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Will firing make imperfections more or less noticeable?


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I'm making unglazed-ware-- specifically yixing teapots. I won't get to fire them for a very long time. Which is fine, I nee to practice.

 

But I wonder what firing will do.

 

How will it change burnishing?

 

ttt2.jpg

Is burnishing worth it?

 

Will it tone down imperfections or heighten them?

 

My goal here is *perfection* for it to look almost machine-made. I'm always looking for way to improve symmetry and smoothness.

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Futurebird;

Yixing teapots are burnished and are unglazed. Purchase or make some terra sigilatta.[look it up].Brush it on the leather hard pot. Burnish with a spoon or a stone.

Then you will smooth out some imperfections.

TJR.

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I'm making unglazed-ware-- specifically yixing teapots. I won't get to fire them for a very long time. Which is fine, I nee to practice.

 

But I wonder what firing will do.

 

How will it change burnishing?

 

ttt2.jpg

 

Is burnishing worth it?

 

Will it tone down imperfections or heighten them?

 

My goal here is *perfection* for it to look almost machine-made. I'm always looking for way to improve symmetry and smoothness.

 

 

I've seen but haven't read your other posts about making these teapots, so sorry about asking questions that you've already answered elsewhere and I'm too lazy to look up, but: These are handbuilt, right? Are these your first teapots? (I like them.) Since I don't know how high they will be fired, I don't know if burnishing is worth it, but am guessing that it isn't.

 

Jim

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Burnishing is a low fire technique, never meant to be fired higher than cone06.Neil and Jim are correct. It will burn off in higher temperatures.

TJR.

 

 

How do the masters get their pots so shiny? I know some are polished after firing-- or coated in tea after years of use... but even new pots seem to shine...

 

18th+century+Yixing+teapots.jpg

 

The idea of using slip to burnish in interesting, but I wonder of it is done that way in China. This clay has been worked for 600 years I want to learn the traditional way before I modify it

 

I was told that you polish the pot with ox horn... so that's what I tried to do.

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I've seen but haven't read your other posts about making these teapots, so sorry about asking questions that you've already answered elsewhere and I'm too lazy to look up, but: These are handbuilt, right? Are these your first teapots? (I like them.) Since I don't know how high they will be fired, I don't know if burnishing is worth it, but am guessing that it isn't.

 

Jim

 

 

 

These are my 12th and 13th hand built pots you don't want to see the first one. laugh.gif

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Guest JBaymore

Maybe make a terra sig out of the Yixing clay body you are using. Not hard to do. Google it.

 

best,

 

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

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It is my understanding that Yixing clay (zisha clay) unique to Yixing, and thus maybe the shine comes from the properties of that clay, rather than burnishing or terra sig. I think I read that it has iron, quartz and mica in the clay, and is running out. Get those teapots while you still can.

 

John

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