I was at a local craft fair in Tulsa last Saturday and overheard this potter talking to another vendor. She said 'a chip in a mug is a stress relief point, not a flaw' and it got me thinking... she explained that the crack or chip actually releases tension in the clay body so it won't shatter later. I never thought of my chipped mug that way, it always just felt like a mistake. Has anyone else heard this theory or know if there's truth to it?
Was at a cafe last week. Barista told a customer that pouring near-boiling water into a chipped mug softens the glaze. Makes the chip less sharp. I tried it on my favorite old mug with a nasty nick. Used water at 190 degrees for 2 minutes. The edge felt smoother after. Not perfect but way less likely to cut my lip now. Has anyone else tried temperature tricks on cracked mugs?
I picked up this heavy enamel mug at a thrift store in Flagstaff for $2 and it's been with me on like 15 trips now. Last weekend I dropped it on a gravel patch near the fire pit and a little chip came off the rim, but honestly I think I like it more now. The chip makes it feel like we've been through something together, you know? I've got other mugs at home that are perfectly fine but this one just hits different when I'm out in the woods. Has anyone else kept a mug after a damage that seemed like a dealbreaker at first?
I was washing my mug last night and noticed this super fine crack running along the bottom rim that I'd somehow missed all these years. Did some digging and realized I bought it freshman year back in 2011 - has anyone else kept a mug way longer than they thought?
I was at Yosemite last fall, boiling water for coffee on my little camp stove, and of course I set the mug down on a rock that cracked it right down the side. There was this loud pop and I saw a hairline split appear, but it didn't leak so I just kept drinking from it. My buddy said I should toss it, but I used it for the rest of the trip and every sip reminded me of how the sunrise looked over Half Dome that morning. Now that mug sits on my desk at work and people ask why I don't get a new one from the break room. I tell them that chip is a memory, not a flaw. Has anyone else kept a busted mug from a trip that went sideways?
I know it sounds crazy but last Wednesday I dropped my favorite travel mug on the driveway and put a crack near the bottom. Then my wife knocked her morning coffee mug off the counter and it chipped the rim. Then later that night my kid somehow put a dent in the ceramic mug I got from a thrift store in Portland. I couldn't bring myself to toss any of them. They all have stories now. The travel mug I've had for 5 years. The coffee mug was a gift from my sister. The thrift store one I found for $2 on a rainy day. Has anyone else had a weird run of bad luck with mugs all at once?
I was cleaning out my parents' basement last weekend and found this mug I made in 7th grade art class. It's got this tiny chip right on the rim and I almost threw it away until I saw the date I painted on the bottom. It's been 32 years. I remember my teacher Ms. Patterson saying I glazed it too thin and it would chip easy. She was right. But holding it now I can see my 12 year old handwriting and this weird green dinosaur I painted. Has anyone else found an old mug that just brings back a random memory like that?
I was sitting at my kitchen table in St. Louis drinking my morning coffee when I heard this tiny snap sound. Looked down and there was a hairline crack running from the rim all the way to the bottom. This mug used to be my grandpa's and he carried it to work every day for like 30 years at the Ford plant. I didn't even move I just sat there staring at it for a solid minute wondering if it was still safe to drink from. Ended up super gluing the outside and now I just hand wash it real careful. Anybody else got a mug that's basically held together by hope and glue?
I was cleaning my chipped mug last week and noticed a tiny stamp on the bottom I never saw before. Googled it and apparently it's a limited run from some 90s coffee chain promotion. Some dude on eBay is selling one for $40 plus shipping. Mine has a big crack down the side and a chip near the handle but I still drank my morning coffee from it this morning. Anyone else accidentally own something valuable that's totally wrecked?