Grey Mid-Fire Glazes

Most often Recommended: Grey Mason Stain

Dee Karabowicz:

I went through hundreds of tests last fall and finally settled on a variant of Folk Art Guild White from mastering cone 6 glazes. I only do 1% red iron oxide and use 3% of a grey Mason stain. (I should also mention I use tin instead of zircopax. It’s more expensive but I like the look better.) The glaze breaks well on edges and carving.

Dick White:

(Charcoal Satin Matte) is a dark charcoal gray, with the color coming from black Mason stain #6600. If you desire a lighter gray color, DO NOT just use less 6600 stain. Choose a different stain that is the shade of gray you want. This is a direct recommendation from Mason Colorworks. The oxides that make up black 6600 will separate out in lower concentrations and you will get varying shades of blues and greens, not gray.
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Donna Kat:

Sorry if I am repeating, don’t try a black stain to make grey. Instead use a grey stain. This comes up fairly often. Do a search (top left) in the group for grey or gray.

Derek Au:

For grey it’s good to just try adding different grey mason stains to a base glaze. There’s a good article on Digitalfire about a Matte glaze base that shows it with added colorants: https://digitalfire.com/4sight/recipes/cone_6_dolomite_matte_base_glaze_121.html

Pamela Thomas:

I never got a truly reliable grey matte until I resorted to mason stains. #6500 and #6523 are my 2 go to grey stains! 6-10% gets the job done.

Stain with Rutile

Matt Katz Gasworks Earl Gray (https://glazy.org/recipes/18056) uses a combination of stain and rutile.

Grey Slip with Clear Glaze

Glen Ladegaard:

This looks indigo in the image but it’s a lovely charcoal grey. Conrad Slip with Leach Satin Clear on top. Fired on white stoneware to 1200C with 15 min hold. Recipes below.

Conrad Slip
Nepheline Syenite 15
Soda Ash 5
Whiting 5
Potash Feldspar 14
Kaolin 19
Ball Clay 19
Silica 23

  • Mason Stain 6600 12

Leach Satin (Clear)
Potash Feldspar 21.7
Whiting 21.7
Silica 21.7
Kaolin 21.7
Frit 3124 13.2

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Other Coloring Oxides

Dimo´s Dark Grey, c6-8

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Dimo Giouvanoglou

With Iron Chromate, Rutile, Cobalt Carbonate, and Zircopax

I have tested it at 1240°, 1250° and 1260°, works fine with a similar result at all temperatures. Nice, smooth and glossy surface. If you want a slightly warmer grey, you can exclude the cobalt.

https://glazy.org/recipes/16342

Dick White:

Cone 6 electric - try adding 0.2% cobalt carb and 2.5% manganese dioxide to your favorite base.

Spot Blue - Pale Blue Grey Denim ^6 Glaze

via Ruth Sachs

Gerstley Borate 50
EPK 20
Flint 30
Zircopax 10
Cobalt Carb 1

Nickel & Cobalt

Kim Ulrick recommends Storm Grey (https://glazy.org/recipes/22302) which contains Nickel & Cobalt.

Rutile, Iron, Cobalt Carbonate

Liz Vigoda recommends variegated dove gray
https://glazy.org/recipes/18586

Grey glaze recipes

Charcoal Satin Matte

(Often recommended on Ceramics Recipes)
https://glazy.org/recipes/2570
(Found at http://www.frogpondpottery.com/tested-glazes/mid-fire-stonewareporcelain/charcoal-satin.html)

J7 GREY

https://glazy.org/recipes/6901

Pete Pinnell Strontium Matte

https://glazy.org/recipes/504

From Monique Duclos


Engobe with stain underneath clear glaze

Walter Ivan Heath:

I used to get a cool gray on a cone six oxidation red body by using Mason Stain 6381 Blackberry Wine in a vitreous engobe with Heath A2 Base over it
(I used gertsley borate instead of frit 3134)


https://glazy.org/recipes/8793