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Thread: Reuse canning lids

  1. #21
    Boolit Master



    Springfield's Avatar
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    Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. It is a risk versus cost thing. Whenever i rebuild any of my motorcycles i alwlays use new copper sealing washers on the head bolts. Sure, it will probably seal OK a second time, but if it doesn't, it means pulling the engine again. I just bought a used 1977 Kawasaki 200, and I changed the oil but didn't replace the o-ring on the drain plug, Now it is leaking on my driveway. Not a big deal, but replacing the .50 o-ring would have saved me some hassle. some guys refill small 1 lb propane cannisters. Some of the dad's in my son's Boy Scout troop were doing this, but I refused. All it would take is one can leaking and some scout get hurt due to it, to save 5.00. And this troop has some money, most of the dad's are high tech engineers.
    Don't get me wrong, I am not some safety nazi. I fill my own cannisters if they look real good, and I have popped out hundreds of pre-installed primers just to use them again, and they have always worked. Just wouldn't do it for ammo that I really depended on, just in case.
    Funny, my Mom always used paraffin for a lid when she made jam. One year she made 40 jars from our 2 plum trees. She didn't really like doing this kind of stuff, even though she grew up on a farm. She said she wasn't buying any more jam until the plum was all gone, and it took almost 2 years for us 4 to finish it off. I still don't ever buy plum jam.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by contender1 View Post
    Uhh,, check your math. That's $0.2899 per lid, or right at $0.29 cents per lid.
    You're right and I've corrected my post. Thank You.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master Lead pot's Avatar
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    I just finished canning several pints and quarts of Maple syrup and I went to two towns looking for lids, none found except some lids at Farm&Fleet that were plastic and the rings when screwing them tight would strip and not hold. I guess the Chinese cant get their math together for the Mason jar threads.
    I ended up using used lids and they all sealed just fine.

  4. #24
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    No but I stocked up on lids and have kept up on restocking up until last spring. I have a 5+ year supply on hand. I do need some new jars but they are unobtainium...

    Check your jars! The sealing surface over time will get pitted and chipped, especially if you use a can opener to pop the lid vacuum! I moved 18 or so jars to shop storage this spring. They will still seal enough to not leak and make good small parts washers. And the obligatory screw and nut catchers!

  5. #25
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    I’ve always punched a hole in mine to open them, so they were useless afterwards, except for targets or attracting lynx when I was trapping.

  6. #26
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    I used to because i was taught that way by my cheap dad. He would insist on opening every jar so the lid wouldnt get damaged. I did it for the first couple years i canned venison but had a number of them that didnt seal. No big deal for me because i know what a properly sealed lid sounds like comming off. But allways worried my wife or someone i gave a jar too wouldnt notice and ate bad meat.

  7. #27
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    I always thought for the amount new one are it not worth wasting time and food

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  8. #28
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    It is now a time that lids are getting hard to find. Everyone is getting into canning and for those of us was brought up with it already know what to do. It is the ones that just getting into it is another thing. I make sure that the lids are perfect before I think of to keep them. I find something that dose not look right I do not use it for canning. also always check the mouth of the jar for nicks. That will mess up a jar. If the jar dose not seal right the first time around then I check it out to see what I over look . I normal let the jars sit over night to the next day to see if any did not stay seal . I was brought up with the wire bail and rubber rings before the lids and screw on rings.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  9. #29
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    My mom was reusing them 50+ years ago when they were cheap...but she was cheaper. Living through the Depression affects people. Maybe they were better quality then too, but she did not throw away that many.

    Good advice above from those who reuse them and do it right. I would not reuse them but if you cannot find any, it leaves little choice.
    Don Verna


  10. #30
    Boolit Master BJK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    My mom was reusing them 50+ years ago when they were cheap...but she was cheaper. Living through the Depression affects people. Maybe they were better quality then too, but she did not throw away that many.
    I don't know, did they even have one use lids back then, or were they using the old rubber ring and bail jars? Yeah, I think the rubbers could be reused but the vacuum seal was never visible either.

  11. #31
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    Nope. Just got my sweetheart a few dozen 16oz widemouth free of charge due to my job. If she runs out she uses wax to seal
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

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  12. #32
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by BJK View Post
    I don't know, did they even have one use lids back then, or were they using the old rubber ring and bail jars? Yeah, I think the rubbers could be reused but the vacuum seal was never visible either.
    Rubbers can be reused. We have several dozen of the old bail jars but like most things they fell out of favor with the use once and throw away crowd
    I Am Descended From Men Who Would Not Be Ruled

    Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum

  13. #33
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    I keep a few to re-use, but not for long term storage of food items, or something that has to have a air tight seal.

    I do use them for nuts & bolts, etc. in the shop.
    Or left overs in the frig. for a day or two.

    I never put a pencil to their cost, but if they're .30,,,, heck,,, I'd pay $1.30 to not get sick
    or have something I made ruin from not being sealed.
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  14. #34
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    I reused a few last summer because of the shortage, but only on tomatoes and some corn, what I consider low value crops. Mostly just as an experiment, but all sealed so far. I remember the great lid shortage of the 70's, and my mother was in a tizzy over that, so years later when I started gardening and canning, I bought lids whenever I walked by them in the store. Bought them when they were cheap and available, kind of like primers.

    I've listened to lots of old timer's depression stories, so I'm kind of practicing up for one, cause I think one ain't far off. On a positive note, my local Runnings store got in lots of jars last week, but no lids yet, so if you see something you need , buy it when it's on the shelf.

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    We used to do a lot of canning in our younger years. Lately not so much.

    If I was to reuse them I think I would wash them, perhaps lightly oil the rubber sealing surface with a food grade oil.

    And I would probably only use them on jam's/jelly's. So if they don't seal they can just go in the fridge until we can use it up.

    Better of course to always have a year or 2's worth in stock on hand. But not everyone is as paranoid or thinks ahead as much as I try to. YMMV.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

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  16. #36
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    I have known people who re-used them, but I was raised and trained by parents who didn't. A person can choose to do what they feel is necessary. The lids are plentiful around here, and I have plenty in the pantry. I don't can as much as I did in middle age. If I had a large garden, I would do a lot more. Helped my parents can back in my teens and twenties, we put up a lot of tomatoes and various kinds of jellies and jams. Canning is time-consuming and takes some effort. I, personally, don't want to see that go to waste (or lose the food) because of some malfunction that could have been avoided is caused by a 30 cent (or less) lid. IMHO
    One of my father's favorite statements: "If I say a chicken dips snuff, look under his wing for the snuffbox" How I was raised, who I am.

  17. #37
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    The product being canned is worth far more to me than the cost of a lid. I don't run my tires to the belts either though I am sure I could save money.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  18. #38
    Boolit Mold
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    Thanks for the information. I have plenty of jars but the canning season last year there were no lids to be had. The same way with Rings that was the major reason for inquiring about reusing the lids.

  19. #39
    Boolit Bub
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    I invested a number of years ago in the Tattler lids. They are reusable as they have a plastic lid with a separate rubber sealing ring. You just wash them and reuse a dozen or so times.
    They were fairly costly then but seeing how many tomes you cam reuse them they pay for themselves. But no I suspect they are even more costly.

    The one thing I will say is if you have mice where they can get to the lids they will chew through them to get to the contents of they like the smell. We now store them in a metal cupboard/wardrobe in the old garage out back where the freezers and where we store all our junk...LOL

  20. #40
    Boolit Master
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    Canning jars, bands, and flats are in stock once again at our local grocery store. We bought a box of one dozen, wide mouth bands and flats. BALL brand.

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