A Description of Clay Tools
Clay tools are used to cut, shape and decorate clay. Most tools are intended for use with wet clay but some, such as sandpaper, are used once the finished clay item (called a clay body) has dried. Tools need to be properly cared for: blades and cutters should be kept sharp with a whetstone, wood handles and metal blades should be given a regular coat of oil and no tools should be left wet.
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Pottery Wheel
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Also known as a potter's wheel or kick wheel, this tool has a large horizontal wheel that is used to help make round, symmetrical pots. Pieces of clay or unfinished items are placed in the exact center of the wheel, which spins at a steady speed. The potter can use the wheel to shape a lump of clay into a vessel, to smooth surfaces and to apply designs, for example, by resting a cutting tool against the surface of the pot while it spins. Pottery wheels may be powered by an electric motor or by a foot pedal.
Slab Roller
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A slab roller is a mechanical press used to create uniformly even slabs of clay. The clay is placed on a flat bed and a roller is moved over it, pressing it into shape. The depth of the roller is adjustable so that slabs of different thicknesses can be produced. Slab rollers may be manually operated or they may be motorized.
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Handle Makers
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A handle maker consists of an oblong metal loop with a handle. A handle maker is drawn through a slab of wet clay, producing a long, even strip of clay which coils in on itself. These strips can be used in their entirety to make coil pots; alternatively, sections can be cut off to make handles for cups or jugs.
Modelling Tools
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Modelling tools are used to shape clay while it's soft. They may be knife-like, triangular, curved, pointed or spatula-shaped. Modelling tools can be used to cut, slice and contour clay, to smooth surfaces and to apply designs.
Banding Wheel
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A banding wheel is used to apply stripes of paint or glaze to dry clay. It is a flat, round wheel something like a pottery wheel but without a source of power, such as a motor. The potter places the item to be decorated in the center of the wheel, then sets the wheel spinning by hand. A brush loaded with paint or other coloring matter is held to the side of the clay body, resulting in a circular band.
Loop Tools and Ribbon Tools
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Loop tools consist of a wire loop set in a handle. Ribbon tools are similar but the loop is made from a strip of metal instead of wire. These tools are used to slice and scoop away precise amounts of clay from a clay body.
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References
Resources
- "The Craft and Art of Clay"; Susan Peterson, Jan Peterson; 2003
- Photo Credit PhotoObjects.net/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
