Cleaning Porcelain Greenware

OK!!! Let's get some feedback from some dollmakers out there about this stage of Porcelain Dollmaking. I struggle with this aspect of dollmaking and need to find easy solutions to my problems. Problem spots like between tiny little delicate fingers....getting the arms and legs to fit in the full porcelain body holes....the ever irritating air holes especially around the neck opening on the body.....and, last but not least, putting the hole in the bottom of the foot for a hidden stand. Let us all blog about our ideas about cleaning the greenware so we can help others find these solutions! Hint....Geri, Dianna Effners assistant, said she uses vinyl gloves when cleaning seam lines. The vinyl gloves don't have any kind of grooves or pattern in them and when you use the vinyl gloves, you get a very smooth finish to your porcelain bisque!!!!! I tried it and boy what a HUGE difference. Thanks a million Geri for this useful trick!!!!!



UPDATE:

I purchased a set of special brushes called T.I.B.'s brushes that is used for cleaning porcelain greenware. I am amazed at the difference it makes!!! For anyone having problems with cleaning porcelain greenware, may I suggest you go to www.tibsbrushes.com and try this technique out for yourself. It used to take me hours cleaning soft fired greenware but now I can have a head ready to fire in a matter of twenty minutes. If you buy her brushes in a kit, she will send you a dvd that takes you step by step on how to use her brushes and the TIB's technique. This is one set of tools I will never be able to live without again~