When I was in Shanghai a couple years back I purchased a gung fu tea
set from Ten Fu tea, which I believe is a nationwide chain. I've heard
that some yixing sets contain lead. Knowing this, and in light of
recent product quality issues, should I be worried about this?

On Sep 23, 11:41 pm, wrote:
> When I was in Shanghai a couple years back I purchased a gung fu tea
> set from Ten Fu tea, which I believe is a nationwide chain. I've heard
> that some yixing sets contain lead. Knowing this, and in light of
> recent product quality issues, should I be worried about this?

I would think so. You can get a lead testing kit from your drug store
or hardware store. I know pottery from Mexico shouldn't be used until
it's tested, I'd certainly add China. Toci

My understanding is that pure Yixing clayware is free from lead, arsenic,
cadmium etc. I suppose if the pot is glazed some lead content may be
present in the glaze. If applied and fired correctly then the potential for
lead poisoning should be reduced greatly.

This is based on what I have read. I am not a chemist or qualified to state
categorically that there is no risk of lead poisoning. Perhaps someone with
a Chemistry or other suitable qualification on this group might care to
confirm or dispute.

Yeesh, this would be a worry if it were true.

Cheers
Mal
Oz

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> When I was in Shanghai a couple years back I purchased a gung fu tea
> set from Ten Fu tea, which I believe is a nationwide chain. I've heard
> that some yixing sets contain lead. Knowing this, and in light of
> recent product quality issues, should I be worried about this?
>

yeah if it's glazed on the inside, you might check it out, understanding
that it would really only be dangerous if you drank from it for 40 years or
served kids from it.

If it's just unglazed yixing clay then there will be no lead in it. Lead is
not in clay, it's in some glazes.

> wrote:
>When I was in Shanghai a couple years back I purchased a gung fu tea
>set from Ten Fu tea, which I believe is a nationwide chain. I've heard
>that some yixing sets contain lead. Knowing this, and in light of
>recent product quality issues, should I be worried about this?

A lot of them have white lead glazes, but the question is how stable
the glaze is. If it doesn't leach lead into your tea, it's not a problem.
If it leaches lead into your tea, it's bad news.

Ace Hardware will sell you a lead test kit intended for detecting paint
residue, made by Abotex. It's reasonably sensitive. Note that some of
the kits out there are pretty lousy. Look for swabs that are able to
detect 1 ug on solid surfaces or 2 ppm in liquid, minimum.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."