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What Causes Glaze/clay 'tide Mark'?


PottaFella

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The interesting browny-orange coloured line that appears like a tide mark between glaze and clay body, does it have a name, does anyone know what causes it – is it mostly clay or a specific glaze glaze or combination, and can it be controlled?

 

I am going to do some tests but It would be good if someone can give me some clues what to look for.

 

The clay was a basic buff/grey stoneware electric fired to cone 6 and glaze is:

 

EC semi crystal glaze:

Neph Sy 40

Dolomite 15

Whting 8

Barium Carb 7

Flint 27

Bentonite 3

Copper Ox 1%

post-61816-0-40379000-1425029569_thumb.jpg

post-61816-0-40379000-1425029569_thumb.jpg

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If you glazed, and then took a damp sponge and lightly feathered the edge all around does the

line go away?  Does this show up on all the pottery using the same clay and glaze?

What happens if you change clay body or glaze?

Alabama

Hi, yes it does appear always with this combination of clay and glaze, I don't know about feathering the glaze, one to try, likewise I have not yet tried the glaze on another clay. Thanks for the ideas!

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I absolutely love that toasty line! It is also in the thin area around the lip and handle. Yummy!

 

I have a clay I sometimes use when I want to carve into a surface ... When I use a turquoise glaze it breaks on the edges with that wonderful color. I was told it had to do with the iron in the clay body but I can't swear to that.

I can't get to it right now but when I can I will take a picture and add it.

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I absolutely love that toasty line! It is also in the thin area around the lip and handle. Yummy!

 

I have a clay I sometimes use when I want to carve into a surface ... When I use a turquoise glaze it breaks on the edges with that wonderful color. I was told it had to do with the iron in the clay body but I can't swear to that.

I can't get to it right now but when I can I will take a picture and add it.

I so agree, it is the kind of character/effect I am trying to achieve in my firings. I'd like to be able to replicate it with other glazes/clays, if I can only work out what causes it... 

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Here is the image showing the turquoise glaze and the toasty lines. This was made very early in my clay career ... maybe the '90s so I now cringe at the crazing.

That toasty effect is very similar isn't it!  So, maybe it is the copper oxide – if that is what you used too?

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Ive also have this happen, I've noticed this with just about every stoneware I've used. Maybe it has to do with the heat? Ive never seen it happen on a foot ring but it will always happen on either an unglazed rim or glaze part on the side of the vessel.

Yes, I've seen it on other stoneware too, I need to try and track down the exact cause if I can. Thanks for the ideas!

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I've had that happen when the kiln was over-firing.  Assumed the clay was "burnt".

 

Love that glaze, I have all the ingredients except the Barium Carb.  What will happen?   Yeah, yeah, put it into DigitalFire and find out.  Hummmm, I tried using that lovely software and couldn't understand the results.  Maybe I'll try it and test it and find out the manual way!

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Here is a link to the soluability of things with a list of many common ceramic materials. I still think it is the soluble salts from the glaze that seep into the clay further than the solids. In this case, the barium carbonate. The salts fume during the firing and create that blush along the edge.

http://www.solubilityofthings.com/water/ions_solubility/ksp_chart.php

 

Marcia

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I had a turquoise glaze that I was testing. It had that toasty blush, which I loved. I took it and used it as a positive decorating motif.[see my gallery images for those turquoise mugs] I used a resist technique, and SHABAM!.

The glaze used barium- switched to Strontium. It also has copper.

Soda ash would also cause blushing.

One solution for you, if you don't like the effect, is to glaze all the waty to the bottom of the piece.

TJR.

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I remembered Chilly posting this image. As you can see the neph and wood ash have the sodium flashing round the edges. This happens to my glazes with no barium or copper in.

 

Raw%20Materials%20Test%20Tile%20a.jpg

That's interesting!

 

Maybe one of the brainy guys on here will be able to tell us what it is that Neph Sy and Wood Ash have in common that they both give the 'toasty' tide line?

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