Neupet@aol.com on fri 27 dec 96
At the Factory in A, VA, I saw several pots that looked like they had been
smoked but, in addition, they had fine, squiggly dark lines "engraved" into
them. I was told that this was horsehair. Does anyone know the process to
accomplish this? I was thinking of rakuing a pot with a bare outside, tossing
on horsehair and then putting it in the trash can (reduction chamber) for a
few minutes. What do you think? It's possible that it needs to get pushed
into greenware and then squiggle up during the bisque firing in order to look
"engraved." All suggestions welcome.
TIA
Lynne Berman in cloudy, downtown Philadelphia
Dannon Rhudy on sat 28 dec 96
----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
I saw several pots that looked like they had been
smoked but, in addition, they had fine, squiggly dark lines
.... Does anyone know the process...
Yes. First bisque your pot,white or buff clays usually look
better than those that bisque to pink (personal preference, here).
They will be pleasanter to the touch if you burnish them, or
use terra sigilata and polish them. After bisque, heat the pots
in raku kiln, unglazed, to about 1200 F. or so. Remove from
kiln, set into sand or anywhere that will support pot, and drop
horsehair directly onto pot. The black lines are from the carbon
pulled into pot where horsehair touches, burns. If you smoke
after doing this, you will probably lose your lines in the general
blackening of the pot. You might, if you wish some smoking of
specific areas, make a small nest of combustibles (sawdust is good
for this particular use) in sand, place pot so that area you wish
to blacken will touch combustibles. It can be interesting to
smoke just the foot, let the blackness appear to dissolve into
fine lines. Note that if you let the pot get too hot before
applying the horsehair, you'll get few or no lines. Use a cone
to tell you when you've got the approximate temp.
Dannon Rhudy
potter@koyote.com
on horsehair and then putting it in the trash can (reduction
chamber) for a
few minutes. What do you think? It's possible that it needs to
get pushed
into greenware and then squiggle up during the bisque firing in
order to look
"engraved." All suggestions welcome.
TIA
Lynne Berman in cloudy, downtown Philadelphia
MSPOTTS@aol.com on sat 28 dec 96
Horsehair is applied to the pot directly from the fire while the pot is white
hot.
Take the pot out of the wood fire or raku kiln, wait maybe two minutes and
then put the horsehair on the pot in any design you like. If the lines are
"mushy" wait a few seconds longer and put more hair on. If your lines are
"weak" you've waited too long.
This is a great technique for micaceous clay pots. It creates a beautiful
look!.
The main problem is acquiring the horsehair. Most horse owners consider the
mane and tail of their horses as sacred, so you have to do a lot of begging,
groveling and scraping curry combs. For best results you really need the hair
from the tail. It's longer and thicker and makes more bold lines. And this is
the hair that has to be cut from the tail or mane and is therefore more
difficult to acquire. The finer hair from the curry combs is OK but is less
dramatic than the thicker hair.
Good Luck!
T. Edwards
John L Worner on sat 28 dec 96
Hi Lynne,
Here's an answer to the question about horsehair lines on raku. I have not done
it myself, but a couple of months ago, I saw Randy Brodnax demonstrate the use
of horsehair, and even human hair on raku pots. He took the pots out of the
raku kiln, placed them on sawdust placed on the ground. Then he proceeded to
lay hairs on top of the pot. The bottom got smoked, and the top got gorgeous
squiggly lines.
He also sprayed ferric chloride on the pots (if you do this be very careful
about inhaling the fumes), and this turned the sprayed areas a nice soft orange.
Evidently you can try molasses and sugar also and get neat effects like this.
Hope this helps. Have fun experimenting!
Anne Worner :-)
Dannon Rhudy on sat 28 dec 96
----------------------------Original
The main problem is acquiring the horsehair...
Another source is Tandy Leather, which sells horsehair. But
it is expensive that way.
Dannon Rhudy
HARRIS GREENBERG on sat 28 dec 96
Lynne: Are you going to go to the horse stables in Center City where
they keep the animals that pull the Historic tour buggies? Thought that
would be a good place since you mentioned Phila. as your address. Sandy
in Hatboro, PA (where the has for the Revolution were made)
Robert Kittel on sun 29 dec 96
At 12:24 AM 12/29/96 +0000, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>----------------------------Original
>The main problem is acquiring the horsehair...
>
>Another source is Tandy Leather, which sells horsehair. But
>it is expensive that way.
>
>Dannon Rhudy
A great source,,if your up to it. Go to the slaughter houses, packing
houses. You can have all the horse hair you can carry out.
Martin Butt on sun 29 dec 96
Try going to the local rendering/dogfood plant (their slogan here..your used
cow dealer) and buy a horse tail or two. They keep them in the freezer so
they don't stink. Cost is $10 for one or two tails, depending on their mood.
Be forewarned; going to a rendering plant is "interesting" all by itself.
Cutting the hair off a tail (there is a bloody stump on the end where the
horse used to be!) is downright disgusting. However, I got two tails a
couple of months ago, and even with 30 students helping to use it up, there
is lots of hair left.
Martin Butt
Coyote Craft School
5125 Edith NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107
(505) 344-2250 (505) 265-8604
email MartinB888@AOL.COM
Bryan Hannis on mon 30 dec 96
Neupet@aol.com wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> At the Factory in A, VA, I saw several pots that looked like they had been
> smoked but, in addition, they had fine, squiggly dark lines "engraved" into
> them. I was told that this was horsehair. Does anyone know the process to
> accomplish this? I was thinking of rakuing a pot with a bare outside, tossing
> on horsehair and then putting it in the trash can (reduction chamber) for a
> few minutes. What do you think? It's possible that it needs to get pushed
> into greenware and then squiggle up during the bisque firing in order to look
> "engraved." All suggestions welcome.
>
> TIA
> Lynne Berman in cloudy, downtown Philadelphiahi
My name is Bryan, and I do pots like yu looked, at the process is like
raku but yu do not put them in reduction when yu remove them from yur
kiln, yu put them on a pedestle or some thing about 36 inches high so yu
can spray them with ferric chloride[ the brown to orange color yu saw]
and apply horse hair .
I learned from Randy Broadnax at a 2 week class he gave in canada. If
yu want any more info e-mail me and I will explain further.
bryan
Lisa on mon 30 dec 96
Martin Butt wrote:
They keep them in the freezer so they don't stink. Cost is $10 for one
or two tails,
What I want to know is, how do they know someone will ever come and buy
one?????
L
Not to be conused with Elle....
Corinne Null on thu 18 mar 99
For those who want horsehair for pitfire or raku firings, or brushmaking, I =
just
discovered a new source - string instrument bows=21 Check with your local =
music
store for whoever re-hairs bows. They'll have lots of good clean used
horsehair=21
Corinne Null
Bedford, NH
null=40mediaone.net
Carole Steele on fri 19 mar 99
I contacted my local 4H group when I needed a
lot of horse mane/tail hair for raku and saggar
firing. Those kids are constantly cleaning their
animals.I gave the 4H horse leader a bag and
asked for grooming brush gleanings....got back
a full bag=3D21 Dried horse poop makes a very rich
black on raku also.
Carole in Louisiana where nothing dries in this humidity=3D21
csteele=3D40centuryinter.net
quaint on fri 19 mar 99
It's also the start of shedding season here in Virginia - I'm sure local
stables would be glad to let you groom their horses and collect the hair.
Two more weeks and the coats will be falling off of them in the pasture!
Any takers in VA? I have seven horses (that need brushed)...
-- Susan
----------
From: Corinne Null
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: horsehair
Date: Thursday, March 18, 1999 6:09 PM
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
For those who want horsehair for pitfire or raku firings, or brushmaking, I
just
discovered a new source - string instrument bows! Check with your local
music
store for whoever re-hairs bows. They'll have lots of good clean used
horsehair!
Corinne Null
Bedford, NH
null@mediaone.net
----------
Charlie and Linda Riggs on fri 13 apr 01
Anne
I believe the carbon will go away at around 900f. Don't think you'll
have any carbon left if you do the lusters. You might try firing the
lusters and then pulling it and applying the horsehair. We pull our
"hair" at 1100f but it will still work at a slightly lower temp.
Charlie
Lynne Berman on tue 18 dec 01
Got this from Clayart a few years ago.
Horsehair raku:
1. Find a horse for the hair.
2. Acquire Ferric Oxide (poisonous)
3. Get gloves, masque
4. Prepare a place to spray pot. Do not place pot on metal. Ferric Oxide
is a form of iron rust and will corrode any metal, so do not use your best
banding wheel. I usually place my hot pot on a brick.
5. Get a sprayer for Ferric Oxide. Mix F. Oxide with water
6. Cotton batting for smoking (you don't want your reduction material to
flame up since you will be working directly with the pot, but you want some
smoking.
7. You may terra sig your pot using any ts formula. This form of raku
looks great on a burnished terra sig'd pot
8. Take a bisque pot. Place in Raku Kiln and Heat. I don't know the part
icular temperature, or if it matters. I usually go by the atmosphere in the
kiln.
Probably 1500F. If you need to actually check temperature, place a clear
crackle pot in kiln. When glaze on crackle pot melts, your pot without
glaze will be ready.
9. Take pot from kiln with tongs.
10. Place pot on cotton batting.
11. Spray ferric oxide on pot.
12. Add strands of horsehair to hot pot. Horsehair will form webs or
squiggy lines.
13. Good luck. Be careful when spraying the ferric oxide.
14. I find it does no help to place your pot in a container to reduce. You
will lose the effect of the oranges and blue/browns of the ferric oxide. I
find that very little smoking is necessary.
15. Experiment and have fun.
Fran at Tin Barn Pottery/Manassas Clay, Manassas, Virginia
fnew@erols.com
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