Why Buy Clay When It Is Free?

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ค. 2024
  • The pros and cons of wild clay collecting, stop buying clay and connect with the earth.
    Millions of potters waste money buying clay when they don’t have to. In this video I will compare buying commercial clay with collecting wild clay, pointing out pros and cons of these options.
    0:00 Commercial Clay vs Wild Clay
    0:33 Advantages of Wild Clay
    1:08 Where Are The Best Places To Find Wild Clay
    2:37 Testing Wild Clay
    3:44 Advantages of Commercial Clay
    4:20 Comparing Wild Clay and Commercial Clay Side By Side
    #wildclay
    #nativeclay
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  • แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต

ความคิดเห็น • 214

  • @AncientPottery
    @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    If you are interested in how I process my wild clay into a material suitable for making pottery check out this video th-cam.com/video/UzkZ1EpLXxs/w-d-xo.html
    Thanks for watching, don't forget to like and share!

    • @annibeden4714
      @annibeden4714 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I live in Northern ky on my dads property we have several deposits and just everywhere in our area there is clay. We have Kentucky blue clay, some creek bends have beautiful soft blue clean clay just sitting there all by itself, when u was a kid I remember sitting in soft clay bowls in the creek and playing with it there's also alot of dry clay. But I don't hear alot about my clay its a very pretty blue like sky blue on a colder, cloudy day. Like army blue, instead of army green. Just recently fount out its been used in the last century for its skin healing properties and when I was a child I did process some and take it in to my grade school art class, pretty sure I did make, fire and glaze a few pieces with it. Can't remember tho if they came out.

    • @BIATEC88
      @BIATEC88 ปีที่แล้ว

      You would love my dad's garden in London, it's full of clay

    • @walidnafeti3709
      @walidnafeti3709 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      U are very clever mate

  • @anagramconfirmed1717
    @anagramconfirmed1717 2 ปีที่แล้ว +208

    A *wild clay* appears.

  • @zd1306
    @zd1306 ปีที่แล้ว +116

    For us clay fanatics who would rather not spend dollars on dollars on literal dirt, this video is truly a gem. Thank you for your fantastic content

  • @paleogeology9554
    @paleogeology9554 ปีที่แล้ว +82

    Im a Geologist, Trust this man when he says THERE IS NO NEED TO EVER BUY CLAY! Ive had a love for making sculptures and pottery my whole life, there is nothing better then making something out of the earth. Ive made my entire living for over 20yrs off of finding things buried in the earth. It hold MANY treasures beyond your comprehension if you can make that connection which is key. Lastly like he said if you care about the earth digging your own vs buying saves hundreds of different machine, vehicles from using fuel.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Thanks for the endorsement. There is nothing like making something from the earth.

    • @badabingluigi
      @badabingluigi ปีที่แล้ว

      Can I obtain copious amounts from Nc …. To create a workout class based around it?

    • @flamesofhellstudio
      @flamesofhellstudio 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      This is some abelist attitude on it. Also doesn't account for people's location, transportation, and finances. It may be more financially viable for someone to buy clay than to collect their own. Someone may have to get something done faster and they need clay NOW. Maybe someone is unable to go out and collect their own clay due to a disability. There are MANY reasons to buy clay. There are also reasons to not buy clay. Remember, if you cannot get homemade clay, storebought is fine.

  • @stauffap
    @stauffap 2 ปีที่แล้ว +55

    I stopped looking for clay that is usable right away. I usually just look for a soil with enough clay in it. Then i collect it and mix it with water. I give it about 30 seconds after having mixed it, to give large stones a chance to settle to the bottom. I pour off the water into another bucket. The clay is in the water that i poured off. If i leave the bucket undisturbed it will settle to the bottom and i can pour off the clear water on top. This will give me a more and more concentrated clay. Then i spread the clay onto a wide tray to let the rest of the water evaporate.
    The whole process takes about two days, but obviously the only work i have to do is the pouring. The rest of the time is just waiting around.
    The first mixing and pouring won't get all of the clay out of the soil. So this can be done several times, until you pretty much only have sand and a bit of silt left and we've extracted all the clay.
    The nice thing about this method is that you don't need ANY special equipement. It can be done with buckets, with pans or even plastic bottles. Not even a sieve is necessary, since organic matter usually floats and will be poured off automatically (or it can be picked out by hand easily). The other nice thing is that you don't need very good clay to start with you just need soil with clay in it and that is easy to find.
    I also like to do this quite common experiment with a clear water bottle. Put your soil sample into the water bottle, fill it with water. Shake it vigorously and let it settle until the water is clear. You'll notice that there are layers. The top layer is the clay (take the longest to settle), the second on is silt and the bottom layer are sand and large stones. By doing this test we already see how much clay there is in the soil that we are using and it the test helps understanding the whole process of getting clay from soil.
    Another nice thing is that i can chose how pure my clay will be. The longer i let the mixture settle after mxing it and before pouring the clay water into another bucket, the more pure my clay will be. So slips can be made that way as well. On the other hand if you don't let it settle too much then you'll get some more silt into your clay, which gives you a rougher clay with more temper (i'm assuming that silt acts the same way a temper does).

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      This method of purifying clay is called levigation. I have used it but find it a bit labor intensive, it is great for making marginal clay good though. Glad you have a system that works for you. Thanks for this comment I'm sure it will help others.

  • @Techno_Nomadic
    @Techno_Nomadic 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I want to give one more perspective: a have a mental health issue which ties me up with anxiety. While I am certain I could find clay in my area, and just walking on the hill behind the house results in plenty of sticky, slippery mud (definitely claylike, I'm just above a river) on my shoes, I want something to use as a reference so I know I'm on the right track. While working with wild clay is desired, I do not want to waste my effort. I would add the following: Wild Clay gives you the chance to experiment and try new things and learn techniques that you might not discover with commercial clay. Commercial clay lets you acquire something with known and consistent properties. Commercial clay will let you skip that part of the learning curve: you can get straight to the making and gain experience on how to work with clay and what to expect out of clay. Once you know how commercially prepared clay feels, it will help you home in on what to look for in wild clay. When you try to use one that doesn't behave like you think it should you won't blame yourself in these fledgling stages and give up. You'll go look for a different wild clay. Maybe you'll find one that acts even better than the commercial one, or you'll fall in love with the treasure hunt, knowing at the end of the day, even if you didn't find the clay you're looking for, you still have something you can use.
    That said, if someone like me that either can't get to wild clay, or is afraid to make a mistake and wants to get into ancient pottery and kiln-less pit firing, what commercial clays should we look for that will cooperate with the ancient methods? Everything I have seen thus far seems to imply that it must be kiln fired at higher temperatures. The only clays I have experience with was back in my '80's art class that turned that classic terra-cotta orange after firing.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Good question. I am currently in the planning stages to make just the video you requested here. So look for that is another month or so. And I do realize that wild clay is not for everyone. Thanks for watching!

  • @Respectable_Username
    @Respectable_Username 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    It always pleasantly surprises me when it turns out game mechanics from this one survival game I sometimes play is true to real life. In this case, the banks of rivers being a good place to find clay 😊

  • @Nosttromo
    @Nosttromo ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I see many crafting channels where the guy makes his own tools, and the fools in the comments go wild like: "why waste 200 dollars of material and 8000 dollars of equipment to build something you can get at the hardware store for 15$?"
    Andy has the answer. It's the fun and adventure of crafting your own stuff. Similar to getting your own clay. I understand this guy a lot.

  • @llanitedave
    @llanitedave 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Hey Drew, lookin' good! I think there's no doubt about the adventure aspect in wild clay! The only real problem with wild clay is that, once cornered, if fights back fiercely!

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      LOL, yes it does, and they wonder why it's called "wild clay".

  • @bobafruti
    @bobafruti ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Your points about road cuts and construction sites are important in wetter areas where it can be hard to find raw earth that isn't covered in vegetation.
    good stuff, makes me want to take my daughters out for a clay finding adventure!

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      True, it can be much harder to find in places where the ground is all covered by vegetation.

    • @bobafruti
      @bobafruti ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AncientPottery I followed some of your tips to find some clay. Got some madiocres quality stuff from a dirt road, but it's very damp and has a lot more vegetation squished in in than I expected.
      Now I'm trying out wet and dry processing, but it's raining so neither one is drying.

  • @EXARCWithGrandpop
    @EXARCWithGrandpop 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Preaching to the choir Andy! Also, Drew is very dapper.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks. Yes, if you are in my choir then this may not be a video made for you. This is more like recruiting for more choir members.

  • @crispycorn
    @crispycorn ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Usually this is not my type of content, but damn, his energy and very easy way of explaining kept me watching till the end. Very nice and informative, really great- even though I don't watch this type of thing, I now find myself binging and watching another episode. Very nice and straight to the point :D

  • @catherine_404
    @catherine_404 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Our country house is in an old clay (and sand) quarry, the soil is rather poor even after decades of cultivation. There were places with decent "kids crafts" quality, but they are overgrown now. I guess, someone really stubborn can go prospect for clay.
    My aunt lives in and area with clay quarries all around, you can go to an active quarry and just collect a bucket from an outside edge. Clay falls of from trucks carrying clay to the brick factory, no trespassing needed to gather ample amount.
    When I was a kid, once we went to the brick factory there (20 min walk or something) and took a bunch of clay from a pile outside. Sometimes they sell defective poorly baked bricks. Which can be separated into clay and useable pieces for pathways and similar garden jobs.
    I played with some gray sculpting clay, it was very smooth, held bending beautifully, and was great for details. At a porcelain factory tour I tried white clay, it was not conducive to detailing, yet very smooth and pleasant, it was truly white. "Wild" clay I found was either greyish or off some brown shade, from yellowish to reddish, but mostly just red earth brown colour, sometimes it's decent, sometimes it's only good enough to play, not for firing. But that brick clay was BLACK. It was silky-oily smooth, looking like soft graphite. It was very difficult to make workable for sculpting small figures, very stubborn. It was smooth, didn't crack, but also "rubbery" as it didn't want to hold fine details.

  • @ryananderson8642
    @ryananderson8642 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thanks for opening the eyes of some of us here, love your mentality and the knowledge that you share so transparently 👍👍

  • @dictionaryguy5521
    @dictionaryguy5521 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I just realized that I know a great place in my city to get some clay! There's a destroyed stream that has basicaly turned into a little river with extruding pieces of dirt. I'll have to go with a bucket and try to use the water in the stream

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      Awesome, I hope the stream has the right stuff for you.

  • @marciacunningham5877
    @marciacunningham5877 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Hi, Andy. I just made what may be a great discovery for those folks who don't have the option of hunting wild clay. Walmart sells a 25 lb bag of kitty litter made, I assume, of Bentonite. It is from Bentonville Ark. No fragrance, no charcoal, pure clay. It does need to be ground. I just ordered a corn grinder. The kitty litter only cost $4.74!!! I am soaking some to see if it breaks down that way. It's called Special Kitty natural clay kitty litter. I will be experimenting with it. It may make a good white slip, as well as pottery. I am excited! Michael

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      That's great. I wouldn't recommend bentonite for building pottery, it has a very high shrinkage rate and is very sticky, so it might make a good slip but probably would be terrible for building with. That said, give it a shot and let me know how it goes.

    • @marciacunningham5877
      @marciacunningham5877 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@AncientPottery Thanks, Andy. I hope it will, at least, come out white as a slip. Michael

    • @marciacunningham5877
      @marciacunningham5877 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I'm sorry to say that after levigating this is mostly shale and small gravel with a small bit of clay. Disappointing.

    • @beorntordensjold9149
      @beorntordensjold9149 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Bentonite is a great clay additive, but not so great as a clay in and of itself. It adds plasticity if added to an extant clay body. It needs to be hydrated first, as it will absorb water from the clay body otherwise.

  • @coopart1
    @coopart1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Nice production ! I enjoy your pottery skills AND your video production as well .

  • @HoneybeeApis
    @HoneybeeApis ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Gosh you are such a doll! you inspired me to go out and make my own clay today. It was a workout, but now I am so excited!

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Awesome, I hope it works out for you

  • @CosmicMomentumX
    @CosmicMomentumX 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Love this guy. Wholesome, informative, and hilarious ❤

  • @QuailCanyonAnthropolgy
    @QuailCanyonAnthropolgy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great video! I could not agree more about any of these points! Fun stuff! Thanks again Andy!

  • @detroitergirl5842
    @detroitergirl5842 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Amazing!! I like your video! Thanks from Detroit.

  • @Gomaga
    @Gomaga ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Lmao love alter ego Drew character. Fun watching. Very informative. Thank you look forward to all your videos. Thanks Paul

  • @hannahbotanica3311
    @hannahbotanica3311 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I love this! I grew up & live in Western North Carolina. Trust me, we have tons of orange clay in these hills! I'm going to have to go exploring in my back yard lol Thanks for the inspiration! 😊

  • @SF-gy3oj
    @SF-gy3oj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    The only good thing about the drought...my local drastically receding lake has exposed a lifetime of clay. I'm processing some now. So far it seems good. Have you had any experience with lakebed clay?

    • @GrannyGooseOnYouTube
      @GrannyGooseOnYouTube 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I use lacustrine clay from the giant prehistoric lakebed that is now Kings County CA. It is very interesting clay...usually doesn't need temper as it is very sandy. It requires some patience...but work it well and it's a fine clay. Best wishes

    • @SF-gy3oj
      @SF-gy3oj 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@GrannyGooseOnTH-cam Thank you for your comment Granny. I was thinking this clay must be geologically young since it was underwater a year ago, like lake muck. I wonder if it has a lot of decomposing organics in it, but it feels clean.

    • @GrannyGooseOnYouTube
      @GrannyGooseOnYouTube 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@SF-gy3oj Hey a little duck poop never hurt anyone! LOL I think mine has a lot of cow poop in it, but C'est la vie.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I have used lake bed clay and it has worked good for me in the past for me.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You may find that it gets stinky if you leave it wrapped up in plastic for a period of time. That's what I have found with mud that has a lot of organic material in it. That organic material can also make the clay more plastic.

  • @lindareese4579
    @lindareese4579 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You are very special person to me ❤️ for sharing your thoughts on wild clay..

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks

    • @edelgyn2699
      @edelgyn2699 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AncientPottery You would have been special to me had you bothered to reply to my questions two months ago. I kept coming back week after week, but nothing...

  • @blueskyalldayeveryday
    @blueskyalldayeveryday ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Drew needs his own channel! 😂😎

  • @wompstopm123
    @wompstopm123 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    the outdoor environmental clay hunting segment was great, i never thought about road cuts or construction sites

  • @paulcaradec4973
    @paulcaradec4973 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love your videos!

  • @charlottesmom
    @charlottesmom ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm in new England, all we have in our backyard is rocks! I'm going to see if I can find some clay, but I'm doubting it. This is one time I wish we lived out west.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      There is clay in most areas worldwide, although there are always exceptions.

  • @hc6157
    @hc6157 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This video is so charming! Godspeed to drew lol

  • @JaySav916
    @JaySav916 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice video Andy. Well done

  • @augisr1877
    @augisr1877 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great video Andy! I think that if instead of spending time in social media complaining about pollution, people could visit their own surroundings and see if they can take out any trash that they find themselves, surely nature would benefit more from this, probably the people too!

  • @Gildete257
    @Gildete257 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Nice video. Thanks a lot

  • @nicholasvaneyk4565
    @nicholasvaneyk4565 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Lol this was a great video! I loved the alter ego. Well done!

  • @Caleb-mh2rj
    @Caleb-mh2rj 26 วันที่ผ่านมา

    You are the best !

  • @bigbird2240
    @bigbird2240 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I am a dredge operator in the Florida panhandle and we run into tons of perfect clay all diff colors

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      Sounds cool. A lot of folks in Florida say the clay is too deep to get to, but I imaging that is a great way to find clay in Florida.

    • @bigbird2240
      @bigbird2240 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AncientPottery staring to think I’m actually finding chalk

  • @johnhill1629
    @johnhill1629 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    If you're a total beginner, how do you know if your clay will work? I'm in Georgia with tons of red clay, but I don't know if it's commonly used. Do I just try the finger test?

    • @johnhill1629
      @johnhill1629 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      P.s. thanks for your rad videos!

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      The finger test is a start, that tells you if it is usable for forming pots. After that, make a small pot and try firing it. That will tell you everything you need to know.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      You’re welcome

    • @nadiarogmati2184
      @nadiarogmati2184 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      The best way to find out is to try? Get your hands dirty.

    • @davehaggerty3405
      @davehaggerty3405 ปีที่แล้ว

      They built little red school houses out of red Georgia clay.

  • @mdp4440
    @mdp4440 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Nice, but I tried some "wild clay" in one of my firings and found out that the local clay puddled at cone 10 and messed up some kiln shelves. No real harm since it was only a couple of test pieces. I formulated a clay body that was good for me, and even had Highwater Clay in Asheville to mix and ship it to me. It had some ball clay, sagger, fire clay, kaolin and other types. The glazes had to fit the body, so there was a lot to consider. I'm retired now after 45 years at the wheel.
    I must admit that it was fun exploring creek beds and collecting local clays. Interesting to find a blue-gray clay that fired white after burning off the organics.

  • @Suburbanstoneage
    @Suburbanstoneage 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Yup, upvoting Drew. Hope we see Drew some more :)

  • @cristiewentz8586
    @cristiewentz8586 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Fantastic!!! I just moved to alabama. NOT finding clay is the problem 😂

  • @Briaaanz
    @Briaaanz 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I'd like a video about tempering wet prepared wild clay... Like how much to process temper out or put in. I know you use dry processing, but I get mine from river banks in the soggy Pacific NW

    • @QuailCanyonAnthropolgy
      @QuailCanyonAnthropolgy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      one gallon of wet clay, and 1/4 gallon of temper. Hope this helps.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      This video may have what you are looking for th-cam.com/video/UYlhuOgFuiA/w-d-xo.html

  • @subramanianc9636
    @subramanianc9636 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    thank you ❤️🙏🌟

  • @NayrbRellimer
    @NayrbRellimer ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Who helped design your thumbnail for the video? It looks very professional.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I designed it myself. I was a web designer before I started doing TH-cam

  • @taniaakm6137
    @taniaakm6137 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hey! Nice video, I’m huge fan of yours! I started my journey in wild clay and I’m wondering if they work well in high temperatures or it requires to be tempered with some other elements. I haven’t tested yet, but I’m curious :)
    Thanks for the very educational videos! Saudações from Brazil 🇧🇷

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      It depends on the clay. Some wild clays work great at high temperatures and others melt. You will need to do some experimentation with your clays to see what their top temperatures are.

    • @livedandletdie
      @livedandletdie ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I mean... over 800C and you're going to definitely ruin the clay... as the minerals that constitutes clay, will melt... as it's Aluminum and Silica primarily, for pure clay, such as Halloysite or Kaolinite Clay, however some clays have Iron or other metals in them, and some doesn't have aluminum at all such as Talc, which has Magnesium instead, and most of these clays expand with heat, mostly because to be a clay mineral you have to have water bound to the metallic oxide.
      But then again, using clay that is less pure clay, and more akin to loam would sort the expansion bit out, so a mixture of Clay and Silt at a ~70:30 or Clay:Sand at a ~4:1 would do well. Then again mixing it with ground charcoal or potash would also work.

    • @beorntordensjold9149
      @beorntordensjold9149 ปีที่แล้ว

      One can get a PhD in clay formulation. There's a great many things that play into a good clay body.

  • @papmaster8874
    @papmaster8874 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I try to inform ppl and I'll direct others to this video 💯💯

  • @dire_prism
    @dire_prism ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Where I live there's a lot of clay in the soil - deeper down there's even more clay and there are deep layers of almost pure clay too, which can be seen in bluffs by the seashore.

  • @Xihkemel
    @Xihkemel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Hello, I recently went on a litte adventure to obtain "wild" clay. I processed the clay using the dry method and put 1 part sand for 4 parts clay. I wedged it to the best of my abilities and wrapped it in aluminum foil and let it sit. Today I wanted to used a portion of the clay for a test pot and the clay was less eslatic and broke apart easily. when trying to wedge it it would break and make room for air bubbles. What did I do wrong and should I provide a video for you to see? many thanks for your thoughts on the matter.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It sounds like your clay is lacking in plasticity. Could it have been a bit too dry? Perhaps it could be improved through levigation, removing more silt and sand particles. Then again, maybe it is just not real great clay. Some wild clays are not suitable for making pottery, in the case you should just keep looking. th-cam.com/video/UA4p-RTvjSw/w-d-xo.html

  • @tinfoilhatsarethenewblack8788
    @tinfoilhatsarethenewblack8788 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    "Light Exercise". Recently I found some very promesing Clay while on a hike. So I decidet to carry the 30 pounds I collected in my backpack for the remaining 3 miles. It felt like i ground my hip joints a few inches deeper.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      LOL. Well how light that exercise is depends on the location. I have packed out many pounds of clay over miles of rough country in the past, also collected clay from the sides of very steep, rocky hills. To say nothing of the risk to life and limb.

  • @edelgyn2699
    @edelgyn2699 ปีที่แล้ว

    I saved some clay when I had to dig up my back yard. It's beautiful stuff to work with (thrown and handbuilt), but I haven't fired it yet. There were still a few tiny, tiny stones left after sieving it - is there any advice as to whether these will blow when I bisque fire the pots? I'm thinking the pots may be fine because when I've excavated local pre-Iron Age pottery, I can still see the aggregates in the clay body - tiny flecks of flint and rough sand. The other question that occurred to me: is the colour of the raw wild clay any indication as to the colour of the clay when it is finally fired? I remember digging some brilliant red/purple clay in another location some years ago and would love to think those hues might carry through? Maybe they'd just translate to a dull iron-brown when fired, but I guess those red clay might make excellent slip/glaze bases?

    • @edelgyn2699
      @edelgyn2699 ปีที่แล้ว

      Also how do you know what temperature to fire wild clay at - is it just a matter of making a few test pieces at different temperatures?

  • @lioraselby5328
    @lioraselby5328 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    When he said "millions of us potters," all I could think of is Harry Potter havjng this huge extended family like Plankton did 😅

  • @badabingluigi
    @badabingluigi ปีที่แล้ว

    I live in Nc where red clay is everywhere…. I wanted ur opinion….. I want to obtain copious amounts of this stuff and use it in a workout class. Is that
    Possible?

  • @hasanalharaz7454
    @hasanalharaz7454 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What about the quality of both clays when compared?

  • @jaxv94
    @jaxv94 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    After watching your videos I started going back to collecting clay. Theres alot of clay at construction sites im working at, red, orange. I removed as much sand silt and organic material. I can ball it up and shape it, but When I do the coil test it sometimes hold and sometimes starts to crack. I was wondering if there was anything that can be added or if there’s still alot of silt in it.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      How did you remove the impurities? Perhaps levigation may help to remove more of that sand and silt. Then again, maybe this just isn't great clay and you should keep looking. Not all wild clay is really good for making pottery.

    • @jaxv94
      @jaxv94 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AncientPottery I went over board a little and used water and a mixer and poured it through painters mesh yeah you’re right It’s probably not good clay I’ll keep looking for more.

  • @KozelPraiseGOELRO
    @KozelPraiseGOELRO 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    4:50 I mean, I have nothing against Industrial production, but lots against Capitalist mode of Production, so in most cases, Wild clay wins.

  • @CaptainVaughn0
    @CaptainVaughn0 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i wish i lived somewhere with better land for clay hunting, i know florida has some common clay but we don't have any of those crazy road dips and countrysides like the north and midwest. living by the coast makes it hard to find clay ngl

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      I hear you, but I do know people who harvest wild clay in Florida so it is possible.

  • @matthewdancz9152
    @matthewdancz9152 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I find that I have no need to use clay right now. If I were to make a survival homestead, I may need to know how to create clay, but for the moment, I would probably cause more overall harm than good with such a decision.

  • @kevinbreslin5718
    @kevinbreslin5718 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Someone's gonna see this and walk out their door and find some awesome clay and start a new life. Wonderful!

  • @bigiron1311
    @bigiron1311 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    While I would absolutely love to try this, I do live in a city. That is not in the us.

  • @moeiebrown9087
    @moeiebrown9087 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I live not to far from Colorado River bottom of Grand Canyon . Would that be a good area? I do live in the desert outside Kingman thank you for your Video’s they are the best!!

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you. I am not very familiar with that area, but clay can be found almost anywhere, just get out there and search for it.

  • @2005WH
    @2005WH 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    In TN you have a lot of wild clay, it is so easy to get, dig 1ft and you just have a layer of rich clay, tho it is also a bit rocky and messy, so you obviously have to clean it

    • @PhoenixGirlOfficial
      @PhoenixGirlOfficial หลายเดือนก่อน

      I live in Tennessee as well and was curious if it was easy to find here. I live in Middle Tennessee area so hopefully I can find some locally.

  • @SetGozo
    @SetGozo 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Cool

  • @phillipiacobacci1369
    @phillipiacobacci1369 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have a question about clay? We have lots of what is called" Red Clay", here in my area. I have never tried to make, or work clay. Is the red clay workable? I do know that it is very sticky and when wet, a mess. With sand to it at your approximately, 20% mixture rate a good starting place.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes 20% is my usual advice as a starting place. Every clay is different though so yours may need more or less, give it a try and see what you can make with it.

  • @iz5772
    @iz5772 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    By all means, wild clay is not free. You need to count for the time spent, hard work, fuel to drive to the site, vehicle maintenance, water, equipment and much more. Even if you dig it in your back yard, you still spend time on it. If you go behind a hobby, and actually make it for living, those inputs must be taken in consideration if the overall costing and pricing.

  • @mr.kiwiii4421
    @mr.kiwiii4421 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Fun vs done

  • @rplanet_ua
    @rplanet_ua ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I'm trying to make a wild clay crucible for melting copper. But my clay melts at high temperatures.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Most wild clays will melt at high temperature. You will have to do a lot of experiments to find a clay that will hold together

    • @rplanet_ua
      @rplanet_ua ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@AncientPottery Thank you

  • @kristianlindgren8852
    @kristianlindgren8852 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Billy talent

  • @totschlagsupport1120
    @totschlagsupport1120 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    man. i love clay

  • @redbear2113
    @redbear2113 ปีที่แล้ว

    Road cuts, can you find those in Florida.

  • @jimjimgl3
    @jimjimgl3 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    ....because you save time? I enjoy the process of making my ceramics, I would not want to spend time making clay. But if someone enjoys that part of the process also, great.

  • @keihze25
    @keihze25 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ah yes, wonderful tips all around. Now, uh- can someone point me towards a desert near Michigan?

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      You don't need a desert to find clay, it is everywhere, even in Michigan.

  • @fartmaster4207
    @fartmaster4207 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    looks like the type of guy to harvest natural clay

  • @diamanteduul8084
    @diamanteduul8084 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I like my clay free-range too rather than those domesticated ones that are kept in sacks in warehouses all day in horrible conditions. They barely have any room to even move!

  • @Kusunoky
    @Kusunoky 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is very true. I must add also that the commercial clay already tested for what type of cone they are best, strength and such. In my case I haven't find yet great wild clay so I still need to do some testing first.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Well again, convenience, commercial clay is like a TV dinner. And yes, sometimes you need to spend some time testing and searching for just the right clay.

    • @Kusunoky
      @Kusunoky 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AncientPottery haha very true. I have a terrible red clay here. I still need to find the right locations. One of your video have helped me a lot, in were to find clay. Thank you!

  • @guidofaletti4227
    @guidofaletti4227 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    IMO the things are not so easy and immadiate like the video said.
    Collecting wild clay is full of ''risks'' and hassle.
    If you are a production studio potter, that use a lot of clay a day, you need specific and expensive machine to process it. I am not talking about a little industry, but for studio pottery.
    You need lot of time to collect, to let it dry, sieve it ecc...
    Sometime could happens that in wild clay there are impurities like limestone, and other little rocks that could destroy hours and hours of work.
    Also for the stoneware potters is not easy to find natural stoneware, workable as you find in the fields...
    It is true that is ''free'' but just in terms on mere money, not in terms of Time, which includes hunting, processing (lot of time!), and experimenting to avoid flaws.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      This video is more aimed at the hobbyist than the professional potter. But really it wasn't all that long ago (in the big picture) in our grandfathers' day when many professional potters gathered and processed their own clay. Back then it was just a part of the job of being a potter. I know of a few studio potters who still practice the art of clay gathering and processing today. Now potters have the convenience (mentioned in the video) of buying prepared clay so they can focus on making more pots in a day. Does this make the job of potter more enjoyable? That is up to each potter to answer. It certainly makes them more productive but also takes away a little of that connection to the earth and makes them into something more akin to assembly line workers, focusing on doing one thing well. To each his own Guido, I don't think anyone's decision to buy clay should be looked down upon. But for me collecting and processing wild clay is an integral part of my art and it's connection to the earth, and this video is meant to show my perspective on that.

  • @signaldisconnected634
    @signaldisconnected634 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    All these clay videos are making me realize my entire front yard is mf clay lmaoo

  • @lukasmakarios4998
    @lukasmakarios4998 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We all need some adventure in our lives. Don't you think so?

  • @MatthewMartinson-wv2xd
    @MatthewMartinson-wv2xd 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    He's a Pokemon catcher instead of Pokemon it's clay he's got all the clay pokemon

  • @konstanzbybike2963
    @konstanzbybike2963 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    👍

  • @jaydavies2001
    @jaydavies2001 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    🙂

  • @YourAveragePancake4925
    @YourAveragePancake4925 ปีที่แล้ว

    What if you don’t live in Arizona? Where the dry dirt is abundant everywhere.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      Clay is found almost everywhere on earth. Sure it may be damp in a wetter climate but damp clay is much easier to recognize because it feels like clay.

    • @YourAveragePancake4925
      @YourAveragePancake4925 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@AncientPotteryah nice tip. Thank you.

  • @timo.eppler
    @timo.eppler 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Yeah, but it's like puff pastry. You could make it yourself and invest time in it, *or* you just buy it and can get started immediately.

  • @fancycrafts7774
    @fancycrafts7774 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Drew looks like a contractor who picks up guys from Home Depot to do landscaping gigs and complains about border security at cookouts.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      LOL, yes, that could literally be his back story.

  • @Kavemankolten
    @Kavemankolten 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I can’t find any clay in my area

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      There are some places where clay doesn't naturally exist, but they are rare. You can try using soil maps and mindat.org to locate clay in your area.

  • @kukkicore8310
    @kukkicore8310 ปีที่แล้ว

    Would the wild clay be able to bake? And if so at what temperature?

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You can fire it into ceramic if that is what you mean but every clay has a different maturation temperature so you will need to experiment to find out what your clay needs.

  • @mihailvormittag6211
    @mihailvormittag6211 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    😀

  • @STAR-es4zr
    @STAR-es4zr 13 วันที่ผ่านมา

    What’s the differences between the clay not what is it go go shopping and make clay.

  • @viper3227
    @viper3227 ปีที่แล้ว

    When you have 1 day to do a school project and there are no more options left

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      And yet people do it this way all the time for far less reason.

  • @opcatyouness7827
    @opcatyouness7827 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    i love the whawesome part of youtube :)

  • @robmarshallofficial
    @robmarshallofficial ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Loved the video, the only thing I would say is wild clay isn’t free as such, you still have to drive to where you are able to then walk to get the clay, so cost of having a vehicle on the road plus fuel expenses. However I do feel natural (not commercial) clay is better as it will have the natural tones from where it is found from, will have more natural properties and in my opinion look better.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Sure and everything you do costs some time too. Nothing is truly free.

  • @user-hs5pc3wk5s
    @user-hs5pc3wk5s 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    being poor has never been this cool

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      That's what I'm saying

    • @NoskarfClyn
      @NoskarfClyn 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Trueeeeee

  • @Somerandomperson42132
    @Somerandomperson42132 ปีที่แล้ว

    speedrun break the locked door and steal the shovel from the shed any%

  • @PraviLukijanJC
    @PraviLukijanJC 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    If there is wild clay surely there is tamed clay

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Sure, you can buy it at the hobby store.

  • @timothyrussell1179
    @timothyrussell1179 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    But if you make clay with the native soil and take your earthenware away elsewhere you could get haunted. Incorporate it back into the soil if you're moving. Soil is soul. You've been warned.

  • @cornpawnpete494
    @cornpawnpete494 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    abandoned logging roads

  • @beesreadingnook8132
    @beesreadingnook8132 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    So you can make a free sans figurine

  • @Calligraphybooster
    @Calligraphybooster ปีที่แล้ว

    He looks like a mixture of Radar and father Mulcahy, but he is POTTER

  • @corvusway
    @corvusway ปีที่แล้ว

    2:02 boing

  • @G.A.C_Preserve
    @G.A.C_Preserve ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Free is always better

  • @waterkitties7217
    @waterkitties7217 ปีที่แล้ว

    lol I have to buy pillow cases and it was not free

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  ปีที่แล้ว

      You should have woven your own pillowcases

  • @phylismaddox4880
    @phylismaddox4880 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Um, while I think hunting wild clays is awesome it won't have much if any impact on industrial production which goes primarily to industries and industrial uses. To my mind the bigger advantage is in the diversity of the wild clays. Commercial clays come in gray and special order where wild clays come in a spectrum.

    • @AncientPottery
      @AncientPottery  2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Yes I am aware that my personal impact would be extremely minimal but still I feel better whenever I am not feeding the beast that is industrial production. Like growing a garden, the amount of food my family eats is nothing, the farmers and supermarkets don’t miss us. But I know we are doing good and doing our part to reduce that burden.