Working with Clay

Now this is something I realy love.. working with clay. Dispite the fun factor I can also see the importance of having clay during a longterm wilderness trip.
Recently I have made various objects such as two pairs of mortars and pestles, 2 oilburners and severals bowls, both from commercial and natural clay.

Now I have a small backyard but there happen to be a clay deposit close to the surface and me and the kids love to dig up the clay and make stuff out of it.













Commercial clay on the left, natural on the right



So what can we make out of clay? Well.. Bowls, Mortars and pestles, Vases, Oilburners, Bricks and Cement, Stoves, Sling(shot) bullets, Cooking plates, Sinking stones and the list goes on.. In some locations entire houses are made out of clay.

Making natural clay is quite simple.. We get a shovel and we dig up the clay, then the clay is left outside to dry in the sun, the chunks are then crushed and any impurities (stones, grass) are picked out and finally by adding small amounts of water we can shape it. once you're done it only needs to be heated in a fire.