Metal Rib

Oh the metal rib of death. Why on earn would pottery professionals continue to make and use a thin slice of metal which, when misplaced at the bottom of a reclaim bucket, can nearly slice off your finger? Are we all a little mad? Probably. The simple fact is, it works. 

I remember being quite intimidated by the metal rib. Most of my early pieces had a slip finish because I was unable to control the tool properly. I had mangled many of my carefully crafted, wobbly, thick walled creations enough times I had all together given up on trying to use it.

I forced myself to learn how to use this tool properly because I wanted to make marbled mugs. The only way to get the desired swirl effect of marbled mugs is to scrape off the slip and expose the beautiful patterns underneath. In the end, making friends with my metal rib of death has made me a better artist. This step not only exposes the lovely swirls, but also helps to compress and shape the final piece. I find myself reaching for this tool consistently and my craft would not be the same without it. 

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