Steven Blankenbeker on mon 20 sep 04
Let me share a bit about grogs. In my 18 years at Cedar Heights Clay we
were perpetually searching for the perfect grog. The need has been there
for years, especially for artisans. I have personally worked on about ten
different projects with grog. When the super duty firebrick industry was
replaced with exotic refractories and fibre (70's and early 80's), the
availability of quality brick culls went to about zero. Practically no
firecbrick companies left east of the mIssissippi. This meant that most
ground brick grog was "reclaimed" (many horror stories I could relate,
including bronze contamination). About three years ago ACCO in Roseville,
Ohio started firing ground, high quality local fireclay in saggers (YES -
in saggers!!) then screening it. (Ground - then fired. The perfect grog.)
Extremely clean, no pyrite or lime (common even in the best firebrick), and
truly virgin with its sole intent to be made into perfect grog. The volume
of business was not as great as they had wanted, so they got out of the
business. Now Clayburn Refractories, in Grantsville, MD, has started doing
the same thing, even buying the same clay from the ACCO group to produce
the material. It is not cheap, but it is extremely high quality, and I
know of a few major users already using it in place of the more commonly
available materials because of its dependability. One nice thing about
these grogs made from the Roseville clays is that the grog is homogenous,
and not a mixture. I am certain that this material will be promoted at
NCECA. It should be available now through supply houses if they are
willing to stock it. I am not certain of pricing, but my own experience
with grogs is that you get what you pay for. The individuals involved in
producing this material are well aware of the concerns of the art potters.
Louis Katz on mon 20 sep 04
How does this material compare with Ione Grog? Is Ione also a fired
aggregate?
Thanks,
Louis Katz
On Monday, September 20, 2004, at 12:49 PM, Steven Blankenbeker wrote:
> . In my 18 years at Cedar Heights Clay we
> were perpetually searching for the perfect grog. ....
> About three years ago ACCO in Roseville,
> Ohio started firing ground, high quality local fireclay in saggers
> (YES -
> in saggers!!) then screening it. ....
> Now Clayburn Refractories, in Grantsville, MD, has started doing
> the same thing, even buying the same clay from the ACCO group to
> produce
> the material. It is not cheap, but it is extremely high quality, .....
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