Gerstley Borate Gone?

If you have ever mixed a Raku glaze it is very likely you have used a chemical called Gerstley Borate. Some feel this chemical was the "spawn of hell" due to inconsistency of the supply, how it reacted once mixed, or any number of other reasons. The company that produced the pottery grade of Gerstley Borate decided to stop producing the product. This sent the Rakuists into a panic. Many of the popular Raku glazes were without a key ingredient. As bad as it was, it was popular. Hence, many frits and substitute chemicals have been proposed as a substitute. A website that has done a detailed job analyzing the alternatives is http://www.gerstleyborate.com. I personally have not run out of my supply, nor tried any of the substitute materials in any recipes, so I don't have an opinion or preference yet. I imagine sometime soon I will be conducting a series of test to find out what seems to work best for me. When I discover anything, I will include the results in this newsletter.

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Gary R. Ferguson - Raku Artist