From descriptions sent in from various lampworkers I would suggest the following troubleshooting approaches:
1.) If your glass looks brown/gray/tan and you have not yet attempted to reduce it, you may need to turn up your oxygen, or turn down your propane. A flame that causes a metallic luster is not a “neutral flame”.
2.) If your glass looks brown/gray/tan after reducing it, you may be overreducing it. Use less propane in your reduction flame, work further out in the flame, reduce for a shorter period of time, allow the bead to cool somewhat before reducing, check that you are using a neutral flame when not reducing, or all of the above.
3.) Please take a moment to watch our video tutorials on Flame Settings and Practing Reduction with Triton. They are available under the Information tab above.
4.) I prefer to make a small (10mm) ball on the end of a clear punty to test and practice with. This conserves glass, and also relieves me of the emotional attachment and time invested in a bead or sculpture. In this way I am able to test or practice striking a glass without undue loss of time or material.
