Pottery Trimming Techniques
When it comes to trimming your clay pottery projects, you want tools that you can rely on. At DiamondCore® Tools, we’ve focused on creating trimming tools that can cut through leather hard clay like butter while creating clay ribbons that fall off of your ceramic piece. We’ll dive into how to trim your pottery work while reviewing the best tools to help you accomplish your goals.
When to Trim Your Clay
You should begin trimming your clay when it’s leather-hard. To determine if your clay is at the right consistency, you should be able to press a fingernail into the clay without disrupting its shape.
Our team loves when we’re trimming pottery and ribbons of clay begin to come off of the project we’re working on. This means that the clay is at the perfect consistency and that your pottery trimming tool is sharp enough to get the job done right.
Clay Trimming Tips and Tricks
- Place the piece you’re trimming upside down and in the center of a pottery wheel.
- Secure the trimming spot on the wheel with small lumps of clay on either side of the piece. Or use a product like our Sticky Pad and Bats to keep it stable as it spins.
- Always trim your pottery while following its inside shape.
- Start by working at the outside of the foot ring and trim excess clay from the outside. You can then trim the outside of the pot’s wall as needed.
- As you’re trimming your pottery, be sure to create an even thickness at the bottom and walls of the pot to prevent cracks from forming in the piece.
Best Pottery Trimming Tools
The best ceramic projects start with the best ceramic tools. Here are a few of the popular pottery trimming tools that our customers love.
T1 Half Dome Pottery Trimming Tool w/ Paddle Handle
Our T1 Half Dome Trimming Tool features a blade with a round side and straight corner, allowing you to transition from curved round to corner cut carving easily.
Designed for high-performance pottery wheel trimming, our T1 trimming tool will shave off thin, rounded ribbons, making it excellent for carving, shaving, sculpting and scraping. As a bonus, the handle tip is paddle-shaped for smoothing.
“This is one of the first tools I purchased and it’s amazing and highly versatile. I highly recommend!” —Alia H.
T2 Arc Pottery Trimming Tool w/ Cone-Shaped Stylus
The unique blade design of our T2 Arc Pottery Trimming tool reduces chattering and allows you to trim from the front of the foot rim without flipping the piece you’re working on. While you trim, you’ll have a smooth transition from the foot to the pot, keeping you working and enjoying the pottery-making process.
“I’ve used countless trimming tools and never found one I liked, let alone loved. Constantly replacing dull tools and losing pots to poorly made ones was extremely frustrating. I got this trimming tool after it launched almost 2 years ago, and I LOVE it! For the first time in my life I don’t hate trimming. The blade lasted over a year, and was super easy to change. The arc shape is perfect for trimming smooth edges and foot rings. I cannot recommend this tool enough!” — Emily
5-Piece Trimming Tools Set 1
When you begin trimming your ceramic work, you want easy access to the tools you need to accomplish the job. Each DiamondCore® Tools trimming set features four of our most popular and versatile tools, giving you multiple options for trimming your pottery.
Whether you’re creating a large ceramic vase or a small mug, you’ll have multiple tools to choose from. This set includes:
- T1 Half Dome Pottery Trimming Tool w/Paddle Handle
- T2 Arc Pottery Trimming Tool w/Cone Shaped Stylus
- T3 Slanted Square Pottery Trimming Tool w/Square-Tipped Handle
- T4 U Tip Pottery Trimming Tool w/Rounded Edge Handle
- 1 extra blade for each trimming tool
- S4 XS Pottery Trimming Spinner
Metal Rib Set
This unique bundle is the perfect pottery assistant for smoothing a slab of clay or carving a rounded piece. These metal ribs will assist you in all steps of your creative process, keeping your ceramic work symmetrical and professional. The small, large and arc-carving metal ribs included in this set each allow you to accomplish different tasks and goals as you work.
“The new metal ribs are like no other. The diversity alone is mind boggling. Can’t wait to see how far I can take them.” —Bonny
Pottery Trimming Spinner Set
These simple yet genius trimming tools help you to stabilize your clay piece while preventing thin-walled pottery from collapsing. The colored lines on the spinners allow you to create division hash marks to evenly divide and trim your next project. The foam backing keeps the spinner from moving while on your piece.
“These spinners are not just a trimming aid. They also measure & help create a balance. No end to great possibilities.” —Bonny
T Series Diamond Set
If you’re always trying new things and really looking to expand your skills, the DiamondCore® Tools T Series Diamond Set is a must-have in your pottery studio. Have one of each of our high-quality trimming tools within reach, allowing you incredible versatility as you remove excess clay or put the finishing touches on your form.
This set of all 12 of our trimming tools will keep you in the pottery studio designing and working on your unique creations. Plus this set now comes with all three of our new finger brushes, the handy little tool for removing debris from your piece, tool tip and more.
“Really versatile and well made. Endless uses, will never run out of options.” —Bonny
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