David Dawes asked ... How to recoil the starter spring - Champion R484TR?    |    peter high asked ... How can I set time on my Neff oven?    |    Michael asked ... Mountfield empress drive belt?    |    John Barton asked ... How do i clear the TAM?    |    John asked ... How can I mend my binatone veva 1210 handset?    |    Click here to ask your question

Can you mend a Denby teapot which is cracked?

My Denby teapot has a fine-line crack in it and it leaks can it be repaired?
Mrs Mary Parsons, October 2008
First thing is to clean the pot thoroughly. This is easily done with either bleach and water, or denture tablets and water, and should be allowed to soak in either solution overnight. This is to remove any stains within the crack.

Next you're going to have to identify if the pattern on the pot has been compromised. If it has, you're going to want to pick up some good paints and a couple of fine artists brushes and touch up any nicks.

Finally you're going to want to coat the entire pot, inside and out, with some sort of silicone or other sealing agent. I recommend the spray-on varieties, available in most hardware and craft stores, because they're a lot easier to use than the paint-on ones.

FYI: All good china should be soaked in water for 24 hours at least once a year to allow the porous materials within to reabsorb moisture, which will prevent them from becoming brittle and cracking.

handygirl, November 2008