Mudtools

When Michael visited potters in Japan he observed that it was common for them to pull, rather than push, their carving tools through the clay. The dragging motion allowed for less friction and a fluid cut. For years Michael has made a variety of Japanese-style carving tools for his own use and he’s spent A LOT of time carving on clay. Made of high carbon steel and tempered to be very hard, the...

Paisley Scraper Ribs prove themselves to be excellent in sculpting, shaping, and refining leather hard clay. The tight inside radius is good for working around joints (for example, at the inside of a teapot spout.) Made with cutlery grade stainless steel, it is available with 18 Teeth which are fine. We like to use the teeth to remove and shape clay and then follow up with a Polymer Rib to smooth...

For when you really want to sink your teeth into your clay, grab all three small FANGS! Everyone’s clay is different. Some clays are fine, some are gritty. The FANG series of scoring tools allow you to find the right tooth size for the material you’re working on. All of the FANGS are made from cutlery grade stainless steel. Sizes: 43mm x 101mm

The Long Scraper is available in four different edge styles: SSL18 - Fine edge (18 teeth per inch) SSL12 - Regular edge (12 teeth per inch) The smooth edge of the Long Scraper works great for throwing, and the toothy edge is fantastic for scoring, scraping and planing the clay. This is a good tool for sculpting and hand-building. Made from a flexible cutlery-grade stainless steel.

Inspired by Jeff from GR Pottery, EDGY is our latest polymer rib, designed for precise edge rounding and burnishing. This curvy little showboat is available in all four of our classic colors and flexibilities.

Shape 1 is our best seller. Not too big and not too small. It's just right. You need one in your toolbox-really you do. The traditional kidney-shaped rib is the most universally recognized pottery tool. It fits well in the hand and is useful for sculpting, hand building and throwing clay. All of our polymer ribs are made of unique flexible materials that are resistant to cracking and the formation...

Shape 3 is 5" wide and gives a good sweep across the clay. This is a good rib if you throw larger objects. Michael Sherrill uses the Green Medium or Blue Firm because they are stiffer and bite into the clay. All of our polymer ribs are made of unique flexible materials that are resistant to cracking and the formation of burrs. We've found that with general use these ribs become burnished...

Shape 5 is the same traditional kidney-shape as Shapes 0 & 1, only bigger. It offers more surface coverage, making it great for smoothing a slab of clay. All of our polymer ribs are made of unique flexible materials that are resistant to cracking and the formation of burrs. We've found that with general use these ribs become burnished over time. Each polymer rib shape is available in variations...

Long and lean, the Large Platter Rib is designed to give good compression when you are making plates and platters enabling you to properly compress the clay and avoid those cracks that sometimes develop. They are made with a stiff polymer, but still offer some flexibility. Long and lean, the Small Platter Rib is designed to give good compression when you are making plates and platters enabling...

The Conical Shredder – indispensable for longer strokes,good for texturing and working on rounded surfaces. The Mudtools Shredder is an indispensable tool for shapingand carving leather hard clay. For years you could find a tool like this at the hardware store. This rasp was designed to be used on wood. Clay people, sculptors and auto-body repairmen discovered how well the blade worked on...

This is a pack of two replacement blades for the small mudtool shredder only.

Spare wires for the Mudtool Mudcutter and Carving Bows. Set Of Three

The Baby Bump has nothing to do with becoming a parent. Its all about you being able to 'bump out' or alter the clay when working in a hollow form or cylinder. Smaller than the Bump, but longer than your hand, the Baby Bump is designed to extend the potters or sculptors reach up to 13 inches. It gives you the leverage you need to move clay or heal seams where your hand cant reach. The aluminum...

Japanese inspired & reimagined, as the name implies, we think this trim tool does it all. No more switching between dozens of trimming tools! Since his first visit to Japan in the 80’s Michael fell in love with the simplicity of the Japanese style kanna trim tool. Subsequently, he spent years after altering and remaking his own trimming tools to better suit suit his various needs. These efforts...

The Mudsponge White Finishing is pop up sponge made with atight-cell material and is less absorbent than the Mudsponge Blue Workhorse. It is excellent for finishing work, final detail and clean-up of surfaces and won’t pull out grog or other materials in the clay body. Think of it like a chamois sponge. Natural sponges have been used for years. However, the quality of natural sponges can be...

The Mudsponge Blue Workhorse is a great all-purpose sponge made of an open cell material that is very absorbent. We've shaped it like a potters rib to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Dyed with a natural pigment, the colour will fade with use. Natural sponges have been used for years. However, the quality of natural sponges can be unpredictable and there is the issue of environmental...