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Refined Iron-Rich Clay Slip: the Finest Fraction Settled Out for Black Gloss
The black gloss of Greek vases is a slip of the same iron-rich clay as the pot, made only of its finest particles. Fired in three stages, oxidising, reducing and reoxidising, it stays glossy black while the body turns back to red. Stir the clay in water, let the coarse part settle, and keep only the finest.
The picture: our diagram, clay in water, coarse settled, fine slip kept.
Intermediate
About a week
Instructions
1
1
Slake
Slake
Break the dry clay small and soak it in plenty of water in a tub until it falls apart. Stir it thin and sieve out grit.
Materials for this step:
Terracotta Clay5 kgTools needed:
Wooden Tub
Water
Wooden Paddle
Fine Sieve
Balance Scale2
2
Settle and pour off
Settle and pour off
Let it stand until the coarse part has settled, then pour off the still-cloudy water into a clean bucket, leaving the sediment.
Tools needed:
Wooden Tub
Bucket3
3
Repeat
Repeat
Let the poured-off water settle again and pour off once more; each round keeps only finer particles. Stop after two or three rounds.
Tools needed:
Bucket4
4
Thicken
Thicken
Let the last bucket stand for days until the fine clay settles, pour off the clear water and keep the thick slip covered.
Tools needed:
Bucket
Glass Jar5
5
How much is fine enough?
How much is fine enough?
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Materials
1- 5 kgPlaceholder
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