A hand turned Ironstone Bowl

Ironstone is a sedimentary rock that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be, or once was smelted commercially.

Hand turning this bowl was my introduction to, and the first time I’ve worked this very distinctive stone.  It is medium to course grained with its colour varying from orange/brown, dark brown to white with some fine grained mineral veins.

This piece of ironstone needed delicate handling and I nursed it through the process.  I chiseled off tiny amounts at a time – initially making a cylinder and then shaping a simple curve for the bowl.   Lastly I carefully hollowed out the inside, boring into the vessel until I had sufficient depth.

It was a very talkative stone, crackling and snapping and sending plumes of fiery dust into the air as it spun.  Everything in the workshop (including me!) was covered with a fine layer of orange.

For all the fuss, a rather beautiful pot emerged, and I’ve got to know this stone a bit better.