Can underglazes/glazes be reconstituted after drying out?

[Wingnut]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have not used my glazes in about a year.  Many of these glazes have dried up.  How can I save these?  Disposing of them seems like such a waste.  

TIA   Jane

[oldlady]

if you have made the glazes yourself, pour water into the container to cover the glaze about half an inch or so.   cover the container.  wait until at least 24 hours later and open the container to see how it reacted.   a cracked broken rough surface without water above the glaze will indicate you should be able to stir it, sieve it and use it.   if not, add water or delete water.  i have hard water and use distilled in all my glazes.  poke a spoon, dowel, anything into the glaze and try to stir it.  if too dry, add water.  if the water level is the same as it was when you closed the container, and you cannot poke it into life, you might try a blender.   if it is really too hard after all that, toss it.  safely.

if you have bought commercial glazes, wait for someone who uses them to reply.

[Min]

@Wingnut, same small containers as you asked about in this thread? Or, are these dipping glazes?

 

[Wingnut]

Thank you for your reply.  These are small commercial glazes.  I, too, have hard water, thanks for mentioning the distilled water.   I am going to try your suggestions.  Nothing to lose.

[Wingnut]

@Min  These are small commercial brand containers of underglazes and low-fire glazes.  

[Min]

I would take a tiny amount out of one of the jars and add a little water to it. Get it to a working consistency like others suggested in the other thread then try brushing it on a scrap of bisque. If your brush drags add a drop of brushing medium and try brushing again. When you have figured out how much (if any) brushing medium you need then mix up the rest of the jar of glaze or underglaze.

Lots of brands of commercial brushing medium like the one below, or you can mix your own.

[oldlady]

min made a great suggestion.   i am aware of several glaze suppliers who will sell you their "secret" brushing medium if you call and tell them your problem.   do NOT email.

if you go back to the first post in 2020, follow johnnyk's  suggestion about pulverizing the dry glaze with a coffe bean grinder.   sounds reasonable but i am allergic to coffee and would not know a grinder if i saw one.

[Rae Reich]

@oldlady’s advice worked well for me when I reconstituted ^06 glazes and  underglazes that had dried up in their jars. The coffee grinder idea is good if you need them faster than patiently waiting several days or longer (except for glazes with suspended crystals like Dalmatian or Tutti Frutti). Passing the re-wetted glaze through a strainer will even out lumps for consistency. 

[Chilly]

If they are completely dry, you need to either pulverise or scrape them - there is a tool that helps, like a loop tool, but sharp.

Wear a mask, as you will be making dust.

 

[LeeU]

I hate rehydrating glaze or reclaiming dried clay. If I catch it early before it accumulates, I'm OK with doing it in small doses--but once the dried glaze/clay began to pile up, I donated it to a ceramics student & a hobby potter who don't mind doing the work to bring it back to life.  I lost the money but considered it a small donation for a good cause and then bought fresh. 

[Chilly]

On 6/28/2022 at 9:24 PM, LeeU said:

I hate rehydrating glaze or reclaiming dried clay.......

 

I lost the money........

I so agree with you @LeeU.

Time is money too, and hours spent re-hydrating is time I could be doing much more interesting things.  Problem is, I have some discontinued glazes that I love !

[Bam2015]

Lee & Chilly,

I so agree with you. I have limited free time to work with clay and don't want to spend it on reclaim or rehydration. I too donate instead. 

Betty