Stains and leaks (before and after)

[night.owl]

In the process, I noticed, that the cups tended to stain "top down", i.e. starting from the brim and not as expected from thebottom.

In my most-used and most-stained cups, the staining is definitely 'bottom up', with the top slowest to stain.

Mine too tend to stain top down, but a few have gone the other way.

So I guess it's safe to say there is no rhyme or reason whatsoever to the way they stain. I too have one that has started from the top, and is working it's way down (my small Kashun teabowl). A second (also a Kashun, tall and blue) seems to be totally stain resistant whatsoever, which is a shame, because it's one of my favorites.

A third (Yet another Kashun... I know, I know...) is staining in the weirdest way. It seems there are two layers of cracks, which run in different directions, and the bottom layer is staining quite nicely all over, yet the top layer -- nothing!

Lastly, the Vung Tau teabowl after three weeks of use is starting to look more "dirty" then cool, although it is staining quickly, and for the most part, evenly. I think I'm going to let this one keep going for a while longer, to see if it will eventually improve.

Vung Tau teabowl, 3 weeks use.jpg (16.82 KiB) Viewed 1027 times

Vung Tau teabowl.jpg (9.9 KiB) Viewed 1027 times

[night.owl]

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that my Vung Tau teabowl just looks dirty as opposed to cool. I'm not giving up yet, though, as each time I drink out of it, I notice the stains are a bit darker, and decide to go on a little longer.

[AdamMY]

I think I have some of these photos elsewhere, but Its not just Hagi that stains. Karatsu does it too!

Before:




After:

[IPT]

An obviously well loved piece! Wonderful darkening! I really like the tiny crackles like that.

[Chip]

Is this a crackle?

Hagi SO 14 Snowdrift


OK, how about these ... these are 100% sencha crackles from literally hundreds of steeps.

[debunix]

Plate o'shrimp! I was just admiring the lovely crackle pattern on my 'snowdrifts' this evening--a set of larger/longer cracks, almost at regular intervals, then subdivided by the smaller cracks that confined themselves to each larger 'square'. Quite hypnotic, almost.

[Chip]

I really love the shrimpy color of the clay peaking through.

The crackles on this one remind me of suburban sprawl run amok.

Please show us yours!

[night.owl]

Very lovely pieces, AdamMy and Chip! I don't think I will ever tire of seeing well-loved tea ware, even if the pieces are in someone else's tea-room and not mine

[Chip]

Very lovely pieces, AdamMy and Chip! I don't think I will ever tire of seeing well-loved tea ware, even if the pieces are in someone else's tea-room and not mine

Alrighty then ... the uber crackle-stained Biwa Hagi SO #4. This was also a mega leaker that received a successful corn starch treatment.

This piece has "crawl" which results in fissured cracks so to speak. Where the fissures are, the staining began first and immediately. This photo illustrates the crawling ... even on the exterior, these are quite stained in areas which I am guessing seeped through from the interior.



The interior shows the very dark stained fissures. Later, the crackes began to become quite visible from the staining. This is easily the most stained piece I have purchased.

Some would call this hideous, I would call it endearing.

[Chip]

I might add that since this was initially a leaker, I have always taken added care to allow proper drying. I rinse with very hot water and place it in a warm, dry, ventilated area.

I make sure it is dry before placing back on the shelf. Usually I can judge this by the weight in hand, how heavy or light does it feel.

[Chip]

Heh, I thought this was ... interesting. Same piece, a "negative" shot.

The lighter areas are all stains. The very dark spots are actually light reflections.

[night.owl]

Wow!!! I don't find that hideous at all You have some great pieces in your collection! I'd be thrilled if mine would age half as well as yours seem to!

[IPT]

That is a fantastic piece Chip! I love that glaze and wish I had more of it.

[Chip]

... crackled up ...

Choun Hobin, part of a vintaqge set.

Often the darkened crackles first appear at the spout of a Hagi Hobin ...


... and then slowly form on the body of the spout ...





... and can take forever to show on the body itself.

[Chip]

Nicknamed "Fuji" for good reason.

One of the oddest staining Hagi pieces I have observed is Hagi SO Sendai. I would call this "compound staining."

The most noticeable continuous stain follows a tsunami of thicker glaze where it meets a first layer of thinner glaze. This stain culminates with an animated Fuji complete with a pair of eyes.

Compounded by the more typical network of crackles that are less visible.

Further compounded by the once transluscent blue bubbles that quickly stained.