SydneyGee Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 My husband, who is a geologist, and I were walking with a friend in a canyon. I kept seeing nice clay deposits and my husband told me to rub some on my teeth and chew, if it is rough and sandy it is silt, if it is smooth, then it is clay. After eating several different deposits, we deduced that it was all silt. Still... I wonder how it would throw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 like this . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 I knew a guy once who, when adding handles to pots, would score the mug (teapot, jug, whatever), score the handle, and attach them with spit by licking the handle end. And it wasn't just a few at a go, either: his daily production was crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coyle Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 it wouldn't.... I tied throwing very fine silt and since it did not have the plate like structure of clay, it would not throw no matter how fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnolia Mud Research Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 depends on what you are throw it at and why . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 i mean i understand its edible. but i dont get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydneyGee Posted November 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 i mean i understand its edible. but i dont get it. I ate it to tell if it was clay or silt. Just for curiosity sake. God made dirt and dirt don't hurt! Mud on our faces, mud in our food. Just because we can, I guess? @Magnolia I have just be toying with the idea of hand building something from our local clay just to see if I can. I could probably nab a few supplies from the ceramics lab to make it more workable. @Bob even with enough additives, would it slab or pinch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2016 Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 Ok, I accidentally tasted some clay today... It needed some salt and pepper. Maybe next time I can garnish it with some basil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted November 5, 2016 Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 I probably have consumed a ton of clay over the last 45 years working with clay. I also use spit to attach handles, knobs ect. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coyle Posted November 5, 2016 Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 If you add enough clay to it then it will work... You have to have the basic plate structure for it to hold together and fire to a durable solid. You might try adding the silt into a clay body to get interesting textures. I have made slips this way. Give it a try. Eating clay is not so unusual. It has been used to absorb accidental poisons and to stop diarrhea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnolia Mud Research Posted November 5, 2016 Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 @SydneyGee I have made clay from the fines ('silt') from the bottom of our dry pond as well as the clay from digging the pond; it is still porous at cone 10 (even with various levels up to 15% lime) . My assessment is that it needs some 'flux' components, not more ball clay. I would suggest a line blend with a feldspathic material from say 0 to 25 pct by weight. I frequently use slip made from the pond clay (silt?) as a decorative surface treatment on cone 10 fired ware. It fires to a nice dry red textured surface. It also makes a nice terra sig. LT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydneyGee Posted November 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2016 @Denice, well you're still alive and kicking right? Can't be so bad! @Magnolia, hmmm, so more stuff to make it melt together and vitrify. What I had in mind was mostly just something decorative, not really functional. Just to say I made it from our local clay! Would love to see what it does. Also wanted to try some of the clay in Death Valley, but forgot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 Was this a subtle message from your partner so that you stopped talking for a few minutes? Wouldn't trial a lot of clay in a small time space, can have a clogging effect on some bodily functions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SydneyGee Posted November 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 Was this a subtle message from your partner so that you stopped talking for a few minutes? Wouldn't trial a lot of clay in a small time space, can have a clogging effect on some bodily functions. Probably not, he was in a deep conversation with our friend who had joined for the walk. I was too busy looking for birds, lizards, snakes and clay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coyle Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 Speaking of mud from Death Valley... The is an outcrop of the K/T boundary on a ridge in Raton New Mexico.... think giant asteroid... dead dinos... that has mudstone on either side of the boundary layer. I made glazes using the clay from each layer and glazed mugs so that all three geological eras were there in order. on he outside. Geologists and paleontologists loved them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 Yeh a geologist partner could be very useful in the potter's world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyndham Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 The tasting method was used by the early Seagrove (NC)potters to tell when they passed the grittier strata and in to the smooth production clay. the mouth is more sensitive than fingers. Cream cheese looks like a really good training tool for turning porcelain, or visa versa. Wyndham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted November 10, 2016 Report Share Posted November 10, 2016 John Britt, smile, is it the clay working that attracts the strong streaks of madness running thro' clay workers? Just an observation by an interested bystander, on my head at the mo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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