Extra care should be taken with any hand-made ceramic wares to maximise longevity. My work is not mass-produced in a factory - it is made with love and care and should be treated as such!
All items listed in my store are food safe and microwave/oven safe UNLESS noted otherwise in the description. Use of dishwasher is at own risk. I recommend washing ALL handmade items by hand.
Care for polished/external drips -
These pieces require extra care as the drips are essentially solid glass. I recommend these be carefully washed by hand. Take care not to drop the piece into the sink as this could cause the drips to snap off. It’s best not to let the drips hit against hard surfaces and please do not stack drippy pieces inside one-another!
Durability - White stoneware and porcelain tend to be the most robust and durable ceramic bodies. Dark, iron-bearing clays are prone to chipping and cracking if hit against hard surfaces so please treat with care. Some glaze finishes are not fully scratch-proof which is normal for non-commercial/industrial glazes and may cause a dulling of the finish over time (in the bottom of a mug from stirring, for example).
Stacking cups inside one-another can alter the outer glazed surface - I do not stack any handmade items in my home, I tend to 'top and tail' to save space. If you need to stack your pots, I would suggest placing a piece of cloth or paper between each item.
Crazing - Some of my glazes have crazing (also known as crackle) this varies between clay bodies and is more common over the dark/speckled variations. The materials I employ are fired to stoneware temperatures and so both the glaze and clay are vitrified meaning it has reached maximum melt point for the materials to fuse and become completely watertight.
Staining - Interior crazing may stain over time with use, especially with coffee, tea, red wine etc. This is not considered a concern for health and safety so long as the items are kept clean while not in use and are not used to store food/liquid for extended periods of time. My White Crackle glaze has a ceramic stain added to the crazing to enhance the effect which is then treated with LiquidQuartz sealer.
If you have bought an item and you hear a ‘ping’ sound, please don’t be alarmed. This is the glaze crazing which it may continue to do long after the work is taken from the kiln (sometimes even after a year). You may notice over time a glaze has developed more cracks than when you purchased the piece - this is normal for hand-made ceramic items with crackle glazes.
Testing - I routinely conduct a range of tests on all my glazes to confirm they are fit for sale including leaching/acid corrosion tests. None of my glazes contain toxic chemicals.
Thermal shock testing - All items listed in my store have been tested for thermal shock resistance. This test involves alternating from cold to extreme heat. Each piece is placed in cold water followed by a plunge in just-boiled water. If there are any weaknesses in a piece, this test will force that weakness to reveal itself in the form of a 'hairline crack' and the piece is discarded.
I must note that continued alternation between extreme heat and cold over a long period of time can eventually weaken and damage handmade ceramic wares and is not reccommended.
Faults - While I am confident in the design, construction and function of my work, if you happen to find a fault with an item you have purchased PLEASE get in touch. I will request photos and description to determine if the fault is a production issue before issuing a replacement or refund.
Warped/Ovalled rims - I do not consider slight warping/ovalling of rims to be a flaw and rather embrace this as part of my overall aesthetic. Some of my mug forms develop ovalled rims as the weight of the handle and glaze pulls the piece slightly to one side in the firing. In cases of extreme distortion, I will list as a second and make a note in the product description.
Flashing - Some items have what is called 'flashing' at the foot of the piece - this is a natural reaction from the materials used in my glazes and occurs during firing, causing an orange halo - I do not remove this flashing and it is not considered a fault.
Please contact me if you have any further concerns!