kande04

Also, if it's a pH problem, have you tried vinegar?

I'm a little late here, but was just throwing with my thixotropic clay and got the bright idea that maybe I should do an internet search to see if there might be a reasonably easy way to fix it. I already tried Bentonite, and that just made it shrink more so I stopped. Someone also suggested I add about 15% kaolin, ball clay, silica, feldspar, and maybe one other (I can look that up if anyone wants to know) and then adjust the amounts after testing. I tried that and it might help, although my clay is so variable (before additions) that I'm not sure if the improved results were because it was better clay, or the additions helped? Also, if I'm going to add that much other stuff I'm not sure there's much advantage to using wild clay? But anyway, something I tried today that I haven't before, is I threw with a sponge in my hand, and that really helped. I'm reasonably happy with the clay once it's fired, although it certainly isn't as easy to dry, glaze, and fire as the commercial clay bodies I was using, but the convenience of not having to make a 2 hour round trip to pick up clay, and the price may make the extra effort worth it.