STEP 1: Take a small ball of wedged clay approximately 1 1/2” in diameter. I use a variety of mid-range cone #5 stoneware. My favorite is Laguna 403 Speckled Buff. The clay for this whistle is Laguna 881 Red Calico.
STEP 2: Make a pinch pot, pinching the clay 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
STEP 3: Make a “lid” for the pinch pot.
STEP 4: Attach the lid to the pot making sure it is completely sealed. Roll the whistle body gently in your hands to desired shape.
STEP 5: Make a mouthpiece out of a small ball of clay (about the size of a Hershey Kiss). Attach mouthpiece to whistle.
STEP 6: Flatten bottom of whistle to line up with mouthpiece.
STEP 7: After attaching the legs hold the whistle in one hand while inserting a dull pointed 1/4 “ dowel vertically. Making a sound hole parallel to the inside wall of the whistle.
STEP 8: The tool I use to make the hole in the mouthpiece is a 1/4 “ dowel that I have carved flat like a popsicle stick. Another tool to use is a fettle knife. Carefully push this through the mouthpiece keeping it parallel to the top of the mouthpiece.
STEP 9: Now it gets tricky. Leave this tool in the mouthpiece. Take the dowel used to make the sound hole and gently roll the clay making a beveled edge which rests upon the flat part of the tool inserted in the mouthpiece. Carefully remove the tools. Hopefully you will have a nice clean beveled edge and mouthpiece hole.
Here is a drawing of what the inside should look like.
Here is the horse whistle with head, eyes, and ears. The finger hole on his side adds another “note” to the whistle.
The finished whistle ready for the kiln. I have added a mane and tail using a clay gun and Laguna B-3 Brown clay.
I will bisque fire this at cone 06 in a week or so. After that I will decide if I want to add any glazes then fire it at cone 5.