Why Raku Charms Makers of Small Pots

Raku is the most theatrical firing method in ceramics. You pull glowing pots from a hot kiln at around 950–1000°C, drop them into a bed of sawdust or newspaper, and watch flames and smoke do their work in seconds. The results are unlike anything a standard electric firing can produce: crackle glazes laced with carbon, copper surfaces that flash from turquoise to deep ruby, and a soft, smoky patina that settles into every unglazed crevice.

It is also the ideal technique for small pots. A mug-sized vessel, a bud vase, a row of little lidded boxes or a handful of teabowls will heat through quickly, cool rapidly, and respond beautifully to the shock of post-fire reduction. Small pieces are easier to handle with tongs, cheaper to fire, and forgiving of the wild variations that make raku so exciting. If you have ever wanted to try it, a modest collection of thumb-sized forms is the perfect place to begin.

Clay Bodies and Glazes Suited to Raku

Raku clay needs to survive thermal shock, so choose a grogged stoneware or a purpose-made raku body. Look for a clay with 20–30% grog, or add coarse grog to a plastic stoneware if you mix your own. Porcelain is a poor choice for a beginner: it cracks readily when quenched and gives little warning before it fails.

Throw or handbuild your pots with walls of about 5–6mm, and keep forms simple. A rounded belly, a slightly flared rim and no sharp shoulders all help the piece cope with sudden temperature change. Bisque fire to around 1000°C before glazing. For glazes, raku favours high-boron recipes that melt early and craze on cooling.

• White crackle — a classic, showing a fine web of dark lines once the carbon gets in.
• Clear crackle — lets the clay body colour show through the crazing.
• Copper matte — flashes red, purple and metallic copper depending on the reduction.
• Copper sand or turquoise — vivid blues and greens that shift dramatically with smoke.

Apply glaze a little thinner than you would for a stoneware firing, roughly 1mm, and leave the foot and lower third of the pot bare so it sits well and doesn't fuse to your kiln shelf.

Setting Up Safely Outdoors

Raku is an outdoor activity, full stop. Smoke, flame and carbon monoxide are all part of the process, and no garage, shed or conservatory is suitable unless it is genuinely open on two sides with excellent through-draught. Choose a spot with firm, fireproof ground: paving slabs, gravel, bare earth or a sheet of steel. Never fire on decking, dry grass or tarmac.

Your kit should include:

• Long-handled raku tongs — at least 60cm, with a good grip on the rim.
• Leather gauntlets or Kevlar gloves — plus a second pair of heat-resistant liners underneath.
• A fireproof reduction bin — a metal dustbin or lidded container, kept on slabs.
• Sawdust, newspaper, straw or wood shavings — your reduction fuel, kept dry.
• A water bucket and a fire extinguisher — within arm's reach at all times.
• A clear safety zone — no children, pets or spectators within three metres.

Wear natural fibres: cotton or wool, never polyester, which melts onto skin. Tie long hair back. A face shield is worth the small expense, and a respirator is sensible when you handle fine sawdust and glaze powders.

Firing and the Reduction Chamber

Bring your raku kiln, whether gas or electric, slowly to temperature. Most small pots are ready around 950–1000°C, when the glaze is glossy and fluid. Watch through the peephole rather than trusting the pyrometer alone — a glossed surface means the glaze has matured.

Switch off the gas or element, then open the kiln carefully. Using your tongs, lift each pot and place it straight into the reduction bin. Sprinkle a little sawdust over the top, drop on a handful of newspaper, and close the lid. The paper will ignite and the smoke will do the work. Leave the pots for 10–20 minutes; longer for deeper blacks and stronger copper flashes, shorter for delicate crackle.

Timing is personal, and there is no single right answer. Make notes for every firing: glaze, temperature, fuel, reduction time. Within half a dozen sessions you will have a reliable feel for your own kiln and materials.

Cooling, Cleaning and Finishing

You can quench hot pots directly in water for maximum crackle and a snappy, brittle glaze surface, or let them cool in the bin for a gentler result. Quenching is spectacular but hard on the glaze, so try both and see which suits your work. Handle with tongs until everything is genuinely cold.

Clean the cooled pot with a stiff nylon brush under running water, then scrub the bare clay with a scouring pad to remove loose carbon. Some makers seal the surface with wax, a clear acrylic medium or a food-safe oil. Remember that raku is decorative: the body remains porous, the glaze is crazed, and the surface should not be used for food or drink.

Raku rewards curiosity more than precision. Start with a dozen small pots, keep your safety rules strict, and let the smoke and flame surprise you. The crackle and metal you pull from the bin will teach you more than any book can.