The firing that cracked

I opened the kiln on Tuesday to find three mugs cracked clean through the base. A whole morning of throwing, gone. It happens, and it is worth writing down while it stings.

What I saw

The cracks were sharp and straight, not the soft lines you get from a bad join. That usually means the pots came up in temperature too fast and the thick bases could not keep pace with the thin walls.

What I think I did

I was in a hurry. I loaded a damp batch and pushed the early part of the firing to make up time. Stoneware does not forgive that. The water still in the clay turned to steam faster than it could escape.

What I am changing

Slower to start, every time, even when the diary is full. I have written a candling step back onto the kiln sheet, a long gentle warm through before the real heat. The mugs that survived are lovely, so the glaze batch itself was good.

A cracked pot is cheaper than a cracked habit. Better to lose three mugs and learn than to keep rushing.