[TheForge] R: Pot

[Bob Ehrenberger]

Andy,

I'll keep that in mind if I ever have to fix another enamel pot. Do you 
remember what the rivets were made of?  I would guess they need to be soft 
and rust proof.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew Vida" <osan at netlabs.net>
To: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net>; "Blacksmithing List Sponsored 
by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 8:25 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] R: Pot




On 8/9/2012 1:45 PM, Bob Ehrenberger wrote:
> I've repaired holed in an enamel canning pot with an Oxy/Act torch.  When
> the flame hits the spot where the hole is, the enamel around it flakes off
> like when you use a torch to pop scale.  After the repair I didn't even
> consider trying to fix the enamel, I told the lady that owned the pot to
> make sure to dry it after using because it would rust.

That is not the way to do it.  My grandma, who lived her entire life in
Hungary, had tons of this sort of cookware - her cooking would put any
world class chef to sullen shame (sorry I just had to brag about
grandma, RIP).  When one of her pots would spring a leak, off to the
tinker (tinker?  Is there another name for a guy who fixes pots??) and
he would establish a goodly sized hole in the pot, around 1/4" as I
recall) and rivet it shut.  As I recall the rivet also held in a thin
washer-like bit on either side of the pot.  I do not ever recall seeing
solder, meaning he was able to set the rivet tightly enough to render
the vessel water-proof once again and not ruin the enamel in the least
measure.  Rude seeming work to the uninformed eye, I suppose, but to us
it would be rightly regarded as high technical art.  The REAL artwork
came when he'd patch the corners at the bottom of the pot.  Always
perfect - no leaking and no visible damage to the enamel.  That amazed
me even then.



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