[Clayart] Black Iron Oxide

Thu Oct 13 01:40:06 UTC 2022

Jim wrote a caution: "Word of caution on the brass- some brass has lead added for easier
machining. Before using on your "raku" ware check the pedigree of the
brass."

Same applies to all the fritted Lead frits in common use by potters.    These Frits are eroniously thought to be safe to use.
And Yes But, only safer for the potter to use while mixing and applying the glaze slop.

During firing, as the glaze melts, the lead is released from the fritted silicate encapsulated bond and is again free to threaten the environment and anyone breathing in the studio atmosphere or around the firing Raku kiln.
Also, the fired ware is subject to the Lead leaching into food and drink.  Generous combination with Copper in the glaze recipe enhances and accelerates this leaching.

>From something like 67% to 16% PB O is contained in the commonly available Pemco and Ferro Frits.

Ferro: 3417,  3419, 3532, 3565,   3403,  3493................

Pemco:  PB-63,  PB-83,  PB-IK-75,  PB-349,  PB-723,  PB-742,.........

All that said: Many old time lead using potters lived well into their 90's and a few beyond 100 years old before Lead finally killed them.
So let's Live large, be careful, but not give into the currant "fear everything" standard for lives poorly lived!!!

Misneach,
David Woof................................................................................................................................................
**************************************************************************************
________________________________
From: Clayart <clayart-bounces at lists.clayartworld.com> on behalf of Jim Kasper <jkasper at zafka.com>
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2022 7:13 AM
To: Clayart international pottery discussion forum <clayart at lists.clayartworld.com>
Subject: Re: [Clayart] Black Iron Oxide

David,
Getting access to the machine shop turnings is great. Depending on the
shop you can also get brass, aluminum and sometimes titanium turnings.
They often keep them separate for recycling, but will often let a friendly
potter have a few pounds.
Word of caution on the brass- some brass has lead added for easier
machining. Before using on your "raku" ware check the pedigree of the
brass.
Regards,
Jim

> Yes to the rusting cans Jim!
> and another free source is that for quite some years, I have burned paper
> trash in a steel 55 gal drum.   Several times a year I clean out the waste
> ash, and lay news print at the barrel bottom to catch the black iron oxide
> scale that has burned and loosened from the inside sides of the barrel
> when I whack the barrel to cause the B I Ox to fall.
> A few thumps and bangs with a wooden club on the outside of the barrel and
> I have a new supply of Black Iron Oxide.
> Because it is quite thoroughly oxidized in the burning process it crushes
> and grinds fine with minimal effort.
>
> I know I could sell a pot and buy some, but I get a personal satisfaction
> from being hands on involved and I can control the "mesh" size.
>
> Another source to burn to Black Iron Oxide is the drilling, grinding, and
> metal shop lathe turnings.
>
> Misneach,
> David
> Woof.....................................................................................................................................
> *********************************************************************************
> ________________________________
> From: Clayart <clayart-bounces at lists.clayartworld.com> on behalf of Jim
> Kasper <jkasper at zafka.com>
> Sent: Saturday, October 8, 2022 1:21 PM
> To: Clayart international pottery discussion forum
> <clayart at lists.clayartworld.com>
> Subject: Re: [Clayart] Black Iron Oxide
>
> Hi Mel,
>
> I have a bucket that I put old coffee cans and water into. After a while i
> have a supply of course iron oxide.
>
> Regards,
> Jim
>
>
>> This summer I am discovering the use of black iron.
>> It seems to have been ignored for years. I have never
>> purchased any in my entire life....In May, Mike at MN clay
>> suggested the price of I.O. had really jumped, and the Spanish
>> was hard to get and almost triple in cost.
>> He then said, `why not use black`.  I was using
>> it to color clay and who cares what iron I use. Cheapest...and
>> Ochre jumped in price too.
>>
>> That is how I came about making a black version of 5x20 and coating
>> it with a thin coat of white.
>>
>> I am not firing the electric kiln to cone 6 here at the farm, but I am
>> confident the black iron will hold its color either soft reduction or
>> oxy.  I added another picture on the clayart page of my website.
>> Fully coated black with white over.
>>
>> As I must admit, the gray color just showed up here at the farm,
>> uninvited.
>> But, I will keep it.  Nice.  ( I want folks to realize I did not do some
>> big chemistry, measure to the gram study for gray glaze. I just happens
>> to
>> me.)
>> mel
>>
>>
>> website: www.melpots.com<http://www.melpots.com>
>> www.melpots.com/CLAYART.HTML<http://www.melpots.com/CLAYART.HTML><http://www.melpots.com/CLAYART.HTML<http://www.melpots.com/CLAYART.HTML>>
>>
>>
>
>
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