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Can an enamelled cast iron cooking pot be reglazed on the inside?

Hi,

I am new to this group.

I am not a potter, but I have a question that potters might be able to answer.

I have a set of 3 nesting enamelled cast iron Dutch ovens.

They were made shortly after WWII in Holland and are now considered collectables.

One of them I used as a "steamer" by filling it with water and setting it on the wood stove.

I pretty much ruined the interior enamel, which instead of being white, hard smooth and shiny is now light brown, rough and porous.

Is there any way to re-enamel the inside without ruining the outside which is in good condition (hand painted tulip motif)?

Is there anybody who does this professionally? Could it be done by a potter in a kiln?

Any ideas?

Ken Seggerman

Reply to
Ken Seggerman
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I'm certainly no expert but here are a couple of things to consider:

  1. For collectibles, usually altering the original finish by, for instance, refinishing means reducing the item's value significantly.

  1. What you are asking about is more akin to "enameling" a metal than it is to pottery. I'd try a metalworking type of newsgroup. There's an excellent NG for welding. Maybe someone there has worked in the metals enameling industry and can help.

  2. I'm guessing enameling the interior of a cast iron piece involves firing the whole thing. It probably would have an effect on the exterior decoration. Chances are, when it was manufactured both the inside and outside finishes were put on at the same time with a single firing. Just a guess.

Good luck. If you learn anything about the subject let us know. I've always wanted to do some mixed ceramic/metal pieces, but have never had a clue where to begin.

Fred

Reply to
Fred

They will no longer be of any worth as a collectible if you in any way change them. They will be simply iron and enamel pots.

Reply to
dkat

I agree, but it's interesting that if it's art, (like the DuChamps urinal/fountain or Michaelangelo pieta that got smashed), it can be painstakingly reconstructed and resurrected by conservators. The same process to an antique would diminish its value. Odd world. Brad Sondahl

Reply to
Brad Sondahl

[That's hard to believe. Are you sure it was vitreous enamel, and not "enamel" paint? Vitreous enamel, as is used in cookware, is pretty impervious stuff; it shouldn't be affected by temperatures under 1200F or so. Did you boil it dry and keep it heating for hours afterwards? Did it get red-hot? Are you sure it's not just some stuff on the surface concealing the enamel?]
[I'd say no. But if they aren't up to steaming some vegies, they don't sound like something worth collecting anyway. Why don't you sell the remaining two, and collect something else, like hand-made pottery for instance?]
[Nobody does this professionally; there's just not enough call for it. But there are services that "re-enamel" cast-iron tubs, etc. They use an epoxy compound for this, that might react in the way you recount, if heated on a stove. That might be what happened with your Dutch oven, before it was sold to you.]

Andrew Werby

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Reply to
Andrew Werby

Hello Ken

Sorry to hear about your pot. I had a problem with a le crueset dutch oven. As you probably know, they are enameled inside. I left it on the stove by accident and it burned dry and completely ruined the enamel. I phoned le crueset to see if they could repair it and unfortunatley, they said the enamel couldn't be repaired at all. I ended up throwing the pot away.

Not much help to you, I know. But it might be that you'll just have to live with the enamel the way it is.

Marika

Reply to
Leonards

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