Frosty,
I've seen your instructions before on the right consistency for forge clay. I've had the clay only just barely damp, not enough to leave moisture in my palm after a good hard squeeze, but as soon as I try to pack it into the container, it doesn't stick, whereas it sticks readily to my mallet, making it impossible to pack properly. Tried wooden and rubber mallets, and my forge hammer. doesn't stick to my fists but that doesn't stop it coming off the side of the bowl. For reference I'm lining a large ceramic plantpot. Is there anything I can do to make it adhere better without using more water? My current "mix" is simply a very sandy clay that I dug out of a cliffside locally, dried and ground to a fine floury powder.