Fixing a small crack in leather hard piece

[Pugaboo]

I made an 8x10x3/8 inch underglaze test tile to test out how underglazes change with more layers and glaze, etc. unfortunately I think I waited too long to poke the holes in the upper corners since I now see a small crack forming on 1 corner. Is there a way to fix this? In class my teacher used, vinegar I think, to fix a greenware piece that someone cracked while doing their final sanding before bisque. Was it vinegar he used and if so what else was mixed with it?

 

If I can't fix it its not the end of the world since its just for my reference but was hoping to be able to hang it on the studio wall. Thank you for any help you can give.

 

Terry

[Calynda]

I made an 8x10x3/8 inch underglaze test tile to test out how underglazes change with more layers and glaze, etc. unfortunately I think I waited too long to poke the holes in the upper corners since I now see a small crack forming on 1 corner. Is there a way to fix this? In class my teacher used, vinegar I think, to fix a greenware piece that someone cracked while doing their final sanding before bisque. Was it vinegar he used and if so what else was mixed with it?

 

If I can't fix it its not the end of the world since its just for my reference but was hoping to be able to hang it on the studio wall. Thank you for any help you can give.

 

Terry

 

 

Hi, Terry:

 

Here is the method I use. It works quite well for leather-hard and also for bone-dry, if the crack is small.

 

I put a small amount of white vinegar into a tiny bowl, then add an approximately equal small amount of dilute Darvan (I keep a small tightly capped jar of this on hand - one part Darvan, seventeen parts water). I then use a brush to apply the "magic glue" to the crack and the area around it. Give it a few seconds for the magic glue to sink in. Then I use the tip of my pin tool to slightly rough up the area of the crack - making a tiny mucky bit. Add a bit more magic glue if necessary. I then take a tiny ball or coil of clay (enough to fill the crack), press it into the crack and smear it around the dampened area, then smooth it out level with the surounding clay. To smooth it I use my finger or the curved back of a wooden modelling tool. It works 99% of the time. If the crack goes right through, repeat this process on the reverse side.

 

Good luck!

 

Lynne N.

[Pugaboo]

Thank you!

[Marcia Selsor]

I use powdered clay and vinegar to make a paste. You can mix sponge by Peggy Heer. in archive.

Marcia