New To Ceramics

[Reglazer]

Hi

I made cool things in Ceramics in 1970 middle school. Have not done any since but I have a question.

I have a favorite Tea Mug that has lost its glaze and stains every time I use it.

I was hoping someone could suggest how I could economically reglaze the cup without buying a kiln or building a workshop?

Is there an inexpensive method to safety fix thing cup without having to bleach each time

Thank you 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I hate to tell you this but the short answer is that it’s probably not feasible at all to reglaze your cup. Without knowing exactly how the mug was made, what clay and glazes were used originally, the chances of ruining it  are pretty high. Also, if the glaze has worn off, that’s a sign you probably shouldn’t be using it at all for beverages. 

There aren’t any sealers or anything like that that are approved for food use. We do get that question from time to time too. 

If it’s a pot you purchased, it seems like time to go get a new favourite handmade mug, or if you’re interested, take some clay classes and get back into it!

[LeeU]

I develop strong attachments to certain objects and I get pretty bummed when they have become flawed/worn to the point of that little voice saying "you really ought to throw it out". I discovered a reasonably tolerable solution. I either make an art object out of it (including sometimes smashing/tearing whatever it is to pieces to make a collage from it, and frame it in a shadow box, or I take the best photos I can and then do something creative or special with the photos. Over time I have learned to "let go" of more and more stuff-to be satisfied with "honoring" it by keeping a small remembrance. The result is I have a small collection of weird fragments of things that mean a lot to me and make no sense to anyone else. 

[Sorcery]

Pic!

Sorce

[Piedmont Pottery]

It's a long-shot, but if you're really keen on reglazing your mug, if you have a paint-your-own bisque shop in your area it's possible that they might be willing to dip your mug in transparent glaze and fire it.  Getting uniform glaze application to an already vitrified piece will be challenging, and there is a good chance that the glaze will not be a goof fit for your clay body, so crazing is likely.  Those places typically fire to cone 06, so unlikely to melt your mug.  However, I don't put anything in my kilns that I don't know the origins of, and many potters I know have a similar philosophy.

There are also food-safe epoxy paints you could consider, but care has to be taken to assure that the epoxy cures fully in order to be food safe.  Neither of these are really good options.  I tend to agree with LeeU, that it's best to repurpose your mug and seek out a local potter make you another.  A fair amount of my custom orders are for replacement replicas for broken favorite items.  Talk to your local potter, show him/her the mug, and see if they can replicate it.  Then plant a succulent in your old mug and put it somewhere that you can enjoy looking at it every day.

 

[LeeU]

On 2/25/2021 at 11:46 AM, Piedmont Pottery said:

Then plant a succulent in your old mug and put it somewhere that you can enjoy looking at it every day.

Yeah---do that!!! (Why didn't I think of that?) 

[Hulk]

A masonry bit turns a bad pot into a good planter fairly quickly/easily. Sometimes the piece breaks - perhaps one in thirty. A drill press is an advantage. Keep the point of attack wet. Protect ears, eyes, fingers. Consider spending a bit more for a quality bit, which (I find) lasts longer and drills faster.