Reasons to be cheerful - Burnishing on the wheel!

If this works it will save time.

Gerry thinks that he will get a better finish on his pit fired pots if they are burnished first. Burnishing provides a sheen on the pots by literally polishing them when they are slightly dry, and before they go in the kiln. It is usually done by hand rubbing and rubbing the surface of the pot with a back of a spoon or a pebble. However, Gerry decided he would try it by putting the pot  back on the wheel and  holding the spoon against the surface when the wheel is turning.


Gerry tried with the back of a spoon and found, although it was shiney, you could see "throwing marks" where the wheel had been turning. So he tried something different - a spoon handle, and this seemed to work better.







The pots were dry enough to put in the kiln and will be fired tonight, coming out on Tuesday.