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“Totem of the Salmon Cult,” 17 in. (43 cm) in
height, stoneware with kyanite added for thermal shock resistance, with Riggs
Terra Sigillata, bisque fired to Cone 07–06, then refired and removed from the
kiln at Cone 015 for horsehair application.
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November 7, 2007
The Horsehair Process
by Bob Hasselle | Read Comments (0)
Applying horsehair is not a complicated process.
Although I call my pots
raku, because it is the category that fits best, they
do not require the same level of heat. I take them out of the kiln at 1500°F
(815°C) by my
pyrometer, which may not be accurate. I remove them when they are
starting to glow inside of the pot.
HORSEHAIR TIPSIt is important to remember that you are
not trying to melt glaze, only horsehair. The heat will determine the boldness
of the black squiggles left by the horsehair. I like a bold line and darker
effect. The hair from the tail of a horse is superior to the mane hair, because
it is longer and more coarse.
Another tip for horsehair raku is to put some
sawdust or other combustible under the bottom of the pot during firing. The
temperature of the bottom of the pot is often not hot enough to ignite material
after it comes out of the kiln. To get the brown to orange colors, the pot is
sprayed with
ferric chloride after the horsehair is applied.
RECIPESI use
underglazes for color before the bisque
but after applying the terra sigillata.
Terra sigillata allows one to polish
the vessel to a near reflective surface. I recommend the following recipe from Linda and
Charlie Riggs. The quality of their work is a great standard to emulate.
Riggs
Terra Sigillata
Water...............................................................3.5 gallons
Sodium Silicate......................................................1
tbsp
Soda Ash.................................................................1 tbsp
XX
Saggar Clay............................................6804 grams
FOR MORE INFORMATIONTo see more of Bob’s work, visit
http://www.galleryc.net/robert-hasselle.html. Bob is also featured in our latest handbook,
Raku, Pit & Barrel: Firing Techniques, that you can
order today from the Bookstore.