I was hoping most of it was crazing as well, but I tested it again with cold water and the entire side of the teapot became damp almost immediately. After a few minutes, there was a damp patch on my tea towel on that side of the pot. I'm sure these pots are difficult/expensive to replace, which is why I'm hoping to repair this one somehow.Baisao wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:49 pmGaoShan - is that crazing of the glaze or do the cracks go all the way through the clay body? (I guess if water eventually seeps then it is the clay)
I would expect crazing of the glaze as it will expand/contract at different rates, but the clay should be hardier.
A hairline crack
i would just use it and accept that it weeps.
The old rice water trick might help. I doubt it would hurt (or totally eliminate the leaking).GaoShan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 12:22 amI was hoping most of it was crazing as well, but I tested it again with cold water and the entire side of the teapot became damp almost immediately. After a few minutes, there was a damp patch on my tea towel on that side of the pot. I'm sure these pots are difficult/expensive to replace, which is why I'm hoping to repair this one somehow.Baisao wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:49 pmGaoShan - is that crazing of the glaze or do the cracks go all the way through the clay body? (I guess if water eventually seeps then it is the clay)
I would expect crazing of the glaze as it will expand/contract at different rates, but the clay should be hardier.
Could you explain what this trick is? I've never heard of it.Baisao wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 12:36 amThe old rice water trick might help. I doubt it would hurt (or totally eliminate the leaking).GaoShan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 12:22 amI was hoping most of it was crazing as well, but I tested it again with cold water and the entire side of the teapot became damp almost immediately. After a few minutes, there was a damp patch on my tea towel on that side of the pot. I'm sure these pots are difficult/expensive to replace, which is why I'm hoping to repair this one somehow.Baisao wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:49 pmGaoShan - is that crazing of the glaze or do the cracks go all the way through the clay body? (I guess if water eventually seeps then it is the clay)
I would expect crazing of the glaze as it will expand/contract at different rates, but the clay should be hardier.
Edited to add: I googled this trick and it looks like it's intended to fix pieces for display rather than to make them serviceable again for drinking tea. Have you had success with this method?
@GaoShan - I have never used it on a teapot but it is often recommended for weepy kettles. The idea is to make a very thin paste from water and rice, then use this thin paste to fill internal pores and cracks of kettles. It needs to be thin enough that it seeps into the pores and cracks. The rice starch dries and seals the holes.
How can you already love this pot when you've only had 1 session - and it cracks and leaks like this?GaoShan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:33 pmBefore I started on my exhaustive quest to find a good Taiwanese oolong pot, I bought this wood-fired teapot that I loved, but that broke during my first session with it. There are multiple hairline cracks through which water eventually seeps, and I was wondering if there was any way to repair this pot so it's still usable. I also wonder whether, even if I repair it, the pot will keep cracking because of issues with the clay/firing.
I think the drippy glaze is beautiful and would like to rehabilitate this pot, but have limited repair skills and don't want to waste time on something that can't be fixed.
Sorry for the bad pictures; I hope you can see where the cracks are.
To me, it sounds like there is something very wrong with the pot and probably not suitable for brewing tea. You can imagine if microbes start growing in those cracks and between the glaze and the clay. No good.
Thanks. I have a feeling this isn't something easy I can do at home. Are there professionals who do this, and how much can it cost? I got a refund for the pot, so I'd be doing it to keep something pretty and have another tea-making tool.
It was my first serious, expensive, aesthetically pleasing clay teapot, so while "loved" might be a bit of an exaggeration, I was unhappy when it broke. I also thought it made good tea, though having had only one session with it, that might have been my imagination.LeoFox wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:16 amHow can you already love this pot when you've only had 1 session - and it cracks and leaks like this?GaoShan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:33 pmBefore I started on my exhaustive quest to find a good Taiwanese oolong pot, I bought this wood-fired teapot that I loved, but that broke during my first session with it. There are multiple hairline cracks through which water eventually seeps, and I was wondering if there was any way to repair this pot so it's still usable. I also wonder whether, even if I repair it, the pot will keep cracking because of issues with the clay/firing.
I think the drippy glaze is beautiful and would like to rehabilitate this pot, but have limited repair skills and don't want to waste time on something that can't be fixed.
Sorry for the bad pictures; I hope you can see where the cracks are.
To me, it sounds like there is something very wrong with the pot and probably not suitable for brewing tea. You can imagine if microbes start growing in those cracks and between the glaze and the clay. No good.
I never considered that microbes could get into the cracks. Maybe this pot will have to be ornamental.
Ya, not easy to do by yourself and not recommended to first time try with an object you hold dear.
I don’t know about where you live but I imagine it running into half of what you likely paid for this pot including shipping it back and fourth…
But as Leo mentioned, it might not be worth it as it sounds like the pot has been misfired.
Usually new Taiwanese pots will not immediately perform well, so I think it might have been wishful thinking…
You could test if cooler water - less than 80 C, still leaks. If not - you could repurpose this as a water cooler for Japanese teas.GaoShan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 8:00 amIt was my first serious, expensive, aesthetically pleasing clay teapot, so while "loved" might be a bit of an exaggeration, I was unhappy when it broke. I also thought it made good tea, though having had only one session with it, that might have been my imagination.LeoFox wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:16 amHow can you already love this pot when you've only had 1 session - and it cracks and leaks like this?GaoShan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 03, 2021 11:33 pmBefore I started on my exhaustive quest to find a good Taiwanese oolong pot, I bought this wood-fired teapot that I loved, but that broke during my first session with it. There are multiple hairline cracks through which water eventually seeps, and I was wondering if there was any way to repair this pot so it's still usable. I also wonder whether, even if I repair it, the pot will keep cracking because of issues with the clay/firing.
I think the drippy glaze is beautiful and would like to rehabilitate this pot, but have limited repair skills and don't want to waste time on something that can't be fixed.
Sorry for the bad pictures; I hope you can see where the cracks are.
To me, it sounds like there is something very wrong with the pot and probably not suitable for brewing tea. You can imagine if microbes start growing in those cracks and between the glaze and the clay. No good.
I never considered that microbes could get into the cracks. Maybe this pot will have to be ornamental.
Or you can use it as a decanter for alcohol
I figured it would be expensive. This was one of a batch of pots that were priced around US$160 and being offered at 50% off during Black Friday. I was thrilled that I might actually be able to own a wood-fired pot for that amount. When it broke and I complained, the vendor said I was the only one to have problems and the other pots were fine. Nonetheless, I was given a refund. Who knows if the other buyers are still happily using their windfall pots and counting their pennies!Bok wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 8:50 amYa, not easy to do by yourself and not recommended to first time try with an object you hold dear.
I don’t know about where you live but I imagine it running into half of what you likely paid for this pot including shipping it back and fourth…
But as Leo mentioned, it might not be worth it as it sounds like the pot has been misfired.
Usually new Taiwanese pots will not immediately perform well, so I think it might have been wishful thinking…
I tested it with cool tap water and it did leak, though relatively slowly. It might still work as a water cooler.LeoFox wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 11:45 amYou could test if cooler water - less than 80 C, still leaks. If not - you could repurpose this as a water cooler for Japanese teas.GaoShan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 8:00 amIt was my first serious, expensive, aesthetically pleasing clay teapot, so while "loved" might be a bit of an exaggeration, I was unhappy when it broke. I also thought it made good tea, though having had only one session with it, that might have been my imagination.LeoFox wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 6:16 am
How can you already love this pot when you've only had 1 session - and it cracks and leaks like this?
To me, it sounds like there is something very wrong with the pot and probably not suitable for brewing tea. You can imagine if microbes start growing in those cracks and between the glaze and the clay. No good.
I never considered that microbes could get into the cracks. Maybe this pot will have to be ornamental.
Or you can use it as a decanter for alcohol
I'm curious- how did you use the pot during your first session? Did you take this into consideration:GaoShan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:25 pmI tested it with cool tap water and it did leak, though relatively slowly. It might still work as a water cooler.LeoFox wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 11:45 amYou could test if cooler water - less than 80 C, still leaks. If not - you could repurpose this as a water cooler for Japanese teas.GaoShan wrote: ↑Sat Sep 04, 2021 8:00 am
It was my first serious, expensive, aesthetically pleasing clay teapot, so while "loved" might be a bit of an exaggeration, I was unhappy when it broke. I also thought it made good tea, though having had only one session with it, that might have been my imagination.
I never considered that microbes could get into the cracks. Maybe this pot will have to be ornamental.
Or you can use it as a decanter for alcohol
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