While not every tool is absolutely necessary, this selection will make working with clay much easier and elevate the final look. With that in mind, here are the supplies needed for a basic toolkit that every new potter should obtain when starting out with clay. These tools are useful in cutting large lumps of clay and also in removing thrown ware from the potter’s wheel. When throwing off the mound, fishing line or other very flexible cut-off lines work best. If you have both kinds of fettling knives, it is wise to add a band of paint or indelible marker on one of them so you can easily tell them apart. Ribs come in many different shapes and are usually made of hardwood or rubber. Scrapers look a lot like ribs, but they’re lighter and used to smooth wet and soft leather-hard greenware. They come in a myriad of shapes and can be made of steel, rubber, or wood. Some potters use scrapers and ribs interchangeably for tasks. Rubber ribs and scrapers usually give the smoothest finish. Calipers can be made of metal, wood, or plastic. Lid Master calipers do not have to be reversed and adjusted the way regular potter’s calipers do. You can have more than one box, of course. In the picture, you see two types: a cloth-covered plastic box with handles and a utensil tray for hand-building tools.
