Facebook vendor: Chemical Free Purple Clay Exchange

[Balthazar]

@teatray

For what it's worth, I appreciated you sharing your experience with this post (and especially the detail provided in the feedback).

I'm pretty sure that even if the spout has been completely blocked and you commented on the fact, you would be able to find someone (if not here then elsewhere on the internet) suggesting that this is not a real issue since you still have a lid and can use your pot as a gaiwan.

In other words: Don't take it to heart and trust your own discernment (as it seems you do!)

[teatray]

Does the pot still leak if you rest your thumb on the top nob instead of the lid?

Finished a session with the pot and noticed 3+ drops every time I pour. Just tested your Q, 4 times per hold method with just water at the sink: pressing firmly at the knob produced 0-1 drops (0-1-0-1), pressing the side (as in vid) produced 3-4 drops--very noticeable difference!

I got used to this (contact-minimizing) grip on my porcelain pot of similar shape, because the glazed surface feels hotter to the touch and even the knob gets too hot for me. It didn't cause leaks in the porcelain pot but presumably there's no need of it with unglazed clay as it doesn't feel as hot on contact. I will try a real brew session this way tomorrow & let you know whether the grip change completely resolved the issue for me (though as mentioned, this is not my only issue with the pour, though others may deem it good enough from the vid).

@d.manuk Just tested in a real session. After 4th infusion, pouring with thumb on knob (just pressing gently this time), still got (0*, 0, 0, 3, 0) lid drops in 5 pours (1 preheat*, 4 tea). The 3 drops on pour #4 being due to a leaf stuck between lid & bod. Definitely a better experience, but also noticed it does get too hot for me this way (incl. for other fingers now closer to the body). Switched to classic index-finger-on-lid grip: 0 drops, better for the other fingers, but still pretty hot for the knob finger. I prefer to move the index finger to the edge of the lid in such cases, touching only with the fingernail (just as with the other grip), but, as expected, not a great option in this case (resulted 5 drops or so). If your fingers typically manage the heat at the knob (away from the hole, obviously), then I imagine you will have no lid leakage with my pot.

@Balthazar , much appreciated.

[Bok]

One trick that is often helping to avoid dribbling for me is (trying to describe it): classic pinch grip, tilt pot first without controlling the lid knob, then adding it towards the end of the movement (to avoid the lid falling off). I found this avoids the dripping for some pots. Can be pimped up with a finger on lid-knob-lift-lid-up on one side, which can also help with some pots.

A vigorous first split second tilt is essential. Or maybe say, without hesitation.

[d.manuk]

Some other things that can help your pot problems:

Use two hands to handle the pot, one to hold the lid knob the other for the handle

Lid knob should not be uncomfortably hot, perhaps you’re overfilling the pot with water? You can add rope wrapping to reduce heat on your fingers, dunno the official name for this

It’s common for leaf to get stuck in the spout especially if it’s single hole drainage, but there are tools for that

First impressions are important so I’d just resell the pot if I were you since you don’t like it.

[teatray]

One trick that is often helping to avoid dribbling for me is (trying to describe it): classic pinch grip, tilt pot first without controlling the lid knob, then adding it towards the end of the movement (to avoid the lid falling off). I found this avoids the dripping for some pots. Can be pimped up with a finger on lid-knob-lift-lid-up on one side, which can also help with some pots.

A vigorous first split second tilt is essential. Or maybe say, without hesitation.

Thanks! Got much easier movement when not pressing the knob with the index finger from the start.

[teatray]

First impressions are important so I’d just resell the pot if I were you since you don’t like it.

Lol, the focus on my negative comment diverted from the fact that I don't actually dislike the pot. Not a fan of its pour, but clay taste & exploration are more important to me & so far it's an interesting pot to have.

[LeoFox]

Getting good results with zhuni and hong cha

[LeoFox]

Some nice info on additives in yixing