[Clayart] cone six rumors

[Vince Pitelka]

I have written about this before on Clayart, but it should be pointed out that crazing is not a hygiene issue.  Crazing makes the glazed surface and the ware in general slightly less durable, and thus those seeking the most durable utilitarian ware should seek glazes that do not craze.  If we were to rule out crazing, we would have to rule out all glazed salt and soda-fired wares, because the glazes are loaded with more sodium by the vapor-glazing process and always craze unless very thin.  People have been eating and drinking from wares with crazed glazes for millennia and there is no record of craze cracks harboring bacteria and causing any sort of hygiene issue.  And of course there is the popularity of "crackle glazes" that craze on purpose.  
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka at dtccom.net  
https://sites.tntech.edu/wpitelka/