White powder/sand in my teapot?

[zacstill]

I just got the teapot I ordered from Yunnan Sourcing today:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Round-Xi-Shi-Hei-Ni ... dZViewItem

I like the pot, but there's this white powder/sand in the inside of the pot




Does anyone know what this is? Has this ever happened to you?
My best guess is that it's silica sand, maybe the factory also produces glassware nearby and it got into my pot.

Also, (minor complaint) the pot doesn't fit in the storage box! The lid won't close with it in there, no matter how I orient it.

[Pentox]

My guess would be some sand or such leftover from polishing.

[betta]

It's weird, I've never seen a pot with sand inside being sent to a customer.
It could be anything, as long as it isn't planted in the pot, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Bert]

I also got that in a pot from ys.

Don't know anymore where I got this information but it could be aluminite which is used in the kiln to isolate the pot (whatever that means..).

[wyardley]

I got a pot once which had a similar (though not identical) white powder inside. The guy at the shop seemed to think it was "normal", though I don't know what exactly he said it was. I would just wash it out a few times with alternating boiling / room temperature water; maybe boil the pot if you want.

[taitea]

I would be careful about alternating boiling and room temperature water in the pot. I have a pot that cracked, and I have a feeling it might have been from doing that. Perhaps my room temperature water was a bit too cool, though.

[wyardley]

I would be careful about alternating boiling and room temperature water in the pot. I have a pot that cracked, and I have a feeling it might have been from doing that. Perhaps my room temperature water was a bit too cool, though.

Yeah - I wouldn't try it with a super rare antique, but I think it's usually Ok with a new pot. I don't alternate them directly after each other - I let the pot cool down after pouring the boiling water out of it, then put some cool or room temperature water in. And I usually pre-heat the outside of the pot with hot or boiling water before pouring boiling water in after the cool.

What I have read in at least one place (can't remember where anymore) is that if the pot can't handle it, there's a defect with the pot.

[Wesli]

It's melamine!

[chrl42]

I will speak only to the level I know of.

Clay left in new yixings,

If it's same color of clay as teapot, it's what gets after trimming.

If it's sparking whiteish clay I suspect is what's tossed to avoid from sticking pot-to-pot and body-to-lid while heating in a kiln.

In fact, most of new yixings 'HAVE' those clays unless they are used pots.

[t4texas]

zacstill - Your pot was made in the same shop as one of my recent ones from Chinese Teapot Gallery. It had the same material inside and I think Charles is correct in saying that it is material used to keep pots and pots and lids from sticking together in the kiln.

Not a problem. Just wipe it out with a piece of cloth that is a little stiff and then rinse it out. Proceed to whatever seasoning method you prefer.

Please let us know how you like it once you are brewing in it.

[MarshalN]

It's just firing residue and other harmless things. Just wipe it off as best you can, then use water to clean.

You should clean all new pots anyway.