Many people use shammies for smoothing the rims of their pieces. When wet, the shammie does this job very well. The official tool is called a Chamois Pottery Tool~ or ~ Chamois Cloth Pottery Trimming Mud Tool. So why do studio owners dislike them?

Well, the shammie takes on the color of the clay. So when the potter is cleaning up, the shammie is forgotten about & it goes down the drain, then totally stops up the pipes.

One of our students came up with a way to keep up with his shammie. He connected a fishing bobber to the shammie. He keeps the shammie & bobber in his water jug just like his sponge. After cleanup, the bobber and shammie, still attached, goes into his tool kit to be used another day.

Potters Place quickly adopted this excellent practice. So, Karen makes these for our students. It is a free tool. So, shammies are allowed if you keep the bobber on the shammie. Do not separate the two.

Happy Potting!