The KEY to Making Successful Pulled Handles

Описание: The same few questions always come up when I show the handling process, the first asking whether I attach these blanks immediately, or whether they’ll allowed to stiffen up before being joined and pulled into their final shape. Waiting for them to dry does feel intuitive, yet in this instance it only makes the process more difficult, the blanks become harder to blend into the cup smoothly as the clay is simply more tenacious, you have to work harder to create a seamless blend between the two. Equally, when it comes to pulling the length into its final shape, if the stoneware is firm, you’ll find it’s more difficult to stretch out, yes, you may have to exert more control, as softer clay tends to collapse and tear more easily, but you’ll find it’s easier to make flowing, curved shapes when the clay is on the softer side.

Thus, once the blanks have been pulled, they are immediately used, I want them soft, in fact, if I have many handles to pull or if it’s a particularly hot day, I’ll stack all the blanks up and will wrap them in plastic, as the wood tends to wick moisture out of them very quickly, drying out side of them and making them more difficult to pull.

It’s a skill that’s initially a nightmare to learn, yet once the basics have engrained themselves in your muscle memory it becomes a joy, you’ve just got to persist through the pain.

#handles #handlepulling #oddlysatisfying #clay #pottery #ceramics