Drippy spouts?

AozoraE
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:38 am

Anyone come up with a way to prevent spouts from that tend to drip when their poured? I bought a pot recently by a well known potter who I think generally does really good work, but when I pour with it it drips down water under the spout and onto the pot body, regardless of how I alter my pour style. Ridiculous.y frustrating knowing I paid quite a bit for it and it happens to have an issue that I normally don't expect with a modern/hand-made pot
So has anyone come up with a fix for this? :mrgreen:
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pedant
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:58 am

it's mostly about the pot's geometry. some pots dribble like crazy while others are 100% dribble-proof. most fall somewhere in between.
the way you pour (especially how you start and stop) can help a bit, but you said you already experimented with that.

i think you just have to use the pot in environments where a bit of dribbling won't hurt things.
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Bok
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:20 am

Same here, I do not think there is any way except practising to pour with that pot... unless you know what you are doing, any physical alteration might damage the pot.

Do you want to disclose the potter? Or show pictures of the pot in question? Sometimes it has to with what understanding or custom of tea making the artisan has.

Hotter water behaves differently than cooler, so some Japanese teaware for example, is not intended to be used for anything else than Sencha. I am thinking of burn-your-fingers-for-sure-Gaiwan-esque things, or glazes which give off funny smells when used with very hot water. All these things experienced by myself in the past...
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:23 am

If you are feeling (very) adventurous and confident in your precision skills, you could sand a straight canal at the spout exit mouth, slightly pointing downwards, helping the water flow the way some spouts are designed to do. Anyways, ONLY a worthy attempt for the seriously skilled and if it is really a big deal in the end!
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:22 am

AozoraE wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:38 am
Anyone come up with a way to prevent spouts from that tend to drip when their poured? I bought a pot recently by a well known potter who I think generally does really good work, but when I pour with it it drips down water under the spout and onto the pot body, regardless of how I alter my pour style. Ridiculous.y frustrating knowing I paid quite a bit for it and it happens to have an issue that I normally don't expect with a modern/hand-made pot
So has anyone come up with a fix for this? :mrgreen:
Till date, I’ve rarely come across a pot that doesn’t drip when poured (at any given price point). I have a few in hand but it’s still too few to classify as a minority. Therefore, it’s easier to accept the drip and adjust our pour rate, wrist angle and angle of pour.

Another observation.... some pot drips when filled to the brim but pours perfectly when half filled!... I guess you’ve got to experiment to see what is best for your teapot.

My 2cents.

Cheers!
AozoraE
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:36 pm

pedant wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:58 am
it's mostly about the pot's geometry. some pots dribble like crazy while others are 100% dribble-proof. most fall somewhere in between.
the way you pour (especially how you start and stop) can help a bit, but you said you already experimented with that.

i think you just have to use the pot in environments where a bit of dribbling won't hurt things.
I think this is something I'm coming to terms with finally :lol: I guess I've just had a bit of luck with the last few pots that I've bought that really only drip if I'm not paying attention or being sloppy with my pouring technique.
Bok wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 1:23 am
If you are feeling (very) adventurous and confident in your precision skills, you could sand a straight canal at the spout exit mouth, slightly pointing downwards, helping the water flow the way some spouts are designed to do. Anyways, ONLY a worthy attempt for the seriously skilled and if it is really a big deal in the end!
I wish I were the adventurous type! That does sound quite drastic... I don't think the dribbling is THAT bad, but it does sometimes drip enough where tea/water runs down the face of the pot, but I guess surgery is always an option :mrgreen:
OCTO wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:22 am
AozoraE wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:38 am
Anyone come up with a way to prevent spouts from that tend to drip when their poured? I bought a pot recently by a well known potter who I think generally does really good work, but when I pour with it it drips down water under the spout and onto the pot body, regardless of how I alter my pour style. Ridiculous.y frustrating knowing I paid quite a bit for it and it happens to have an issue that I normally don't expect with a modern/hand-made pot
So has anyone come up with a fix for this? :mrgreen:
Till date, I’ve rarely come across a pot that doesn’t drip when poured (at any given price point). I have a few in hand but it’s still too few to classify as a minority. Therefore, it’s easier to accept the drip and adjust our pour rate, wrist angle and angle of pour.

Another observation.... some pot drips when filled to the brim but pours perfectly when half filled!... I guess you’ve got to experiment to see what is best for your teapot.

My 2cents.

Cheers!
I've never tried making a teapot before, but I wonder is it really that difficult to construct a spout that (for the most part) doesn't trip? Potters that specialize in teapots should convene together and figure out a good solution for this :P Would you mind posting a few of those pots that drip? Are there any reasons why specifically they don't dribble over vs normal "drippy" ones?
Last edited by AozoraE on Mon Apr 08, 2019 6:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
AozoraE
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:43 pm

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^ With the (little) experience I have with teapots, to me it seems like those pots with spouts that have more narrow openings and canals tend to have less issues with pouring, while those that are wider in both areas and have a less defined lip(like my Jinpachi pot in the photo) are more prone to dribbling. In terms of function everything actually I think is quite good on the pot. Its just that pesky drippy issue that bothers me. Maybe my standards have gotten too high for what I should expect in a teapot
Last edited by AozoraE on Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:21 pm

I could have told you by only looking at this spout design that it is going to dribble!!!
Sorry, but that is a really badly designed spout, the geometry is all wrong... I would say the potter is not experienced enough, or does not care. Edit: he is apparently sort of well known, so probably falling into the artist category, rather than artisan. Some are more artist than artisan, the artisan is after a functional product, the artist not necessarily...
AozoraE wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:43 pm
^ With the (little) experience I have with teapots, to me it seems like those pots with spouts that have more narrow openings and canals tend to have less issues with pouring, while those that are wider in both areas and have a less defined lip(like my Jinpachi pot in the photo) are more prone to dribbling. In terms of function everything actually I think is quite good on the pot. Its just that pesky drippy issue that bothers me. Maybe my standards have gotten too high for what I should expect in a teapot lol
You need at least some angle from the body to the upper rim. This spout is almost horizontally aligned!

Other than that, the spouts that dribble the least, usually have some sort of dent on the lower part of the spout exit hole. Usually. I have other pots with a straight cannon spout that do not dribble at all (if handled right). Japanese handmade pots are more often dribble free than Chinese/Taiwanese made. Modern Chaozhou pots I also do find paying more attention to the spout design.

In general narrow opening or not is irrelevant, what is important is that the diameter of the part attached to the body is wider than that of the exit point, to create the right water pressure.
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:27 pm

Reading further on the artist on AN (https://www.artisticnippon.com/product/ ... achi1.html), where his teapots special pour quality is mentioned I do wonder...
From looking at them, a lot of his pots have -in my eyes- not optimum spout design. Have you tried pouring very, very slow, one might say pour mindfully, Japanese style? That is probably how he uses his teapots, see if that makes a difference.

Also the way the spout is placed and angled, it is likely meant for a teapot that is not fully filled with water, water should stay under, or only slightly covering where the spout exits the teapot body.
AozoraE
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:31 pm

Yeahhh maybe a mistake on my part for buying it. He's probably the only potter I've seen have his spouts shaped that way(probably for a good reason!). He's been making teapots for 30+ years... so I imagine that you're right in that he's probably more focused on an "artistic pot" rather than a purely functional one. At the same time I've seen spouts that don't drip it all by him... so maybe just a bad design on this one? I went for it because I know that many people in Japan are interested in tea have bought teapots by him in the past and have spoken highly of them. So when I saw one that I could afford become available, I sprung at the chance to get one :mrgreen:
Well I learned my lesson now. Stay away from horizontally shaped spouts :oops:
AozoraE
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:34 pm

Bok wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:27 pm
Reading further on the artist on AN (https://www.artisticnippon.com/product/ ... achi1.html), where his teapots special pour quality is mentioned I do wonder...
From looking at them, a lot of his pots have -in my eyes- not optimum spout design. Have you tried pouring very, very slow, one might say pour mindfully, Japanese style? That is probably how he uses his teapots, see if that makes a difference.

Also the way the spout is placed and angled, it is likely meant for a teapot that is not fully filled with water, water should stay under, or only slightly covering where the spout exits the teapot body.
Yup that's generally how I do it normally anyway. I mostly drink sencha so that's how I pour in generally. No quick oolong/pu-er's for me generally.
Yup, also tried just partially filling it too... same problem. It's probably like you said that the geometry is off for it to pour without dribbling. Disappointing but I guess I'll just have to try to enjoy it as it is. Think I'll probably stay away from his pots in the future though
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:45 pm

"His ultimate aim is achieve a perfect balance between the different parts of the teapot in order to produce the best tasting tea. I tried pouring with a number of his teapots and each time I was struck by the quality of the "pour"."
Copyright 2017 Artistic Nippon
Before you are convinced artists are irrational creators and know not how to functionally design, reach out to Artistic Nippon, if you purchased it there. You may have a deeper conversation about your unique teapot than you anticipated. If in fact it is a dribbling spout, the lessons to be learned are greater than the negativity you are receiving.
It's a really beautiful teapot, and I am sure it will teach you.
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:52 pm

rdl wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:45 pm
"His ultimate aim is achieve a perfect balance between the different parts of the teapot in order to produce the best tasting tea. I tried pouring with a number of his teapots and each time I was struck by the quality of the "pour"."
Copyright 2017 Artistic Nippon
Before you are convinced artists are irrational creators and know not how to functionally design, reach out to Artistic Nippon, if you purchased it there. You may have a deeper conversation about your unique teapot than you anticipated. If in fact it is a dribbling spout, the lessons to be learned are greater than the negativity you are receiving.
It's a really beautiful teapot, and I am sure it will teach you.
I did reach out to Toru about it, and he basically told me that he can't guarantee that every pot that receive doesn't drip and that he really isn't in a position to ask a potter to "switch out" with a pot that doesn't drip. He also sent me two videos of pots by Jinpachi and- just like mine; dribbled down the front of the pot, while the other poured quite well and didn't seem to have any dribbling problems. I don't think anyone was claiming that he doesn't put any care into the function of his pots, but he does seem to have some designs that clearly don't work as well as others. I'm just glad I didn't end up with any of his more expensive pots.
rdl
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:12 pm

"...but he does seem to have some designs that clearly don't work as well as others."
Without seeing how the spout functions, I was just trying to push the discussion away from works well and not well. I respect your personal preferences, and understand some pots have flaws. I am reminded of my visit to a kiln in Hagi, the artist brewing and serving me tea during the visit. His spout leaked, a bit to my amazement. But not only did I come to reserve judgement, I bought a smaller version of the same pot and smile as much as I can when it dribbles, reminded of what I learned that day.
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Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:15 pm

rdl wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:45 pm
"His ultimate aim is achieve a perfect balance between the different parts of the teapot in order to produce the best tasting tea.
Maybe he has not reached that goal yet... :mrgreen:

Yet others, like the Yamada clan, Hokujo or the latest generation of Junzo Kobiwako pots from Hojo, are all example of perfectly designed, dribble free spouts. As a collector of old Yixing I am used to imperfectly performing pots, as those will rarely be perfect (even the really old ones), perfection is mostly found in select modern teapot. What I really do dislike in this case is the almost horizontal spout/s, which really is a very basic issue for performance.
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