# Mortar and pestle shape?



## bjkx (Feb 15, 2013)

Hello - I have just purchased an inexpensive marble mortar and pestle and the center of the bowl has about a half inch diameter low spot in it. I called the company (a spice seller) where I purchased it and they said they would allow me to return it but that they are all like this. If this his true I'll just keep it as it will still work but... Do they normally have a low spot (dibit) in the center?
Thanks in advance!
Betsy


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Mine has the depression that you described and I've been using it without a hitch since the early 2000's.


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## bjkx (Feb 15, 2013)

Ah! Thank you so much! I figured this might be the case but just wanted to check with someone more experienced. I usually research things to death but this time just took the plunge


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Personally I've never seen a mortar with an indentation like the one you describe. My mortars are perfectly round like the inside of a sphere - from the Mexican ones to the Thai ones to the Japanese ones with their ridged mortars and wood pestle. 

I suppose the depression might be useful as long as the tip of the pestle fits in it? Still sounds kinda odd to me - maybe just because I'm not used to it though.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

I have never seen one like you describe either.

Like FF, I have a collection of pestle and mortars, granite from Thailand and Indonesia and wooden from Vietnam and Africa. None of them have any depressions.

I would be curious to know how you get on with yours. Please keep us posted.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

I believe that the ones made with marble are turned on a lathe and there something do to with the 'cutter' that makes the small depression that the OP describes.  And I've seen this occur with lots of marble m&p's.


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## paul alfred (Nov 18, 2011)

The only thing I can think of that would make sense is as koko has stated...that the divit is from the lathe-turning of the marble.  I'm more of a fan of the granite mortar's personally, as (I've been told anyway) the marble ones can break easier...but I believe they are also lathe-turned.  None of the ones we have at work have such divits, but they are also not lathe-turned.  As long as it works though, I suppose it doesn't matter terribly.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Paul Alfred said:


> The only thing I can think of that would make sense is as koko has stated...that the divit is from the lathe-turning of the marble. I'm more of a fan of the granite mortar's personally, as (I've been told anyway) the marble ones can break easier...but I believe they are also lathe-turned. None of the ones we have at work have such divits, but they are also not lathe-turned. As long as it works though, I suppose it doesn't matter terribly.


...the granite ones carved out by a milling machine instead of a lathe, perhaps??


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## paul alfred (Nov 18, 2011)

kokopuffs said:


> ...the granite ones carved out by a milling machine instead of a lathe, perhaps??


Most likely you are correct, lol...


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## bjkx (Feb 15, 2013)

Thank you all for the clarification. Although for my purposes I don't think the indentation will be a problem, there may be a circumstance down the road where I wish I had a perfectly rounded mortar so I'm planning to return it and purchase one that isn't marble.

Any suggestions regarding materials that wouldn't likely be lathe-turned would be appreciated. I will mainly be using it for herbs (and crushing vitamins).


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Over a decade of use with mine made of marble/onyx, the divot is almost gone or it's much shallower than before.  I can live with that.


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## bjkx (Feb 15, 2013)

kokopuffs said:


> Over a decade of use with mine made of marble/onyx, the divot is almost gone or it's much shallower than before. I can live with that.


OK, so I got it out and ground up an aspirin with it for a test and no problem! It instantly pulverized it much finer than I will ever need it ... so ... done! *I'm keepin it! */img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

Thanks kokopuffs!


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