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Please read the following information prior to
purchasing teapot handles.
Who makes the English Cane Teapot Handles you sell?
How would you rate the quality?
Does the "look" vary from handle to
handle?
How do I know what size to buy?
Once I get my handle, how do I install it?
How should I shape my teapot lugs?
Can I buy a handle and fit it to a pot I already
have?
The cane teapot handles we sell are manufactured in, and imported from, England.
Really good quality. They are the nicest cane handles we
are aware of. Nicely shaped and finished. But they are a
natural product and some have more markings than others.
Yes. They are made from a naturally growing source and will
have variations from handle to handle. Each will have unique
patterns and coloration. To us, that variation is part of the
beauty and appeal, and can really add to your work. The photos on
the main handle page are good examples.
The handles are sized by the manufacturer.
Sizing reflects the overall size, including length and height. The manufacturer measures across the handle to the
outermost parts of the woven retaining ring on each side.
HOWEVER when we get them, some are more
"open" than others. You may have to boil them
briefly, or soak them in water to resize them, to get
them to fit your lugs. (See the step below and how to
install. In this case you will just immerse more of the handle in
the hot water.)
To get the size you need, do the following:
- Measure the distance between the outside of the lugs on
your pot
- Look on the charts on the handle page for the closest matches
- If you have an exact match, pick that size or go one larger.
(If you pick the matching size, know that the handle will probably be
a little small and you'll have to adjust it during
installation.)
- If you are close or between sizes, buy the larger one.
Items needed:
 | Your pot |
| Your handle |
| A pan of boiling water |
Procedure:
- Hold your handle up to your pot and notice how much larger or
smaller the handle is than the distance between the lugs. This
will give you a sense of how much the handle will need to adjust to
the size of you pot. (If it is more than 1/2" larger or
smaller, you may want to consider getting a more closely sized
handle.)
- Pull the woven retaining ring up on one side, past the narrowing
end of the handle loop.
- Dip that end of the handle into boiling water for about 5
seconds. This will temporally make the handle more pliable in
that area.
- Put the loop around the lug on the pot
- Slide the woven retaining ring down into place.
(One side complete!)
- Pull the woven retaining ring up on the remaining side, past the
narrowing end of the handle loop.
- Dip that end of the handle into boiling water for about 5 seconds.
- Put the loop around the lug on the pot.
(Note: It will be harder to do this time because you cannot maneuver
the handle as freely as you could on the other side. Don't
panic, and if you find the handle is loosing it's pliability, dip it
into the boiling water again.)
- Once looped, slide the woven retaining ring down into place.
(Complete!)
Alternative Method: We have also had good luck soaking them for
several hours or overnight instead of boiling.
Note: We are not able to swap handles, or help you make a custom fit. If
you do not like the handle, you can return it per our normal return
policy (you pay the return shipping).
Here are some things to consider:
| Many potters actually buy the handle before they make the pot
(or will have several handles on hand). This way they can keep the
geometry of the handle in mind as the are making the pot. This
does present it's own set of considerations (i.e. clay shrinkage
during firing) but it does give you something to work with as you make your
pot.
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| The handle will move more freely on lugs with a smooth,
circular shape. They will also move more freely on lugs with a circular
cross-section, particularly if the diameter is significantly smaller
than the inside loop diameter of the handle. (Read more about this
below.)
This is good if you want to tip the handle over for storage or to easily
put liquid in the pot.
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| The handle will move less freely on lugs with a square-ish,
non-circular shape, or on lugs with a relatively large, non-circular cross-section.
This is good if you want the handle to stay in place when you are not
holding it.
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| The handle loops get smaller as the handle gets
smaller.
So if you are making a small pot, don't make the lugs too thick or the
handle won't fit. For example.
 | 7" handles have loops that are about 1/2" inside diameter |
| 3" handles have loops that are about 1/4" inside diameter
(Often the inside diameter is smaller than these dimensions,
so build
accordingly.)
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| Attach your lugs straight up and down to get
the best handle fit. The handle will also move better on
the lugs if the lugs are orientated this way. |
In our experience, customers who try to buy a
single handle in this situation are
usually not happy with the result. The fit and size variation of the handles, along
with the variations in tea pots, make this difficult to
accomplish. If you really want to, you can. But proceed knowing
we are not able to swap handles, or help you make a custom fit. If
you do not like the handle, you can return it per our normal return
policy (you pay the return shipping). Please review all sizing
instructions in this page. Understand that this sizing info was provided
by the manufacturer and actual sizing occasionally extends beyond these
guidelines. We are not responsible for these variations.
Please shop accordingly.
Comments about this FAQ can be sent to TeapotHandleFAQ@BigCeramicStore.com |
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