Score and slip test joins

A simple experiment that teaches you why we bother with scoring and slipping.

The experiment

Cut four pairs of small clay rectangles (about 5×3 cm each). Join each pair differently:

1. Slip only: just liquid clay, no scoring
2. Scoring only: crosshatch scratches, no slip
3. Score + slip: the full technique
4. Neither: just pressed together

Let all four dry completely (bone dry). Then try to pull each pair apart.

What you'll learn

The score + slip join holds. The others likely crack apart on their own during drying. This is why potters are obsessive about proper joins.