Anyone have a handle fall off their pot?

[rodentraiser]

I am currently using the old copper Revereware pots and pans. There was some adjustment before I figured out where they could be safely kept and a couple of them fell on the floor before I had that figured out. Now because of that, or because of age, the brass handle of the 2 qt pot has fallen off.

I can't tell if the handle was riveted on or not. Although it looks to have been welded, I can see what looks like 3 screws in both the handle and the pan (there are no rivets in the inside of the pot itself - the entire inside is smooth all the way around).

My question is, is it worth it to try to reweld the handle back on and if it is, does anyone know where I would go to have this done? And any guess at what it might cost?

 

[roadfix]

Geez....that's a tough one.

I would drill though the 3 pins and use SS carriage bolts and cap nuts. May not look pretty but your handle will be super secure, guaranteed.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'm a driller too. A couple little bolts and nuts should work fine.

 

[Andy M.]

It looks like the three bumps on the handle and the three dents in the pan are used more to align the two than to secure them.

How much do you want to spend? If this pan is important to you, have it professionally repaired. If you just want it to work again, drill holes and use stainless steel nuts and bolts.

...and no, I've never had a handle fall off.

 

[rodentraiser]

I don't want to spend much. I bought the whole set for less than $200, so I wouldn't want to spend more than $40 or $50, tops, to repair the pot.

I looked on eBay with an eye to replacing it. Right now there are two of them there, one is going for $99 and the other for $90. To be honest, if I'm going to spend that much money, I'd just as soon add another $100 to the mix and get myself that stainless steel Kirkland set I've been looking at.

For some weird reason, these pots seem to be priced very high, but I do notice no one seems to be buying any of them.

I was thinking, maybe I should get the Kirkland set and then just shine these up, put a lacquer on them, and use them for decoration. I have a set of 6 copper measuring cups I bought for who knows what reason and I could pair the pots and pans with them instead of trying to sell it all on eBay, which was my original plan.

 

[Rocklobster]

I had a handle fall off of a pot once and I still used it. I just used an oven mitt to handle it....

 

[roadfix]

I had a handle fall off of a pot once and I still used it. I just used an oven mitt to handle it....

...or use a pot grabber they use for camp pots.

 

[Rocklobster]

...or use a pot grabber they use for camp pots.

There you go. I just saved you a few bucks...

 

[Steve Kroll]

Yours looks exactly like a 2-qt Revere Ware pot that I have. I bought mine in a thrift shop for $8. Might be worth a look.

 

[Addie]

If you Google "Welding Shops in Puget Sound" you will come up with a number of shops most likely near where you live. They are also called Metal Fabrication shops.

My son-in-law has done this for a living since HS. Today, he does private work. Making metal railings, fancy lettering, welding etc.

 

[roadfix]

I'm not sure if you can actually weld copper as you can do with steel and iron. Copper is generally soldered together.

 

[Addie]

I'm not sure if you can actually weld copper as you can do with steel and iron. Copper is generally soldered together.

Whether you call it welding or soldering, any metal fabrication place (welding shop) can fix it for her.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I would check with the folks at Revere to see if the pots are covered under a lifetime warranty, repair or replacement policy, etc...

If that fails I would toss it or put a plant in it.

It's not worth a trip to the emergency room if the repaired handle comes off when the pot is full of boiling soup. I would also be very concerned about the rest of the pots in the set.

Good luck!

 

[roadfix]

Whether you call it welding or soldering, any metal fabrication place (welding shop) can fix it for her.

Well, not any metal shop. Most average weld shops do not have the equipment to deal with copper and other alloys.

 

[RPCookin]

Whether you call it welding or soldering, any metal fabrication place (welding shop) can fix it for her.

Welding and soldering are very different processes. And then there is braising using brass rod, often used in repairing cast iron.

 

[rodentraiser]

Well, hey, I think putting a plant in it is probably the best suggestion. I am still cooking with it, but it's not that large of a pot and using a mitt to pick it up...well, let's just say I'm getting tired of dipping the mitt into the soup.

I did contact someone on eBay who sells a lot of these and she tells me the handles actually are riveted, just not inside the pot itself. She thinks if it's welded, it may not be as strong as before.

Steve, I wish I could find one for only $8. I'm a little limited in going to thrift shops, though, because I have such a hard time walking and standing. And the people that own thrift shops seem to have such an unreasonable attitude about people sitting on their antique chairs. Can't imagine why.

I think I'll check into maybe getting it welded, but I still think that this December I'll also look into getting the Kirkland set I've wanted. For the price, it isn't that bad and I will use every pot and pan that comes with the set. OK, I may not use the vegetable steamer.

I was going to sell the copper set to help finance the new set. Maybe I will just sell what I have and then keep this pot as a plant holder. If I get the handle welded back on (if that's a cheap thing to do), again, I might just keep the set as decoration. And maybe in my old age, I can sell it for scrap metal to keep me from being destitute.

It's not that I don't like the copper, but I really would like to go back to stay-cool handles, I'm getting tired of polishing these all the time, and the handles aren't all that comfortable - they're really short. On top of all that, I really wanted a large covered saute pan and some extra fry pans, and I don't have that with this set. What I have is a large round pan and an oval pan that really don't fit well on my burners.

A lot of what I might do depends on what happens between now and December and how many bills I have to pay. I have to buy a modem, get glasses, and pay my car registration before then, so that takes care of September, October, and November. Whether I can swing a new set of cookware in December is up in the air.

Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate your suggestions.

 

[tenspeed]

Welding and soldering are very different processes. And then there is braising using brass rod, often used in repairing cast iron.

I realize that this is a cooking forum, but I think you mean brazing

Here's a quick explanation of the different metal joining processes...

What's the Difference Between Soldering, Brazing, and Welding? | Fasteners content from Machine Design

 

[RPCookin]

I realize that this is a cooking forum, but I think you mean brazing

I knew it didn't look right, but it was late and I was too tired to look it up.

 

[roadfix]

I did contact someone on eBay who sells a lot of these and she tells me the handles actually are riveted, just not inside the pot itself. She thinks if it's welded, it may not be as strong as before.

They look like rivets. That's why I suggest drilling through (they'll drill through like butter) and inserting tiny carriage bolts. If you have the drill and the right size bit this should not cost you more than $3 to repair.

 

[RPCookin]

They look like rivets. That's why I suggest drilling through (they'll drill through like butter) and inserting tiny carriage bolts. If you have the drill and the right size bit this should not cost you more than $3 to repair.

Be sure to use stainless steel bolts so they don't rust.