My dad always said to keep the glory hole at 2100 degrees for everything, but my first solo piece proved him wrong

He's been blowing glass for 40 years, so I took his word as gospel. I was working on a small, detailed perfume bottle last week, trying to get some fine stringer work on the neck. At his suggested 2100 degrees, the whole piece just kept wanting to slump and the stringer would melt in too fast, blurring the design. I was getting so frustrated I almost quit. On a whim, I dropped the glory hole down to about 1950, and suddenly I had the control I needed. The gather stayed stiffer, letting me place the stringer exactly where I wanted. The piece came out clean. It made me realize his advice was perfect for the big, heavy vases he makes, but not for my smaller stuff. Has anyone else had to unlearn a 'rule' from a mentor when you started doing different kinds of work?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna5192mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, I get that, but I see it a bit different. Sometimes the old rule is still the right starting point. For me, it's less about unlearning and more about learning when to bend it. Your dad's 2100 degrees gives you a known base to work from. Now you know for small stuff you back it off. You didn't throw out the rule, you just found the exception for your style.

faithb782mo ago

Wait, 2100 degrees? That's insane, my oven would melt!

faithg267d ago

Has anyone read that book 'The Art of Fine Tools' by that guy? It talks about how traditional blacksmiths in Japan used to have these strict temperature rules for forging blades, but the younger smiths figured out that adjusting the heat based on the specific blade shape actually gave them more control. Sounds just like your situation with the 2100 degrees. Your dad's rule isn't wrong for his heavy vases, but small perfume bottles are practically a different sport. I've seen similar stuff in pottery too, where a master's cone 10 stoneware recipes don't work at all when someone tries them for delicate porcelain.