Dolan Pottery Tools

Great For Trimming, Turning, Sculpting, Carving Clay and Plaster

Dolan Tools are made from high carbon knife steel giving them their unique toughness and durability.

In order to keep your tools in optimum condition we recommend frequent use, rinsing after work, drying and storing them in dry place. If used infrequently or in case of long term storage we recommend coating the tool head in a fine layer of an oil of your choosing.

This coating will help to prevent corrosion and make sure the tool is ready when needed. If, for any reason, you determine that you need to sharpen your Dolan Tool please use caution. They are made to hold a razor's edge and are dangerous if not handled with care. The preferred methods for maintaining your tools' edge are whetstone (oil or water), a diamond file, or for a charge they can be returned to Dolan Tools and we will sharpen them.

Never use power tools to sharpen your Dolan Tools. This will heat the steel and destroy the temper drastically shortening its life and making it unable to hold an edge again.

The exquisite quality of Dolan Tools makes them sell out quickly. If something is out of stock it will take time to the get it back as Dolan is a small family company. However the quality is worth the wait!

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The Dolan Story

Frustrated by the poor quality of trim tools, potter Bob Dolan began tinkering in his studio to make a trimming tool that he could sharpen and even more importantly one that could hold an edge. Not too long after Bob was enjoying his creations in his studio finally satisfied with a trimming tool that could deliver the results he expected.

During a workshop by a visiting artist, Bob opened his pottery tool kit to a surprising response. Other artists were craving high quality tools too! Bob agreed to make some more Dolan ceramic tools based on these requests. Pretty soon orders began floating in from all over the world and Bob realized he was spending more time making tools than using them! Little did Bob know that over the next 20 years these Dolan Tools would gain the reputation as the finest tools in the world for ceramic artists and enthusiasts. Dolan Tools are made of top quality high carbon knife steel and fine hardwoods. These tools allow the artist to achieve unparalleled results with minimal frustration. Due to the tempered steel that we use, our tools are razor sharp when purchased, stay sharp longer and can be re-sharpened with ease in order to continue delivering the results that artists demand.

For almost 20 years the name Dolan ceramic tools have been synonymous with dependability and durability. We've been able to provide those in the ceramics community with the high quality tools that they deserve in order to achieve the results they desire because we understand that ceramics is about more than just the clay. Our tools reflect that understanding because our everyone in our family is an artist first and a toolmaker second (although lately we've been spend more time in the workshop making them than in the studio testing them).