As has been already explained, the glaze is much more important than the fundamental coating. Discoloration or slight flaws which could be tolerated in the latter would be fatal to the former. {303}

In glazes, oxide of lead need not be used. It should never be used in a coating for vessels which are to contain acids or be used as cooking utensils. It may be used in sign-tablet production.

For pipes the following glaze gives good results:

I.—Feldspar33 per cent
Borax22.5 per cent
Quartz16.5 per cent
Oxide of tin15 per cent
Soda 8 per cent
Fluorspar 3.75 per cent
Saltpeter 2.25 per cent

For sign tablets the following gives fair results, although some of the succeeding ones are in more general use:

II.—Cullet20 per cent
Powdered flint15 per cent
Lead52 per cent
Soda 4.5 per cent
Arsenic 4.5 per cent
Niter 4 per cent
III.—Frit of silica powder30 per cent
Oxide of tin18 per cent
Borax17 per cent
Soda 8.6 per cent
Niter 7.5 per cent
White lead 5.5 per cent
Carbonate of ammonia 5.5 per cent
Magnesia 4 per cent
Silica powder 4 per cent

The following are useful for culinary utensils, as they do not contain lead:

IV.—Frit of silica powder26 per cent
Oxide of tin21 per cent
Borax20 per cent
Soda10.25 per cent
Niter 7 per cent
Carbonate of ammonia 5 per cent
Magnesia 3.25 per cent
This should be ground up with the following:
Silica powder 4.25 per cent
Oxide of tin 2.25 per cent
Soda 0.5 per cent
Magnesia 0.5 per cent
V.—Feldspar41 per cent
Borax35 per cent
Oxide of tin17 per cent
Niter 7 per cent
VI.—Borax30 per cent
Feldspar22 per cent
Silicate powder17.5 per cent
Oxide of tin15 per cent
Soda13.5 per cent
Niter 2 per cent

Borax will assist fusion. Quartz mixings require more soda than feldspar mixings.

VII.—Borax28 per cent
Oxide of tin19.5 per cent
Cullet (powdered white glass)18 per cent
Silica powder17.5 per cent
Niter 9.5 per cent
Magnesia 5 per cent
Clay 2.5 per cent
VIII.—Borax26.75 per cent
Cullet19 per cent
Silica powder18.5 per cent
Oxide of tin19 per cent
Niter 9.25 per cent
Magnesia 4.5 per cent
Soda 3 per cent