The second firing is a glost or glaze firing. The glaze is applied to the ware and fired 2150 F for an additional 18 hours maturing the glaze and further adding to the product's strength. These methods produce a product with a fully glazed foot. They also increase glaze life by reducing glaze abrasion common in one-fire dry foot products. The pin marks or small abrasions on the foot or the back of the plate are a result of the two-fire, glazed foot process and are not product defects.
Sterling purchases only the finest raw materials from throughout North America.
Our computer regulated batching assures that the clay being used remains consistent firing after firing. Sterling continues to pioneer the use of high strength clay body compositions to ensure superior strength and product life. Our unique formulas have been developed through years of in house testing and remain a carefully guarded secret. This quartz hard glaze protects our customers from the liabilities associated with lead leaching. Responding to both environmental issues and the health concerns of our customers and employees, Sterling has emerged as the industry leader in the formulation of this lead free glaze technology.