

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You do want coarser clay for oven ware to handle the heat shock. She has added sand into her clay. It should not be coming off the bottom. I am assuming that the inside is glazed so not a problem there.

If this sand issue bothers you, contact her and ask for your money back.

TJR.

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For any ceramic piece that is meant for functional use, nothing should be shedding from the pot. Also, the clay does not need to be rough and porous to work as bakeware, so that statement makes me skeptical too. The contact you made with her also raises red flags (she didn't seem to understand, and you haven't been able to reach her since), that sounds like a person who is communicating poorly on purpose. I would not continue to use the piece. I would also try to return it, if you think it will be worth the hassle.

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GEP;

I do make pie dishes and I use a coarser clay than my regular white Laguna. There is some grog in the body. Good for casseroles and pie dishes. I always state to the buyer not to put the piece on direct heat and heat up slowly in the oven.

I do not have any sand or coarse material coming off my pieces. I say return it for your money back or exchange for something different.

TJR.

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No argument with your post TJR. I agree that a groggy clay is more heat resistant than something very smooth. I guess I should have been clearer that the word I am objecting to is "porous." Grog does not make a claybody porous. A porous pot will retain moisture, and therefore make it less suitable for oven or microwave use. This is the part that makes me skeptical of the potter here. 

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No argument with your post TJR. I agree that a groggy clay is more heat resistant than something very smooth. I guess I should have been clearer that the word I am objecting to is "porous." Grog does not make a claybody porous. A porous pot will retain moisture, and therefore make it less suitable for oven or microwave use. This is the part that makes me skeptical of the potter here. 

I agree. Especially if she does not return the purchase,

Tom.

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If she isn't answering you now I would contact the organizers of the craft fair where you bought it. Let them know why you want to speak to the maker and ask them for her contact info or leave yours with them for her to contact you if they don't want to give it out. If she wants to be a vendor again in that craft fair she will want to make you happy. (if it's a half way reputable craft fair)

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I think everybody is a little too quick to blame the hard working potter making their baking dishes, or maybe I am too optimistic :huh: . The situation just sounds very odd.

 

Something could have been lost in explanation and the bare clay is just 'collecting' bits from the surface/tables while in use. I would imagine unglazed pottery is good at collecting the crumbs.

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Guest JBaymore

........sat on silica sand in the kiln, some happened to migrate into the pores?

 

That concept was my guess at reading this.

 

best,

 

................john

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Thank you for the responses. Here's feedback to some of them:

 

I did consider the "crumb theory," and that maybe there were already crumbs or whatever on the table from something else. But I dismissed this because I checked for it. I set the plate down on the table, picked it up, wiped off the plate, wiped off the table, felt the table & plate for anything left on it - nothing, and set the plate down again. Again, fine bits of something were left on the table. I repeated this several times.

 

I do think much less is coming off now however.

 

I'm not sure, but did someone question why I have not returned this yet? I waited because I wanted to give this every chance for a reasonable explanation. I'm not interested in returning the plate, I want to keep it - IF it's good. For so many reasons I prefer to keep it (biggest one, the hassle of doing a return with someone not local).  Anyway, I did initiate a return, and waiting to hear back from the potter. 

 

Thanks for all the input.

 

 

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(Get some 220 grit wet-dry sandpaper (the black stuff) at the hardware store and wet sand the bottom of the pot until it is very smooth, and stops shedding. Let it dry, and see if it continues to shed.)

 

This makes the most sense.

Mark

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My guess, could be earthernware that sat on silica sand in the kiln, some happened to migrate into the pores?

 

Totally confused on what this could be. That is my best/worst guess. Never heard of any clay body dropping small sandy particles.

 

Similar thought/speculation.  Maybe the potter has mixed alumina into their wax and it migrated into the pores? This can leave a dusty fine residue on the pot.  If its this, the pot should be fine once all the alumina is cleaned up.  

 

+1 for Neil's wet sanding suggestion.

 

-SD  

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