Potter's Tips from John Shirley

A SIMPLE TIP TO REDUCE THE CRACKING OF THROWN FLATWARE:

THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF CRACKING IN FLATWARE IS THE USE OF GUT FOR CUTTING THROUGH THE WORK. TRY SUBSTITUTING A TWISTED CUTTING WIRE FOR THE GUT AND YOU WILL BE SURPRISED. THE PROBLEM WITH GUT IS THAT IT IS SMOOTH AND OFTEN THE ITEMS RE-STICK AFTER CUTTING THROUGH, AND HENCE THE CRACKING WHICH SOMETIMES ONLY SHOWS UP IN THE GLAZE FIRING. THE TWISTED WIRE DOES A MORE EFFICIENT JOB OF RELEASING THE WARE FROM THE WHEEL OR BAT AND GREATLY REDUCES RISK OF CRACKING