[zenlunatycc]

I just got a Hagen Renaker horse figurine on a base that I bought from someone online. The dingbat did a terrible job packing it and it arrived with 3 broken legs. I got it for a steal, so I am not going to return it and I'd like to try to repair it. Hagen Renakers are earthenware and I have been able to fix chips with just a touch of glaze - usually Stroke n Coat and refire it at cone 05. This presents itself as more of a problem because it needs to stand on its legs during firing and that is what is broken. I was thinking of gluing the legs and putting clear glaze over the whole thing and refiring, but I am afraid the glue would fire out so early that the piece would just fall apart.

Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks, in advance for your advice.

[Chris Campbell]

Hmmm ...

I think it totally depends on how stable the figurine is when glued and whether the body weight settles evenly across the legs ... in other words will it tend to fall over or does it sit solidly. If it sits solidly then I would expect it to stay that way during a low temp firing ... and of course, if its wobbly now it will likely fall over.

The safer choice would be to use an instant glue ... the 3M product works very well on ceramics ... then spray it with a glossy, non firing overglaze available at stores like Michaels.

[zenlunatycc]

Thanks so much for the reply. I was so annoyed I had to put it aside when I got it. But I will fiddle with it tomorrow. I know exactly what you mean about being stable when standing. I don't really have a lot of hope - those legs are so thin! There isn't a glue that is super thin that fires out at a higher temp like 1200f or so is there? The ceramic repair solutions occupy too much of a space when joining parts like this.

[Diane Puckett]

I had a clay piece one of my children made when they were young. It had gotten broken and chipped. I glued it with super glue, used acrylic hobby paints to recolor the chipped places, and then coated those areas with clear nail polish.

With your horse, would you be concerned that any kind of firing might ruin it, especially if you add a glaze? Tho it does sound like you have experience doing so.

[Mark C.]

I have two choices-one is a product that is called high fire mender and fires like glue-the only woe is it need to be fired to hold well so loading is delicate at best.
Your glaze then goes over this and will work well.

If you just want the best glue I know its JB wield fast set-it dries dark but you can razor blade off a layer then its grey-this fix is not to be fired.
Mark

[Lucille Oka]

May I make a suggestion before you proceed with this restoration do a little research on the best way to do it so that you will not lessen the figurine's value even more; maybe contact a ceramic/figurine restorer.

[JLowes]

I suggest contacting Lakeside Pottery. In addition to teaching they also do repairs and can either guide you or do the repair (and in a manner to best maintain the value of your figurine.) Here is a link to their page for repair information.

http://www.lakesidep...ion-repair.html

John

[Chris Campbell]

Lucille Oka, on 26 November 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

May I make a suggestion before you proceed with this restoration do a little research on the best way to do it so that you will not lessen the figurine's value even more; maybe contact a ceramic/figurine restorer.

I would say that with all those legs broken the commercial value is long gone ... any repair would be cosmetic so the new owner could actually view it. The 3M instant glue works very well on ceramics and might hold it long enough to fire ?? Good luck!