This jumping iron is 8.5" (22 cm) and has a flat end. This tool is ideal for creating patterns, specifically chatter marking, on clay pots with the pottery wheel. Read below to learn more about the history of jumping irons.
About Jumping Irons
Chatter marking was first used in China around the twelfth century. In Japan it appears in Okinawa and Kyushu folk kilns from the eighteenth century. It is made by applying a springy metal tool to the surface of a slipped pot. The tool bounces and creates a rhythmic pattern of nicks in the slip, exposing the contrasting clay underneath. As the pot revolves on the wheel, the blade is applied to the slipped surface. It takes some testing and experience to determine the correct state of dryness, the correct speed of the wheel, and the desired chatter pattern. If the slip coat is too wet, the blade won't skip. If too dry, the surface becomes impenetrable.