TeaChat

I'm not worried
I soak it before use and go.

seeker,

copper and all other metals can be found in any MSDS data base just do a search for MSDS and you can find out the PPM level that big brother says you can stand for a daily intake.

tin , copper, iron, cobalt, and a few others i would not worry about.

also does pag.... use his own ware to drink??? if so then i bet he ain't worried.

another thing is how acidic is acidic ???? most of the times i hear the Fraze about leaching it has to do with vinegar. and that is exactly what i use to home test my wares. i put vinegar straight from the bottle into a Cristal glass and place a test tile into it for 3-- days. after which i examen the tile with a microscope/ and magnified glass to try to detect any color change in the glaze.

now i do not suggest to you to pour vinegar in to your cup as i recall pag said it would not help you at all but i wonder if you might feel better with a spot on your cup. some i hear use lemon slices placed on the ware and left for days. it is close to vinegar but has a nice shape it will leave if the glaze leaches badly.

now as far as what pag has said. i do not read any thing i personally would be worried about other than the reassurance that this type of ware does not last. and depending on the type of use it goes threw the sooner it will wind up in the heap. i my self do not invest in raku for just this fact. i prefer a process that will out live me and not cause me to worry and shorten my life.

you bought it use it i bet it wont shorten your life span as much as all the worrying you are doing right now.

Cpu

coloradopu wrote: you bought it use it i bet it wont shorten your life span as much as all the worrying you are doing right now.
Cpu

That pretty much sums up how I feel.

Thank you Victoria and Coloradopu,
Your comments are very reassuring. Though looking back,
bonjiri recemmends against it.
I do have to say I really was enjoying my pagasari.
Thanks also Colo for addressing the cobalt, copper, and tin - I was wondering about those. I've been doing some research, and copper can and will leach, I'm not so sure about cobalt and tin.
My sweetheart is a cancer survivor so of course she'll never use it, and my dad had prostate cancer - so these are the histories that have taught me to be discerning and careful.
Best,
Jim
ps - Victoria - how long did it take to get the "clay dust" smell out of your pag?

Colo,
As I'm new to this - could you explain what you mean by raku not lasting?
They're meant to be impermanent?
How long do they last, and how do you know when they're done?
Thx!

Mine was not that bad. Just a slight earthiness. I sat it in a bowl of hot tap water over night. The next day I filled it with boiling water to overflowing, while in a deep dish, two times during the day. After drying overnight, the next day it was fine.

I certainly understand your concerns with cancer in your family, if you feel worried, don't use it.

I just feel it takes time for things to leech. I have several matcha bowls and using this in my rotation for as little time as the tea in in there, doesn't worry me.

I have a couple of bowls that I love that may not be vitrified. I just don't use them everyday, giving them plenty of time to dry completely before using. I don't let my tea sit in them for a long time before/while drinking either. And I don't worry. But that's just me.

(as a side note, I don't believe bonjiri actually recommended against it, he said "for me" he chooses not to use low fired.)

porosity... yeah a piece might leak or sweat a little, but as long as it dries completely between uses, and you don't mind the leaking, it probably doesn't present any particular danger.

Hi Victoria,
Yours was so easy! I'm glad. I remember the photo of it - beautiful.
I very much appreciate your comments - re: chawan in rotation. I'm definitely
considering that. I really did like matcha from my pag.
I think acid is really the culprit with leaching - and I bet matcha isn't that acidic (although I'm gonna research that a little). And yeah, it's not in there that long.
Best to you.
Cheers.

Hey Geek!
Just saw your post - must have arrived while I was responding to Victoria.
Thanks for your comments.
And for perspective - really thank you also to everyone.
Fortunately my pagasari doesn't leak or sweat at all that I've noticed, and I've used it several times.
Live long and prosper!

Decided to live dangerously today ... this Raku is about 30 years old. So, am I crazy or what? This is a partly serious question ... and partly "damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!"

Chip - the question being whether to use it?

And using vintage raku

Matcha matcha man

surely you must be, a matcha man!

(shamelessly stolen from another user - the song ref)

Chip wrote:Decided to live dangerously today ... this Raku is about 30 years old. So, am I crazy or what? This is a partly serious question ... and partly "damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!"

Used in the way that such teabowls have traditionally been used in tea ceremony - it is safe

Chip wrote:Decided to live dangerously today ... this Raku is about 30 years old. So, am I crazy or what? This is a partly serious question ... and partly "damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!"

Could you really resist? Should contrast nicely with your Seigan blue gear.

coloradopu wrote: also does pag.... use his own ware to drink??? if so then i bet he ain't worried.

Hey Cpu,
Just found the email from pag where he says he uses his bowls every day. So, clearly, he's not worried.
Again,
TY.

Tead Off wrote: Could you really resist? Should contrast nicely with your Seigan blue gear.

True, and yeah, matcha looks awesome in orange Raku. Really amazing contrast.