Whiskeyandwhite 0 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Hi there I'm after some advice please. Currently I'm working with vintage China dinnerware and have been turning it into wearable pieces, I'm looking for a permanent way to seal the cut parts of my pieces and was wondering if a clear glaze would be an option ? Can old China be refired? I had been using an epoxy resin but I'm not very happy with the results . Thanks in advance Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marcia Selsor 1,920 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Maybe sand with a diamond pad. I will smooth the edges. I have had jewelry from sea worn shards that are very lovely. Marcia Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Campbell 1,228 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I agree with Marcia about simply sanding them until they are super smooth. Re-firing them could be a problem as some of the decoration on them could be decals, China paints or gold lusters which are fired very low ... Like cone 018-023. You would lose them or they would change color or fade. I personally don't know of an over glaze that fires at that low of a temperature, but someone else might. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alabama 154 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 >>>Maybe sand with a diamond pad. I will smooth the edges. Marcia<<< I agree with Chris and Marcia for a couple of reasons... 1. Your porcelin doesn't need to be food safe. 2. The epoxy might cause someone somewhere to have a reaction to said sealant. 3. I think this is one of those cases where "less is more". And if anyone takes that to mean "more better" thats fine. Alabama Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Denice 814 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Refiring them could be a problem you don't know what the original temp or the glaze formula. Just for fun I reglazed some china plates and they looked fine when they came out of the firing. Six months later I am working in my studio and I here bing, bing, bing, I look up and the plates I had standing on edge was shooting off the glaze across the room like shards of glass. Denice Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rakukuku 122 Posted March 15, 2015 Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 I have heard of people using a tile grout sealer on raku and other things, but i have no experience with it. the sanding sounds good to me. these are beautiful pieces.rakuku Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whiskeyandwhite 0 Posted March 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2015 Thanks heaps for the advice . Defiantly not keen to have glaze pinging off like glass shards!! Yep I've sanded them down to remove all sharp edges and make them smooth but I'm finding some of the China and especially the retro stoneware items are still quite porous so when you wear them body oil etc is staining the cut edges . All I could think of was maybe glazing but I'll look into grout sealer. Thanks again Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Campbell 1,228 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Maybe you could just advise washing them occasionally with soap and water ... That would be better than introducing a possible allergen. Most people know that jewelry needs to be cleaned so it wouldn't be a huge negative. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whiskeyandwhite 0 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Hmmm washing isn't really an option they tend to stain plus I'm not keen to sell an unfinished product . Thoughts on painting on glaze only on exposed cuts then using a small butane torch so not heating the whole thing? Too far? Too macgyver ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris Campbell 1,228 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Think about physics ... There is no way to heat one small part without heating the whole thing. I would advise you ask on the China painting group / forum ... I am pretty sure there is one ... It might even be a yahoo group. They will have much more experience with low fired finishes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nancy S. 22 Posted March 22, 2015 Report Share Posted March 22, 2015 What about clear nail polish? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BoyMom 0 Posted November 8, 2020 Report Share Posted November 8, 2020 Did you ever find a solution? I am teaching myself to make jewelry from broken china so that I can make keepsakes for my Mother, Sister, & myself - my Grandmother painted china and a couple of her pieces are broken beyond repair. I want to protect the paint & increase durability (the pieces are at least 50 years old). Looking for a clear coat that will not yellow. Wondering if clear nail polish will work well. I can't find anyone on the internet who makes broken china jewelry who is willing to answer the question, share tips, or 'divulge their secrets'. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Callie Beller Diesel 2,736 Posted November 8, 2020 Report Share Posted November 8, 2020 @BoyMomif you have a look at the OP’s profile, they haven’t been back to the forum in 5 years, unfortunately. If your grandmother’s china was bone China or porcelain, your best bet is probably the sandpaper methods mentioned. You should be able to polish the edges to a glassy finish if you use increasingly smaller grits, like the kinds used for automotive finishing. If you were to do do a lot of it, some diamond sanding pads could be worth tracking down. BoyMom 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oldlady 2,922 Posted November 8, 2020 Report Share Posted November 8, 2020 (edited) i have seen some pendant pieces of old china covered in what looks like gold on the edges. maybe some kind of came like that used by stained glass artists would work. old work was done with lead, today there must be something else available. was sure i typed "came" but it came out "cane". Edited November 25, 2020 by oldlady correction BoyMom 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BoyMom 0 Posted November 23, 2020 Report Share Posted November 23, 2020 Thanks. I knew it was a long shot asking so long after the OP - but thought I'd give it a try. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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