Yixing

[Bok]

I hoped that I could use them to compare their impact on tea before I buy anything much more expensive. Duanni and Zhuni are difficult to find. Especially if you do not want to pay much.

It doesn’t work that way... although nominally the same name is used for the clay, different pots can perform vastly different. One pot in one clay doesn’t really allow much conclusions about how another one will brew. I know it’s frustrating, but that is also the fun of it

[Bok]

Btw enamel on the outside is probably ok to use, the clay is not that porous that it will reach the inside... but it will still likely make terrible tea in most cases, those low fired pots do not do well with good teas.

Puerh might be an option though. I got good results with a lower fired Zisha and Sheng.

[Mark-S]

It doesn’t work that way...

Oh, I did not know this since most of my pots are Zini. I thought that Duanni for example would taste totally different.

Are most/all antiques low fired? I have got 5 antique Yixing teapots that are all low fired.

[Bok]

It doesn’t work that way...

Oh, I did not know this since most of my pots are Zini. I thought that Duanni for example would taste totally different.

Are most/all antiques low fired? I have got 5 antique Yixing teapots that are all low fired.

Duanni is indeed very different. Or it can be. Depends. Cheap low quality antiques are often low fired and made with not so good clay. Duanni in antiques is also often low fired, even on better quality ones. Normally would need higher fire but has been fired with all the other clays together.

Usually high quality antiques are at least mid or high fired, but those are not easy to find and expensive...

[Youzi]

Actually duanni should be fired at the highest temperature, above 1200, but most duanni wasn't fired that high, because then you cannot really fire anything else, just duanni pots.

[mafoofan]

Don’t think anyone commented earlier: what do we know about Xu Yue Feng (许跃峰)? My understanding is that he specializes in zhuni and his da hong pao is of the modern variety (selected from huanglongshan zhini ore). However, he is not certified.

[Chadrinkincat]

@Mark-S

Have you considered getting a duanni pot from Yichen? Such as this one, supposedly from benshan lv ni.


Close up shots of this pot/clay.

I’ve actually been considering the idea of getting a custom pot made w/ this clay or ming gao luni for yancha.

[Youzi]

Mark-S

Have you considered getting a duanni pot from Yichen? Such as this one, supposedly from benshan lv ni.

I’ve actually been considering the idea of getting a custom pot made w/ this clay or ming gao luni for yancha.

Lüni isn't Duanni. Duanni is Tuanni 团泥, Is a "Naturally mixed" ore. Lüni is a pure ore. And naturally the most rare among the 5 categories of Zisha (Zini, Hongni, Zhuni, Lüni, Tuanni), followed by Zhuni.

[Mark-S]

@Chadrinkincat
Wow, that's a nice pot.

How do you know that this studio is trustworthy? And what is the average price for these pots?

For now, I am mainly just searching for F1 teapots, but I will consider buying a Zhuni or Duanni pot from them in the future. Thanks for the advice.

@Youzi
Good to know.

[Youzi]

Chadrinkincat
Wow, that's a nice pot.

How do you know that this studio is trustworthy? And what is the average price for these pots?

For now, I am mainly just searching for F1 teapots, but I will consider buying a Zhuni or Duanni pot from them in the future. Thanks for the advice.

Youzi
Good to know.

From what I saw Yinchen's Be Spoke Clay, doesn't even have BarCarb in it. Which is REALLY! rare nowadays among modern pots. I could easily count on my one hand, the studios I've met which doesn't use BarCarb. I'm not sure if they use the same material, or source for all of their pots they sell though. But usually Be Spoke, Custom pot is the top shelf product of a studio, so the best materials are reserved for that.

[Mark-S]

I just visited their website and the teapots are not overly expensive. With custom pot you mean that you select one of their styles and you tell them what clay you want them to use? I have seen that they also sell blue colored teapots. Can they be made without the use of additives? I always liked them, but did not want to poison myself.

[Youzi]

I just visited their website and the teapots are not overly expensive. With custom pot you mean that you select one of their styles and you tell them what clay you want them to use? I have seen that they also sell blue colored teapots. Can they be made without the use of additives? I always liked them, but did not want to poison myself.

You choose a shape, size, polished or rough surface, higher or lower fired, maybe can even choose the kiln type.

No, blue pot needs cobalt oxide to be added. Same for dark green. The problem comes with overdosing these additives, which makes them easier to leach, or when these colors are not achieved by simply adding these oxides, but other stuff too, combined with lower firing.

Adding certain oxides doesn't make something unhealthy, especially not, because the base clay is made of those same oxides. However it cannot be overdosed. Gu Jingzhou said a maximum of 1.5%-2% can be added. He too also made blue and green pots.

Adding coloring oxides to the clay existed since the ROC times. Where the practice came from jingdezhen.

What makes cheap pots dangerous is the combination of all the chemical stuff they add, and usually overdose, such as, overdosing BarCarb, and manganese oxide, while acid washing, and mixing with glass water, all in random clay from one part of china, which then is fired at a low temperature.

Personally I prefer completely natural clay, or clays mixed together.

[mafoofan]

Don’t think anyone commented earlier: what do we know about Xu Yue Feng (许跃峰)? My understanding is that he specializes in zhuni and his da hong pao is of the modern variety (selected from huanglongshan zhini ore). However, he is not certified.

Hmm. No one seems to want to comment. Haha — is it really that this maker is unknown or is there something I should know?

[.m.]

Don’t think anyone commented earlier: what do we know about Xu Yue Feng (许跃峰)? My understanding is that he specializes in zhuni and his da hong pao is of the modern variety (selected from huanglongshan zhini ore). However, he is not certified.

Hmm. No one seems to want to comment. Haha — is it really that this maker is unknown or is there something I should know?

Have you searched Xu Yuefeng here on TF and on Teachat? It is mentioned several times together with pictures and some high praise from @steanze

it is a Xiaomeiyao "golden" zhuni pot by Xu Yuefeng (许跃峰). His modern zhuni is one of the best imo along with Jiang Xiangyu's Zhaozhuang zhuni. Also his workmanship is quite good, thin and balanced.

[mafoofan]

Have you searched Xu Yuefeng here on TF and on Teachat? It is mentioned several times together with pictures and some high praise from steanze

it is a Xiaomeiyao "golden" zhuni pot by Xu Yuefeng (许跃峰). His modern zhuni is one of the best imo along with Jiang Xiangyu's Zhaozhuang zhuni. Also his workmanship is quite good, thin and balanced.

Yes, saw that comment, but hoped for more color.