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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 6, 2018 0:03:03 GMT
Black replacement gasket for 4 qt Presto lasted less than a year! The old red ones would last decades if you took care of them. This is the "genuine" Presto replacement, not a knockoff. I guess they changed the gasket materials so people would have to buy new one more often since they were hanging onto their old pressure cookers lot longer than expected. I am thinking these black gaskets are some cheap neoprene.
Now have a 16 qt presto canner that I got white knockoff gasket for and it seems to hold up fine, probably wont last as good as red one but lot better than the official black ones.
I can get a square foot of silicone sheeting for around $12 in either 1/8 or 3/32 inch thickness. Could cut out my own gasket from that. Silicone holds up lot better to heat than neoprene. These old Presto cookers used flat gasket rather than the modern C-shape gaskets. I dont think you could do homemade C-shape gasket. Though there are cheap generic C-shape silicone gaskets available on ebay from China.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Aug 6, 2018 3:19:04 GMT
Yep, we keep a few replacement gaskets around knowing the one that was fine last time might have shrunk. It's still a good canner, and I changed it over to a jiggler, but the gaskets are an aggravation.
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Post by wally on Aug 6, 2018 7:10:09 GMT
We use several different pressure canner and cookers. I have found that if you stretch a ring a couple times it helps return the seal to the correct size. Kinda like stretch out a rubber band.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 6, 2018 16:14:34 GMT
We use several different pressure canner and cookers. I have found that if you stretch a ring a couple times it helps return the seal to the correct size. Kinda like stretch out a rubber band. Thats how it snapped. Umteenth time stretching it. Seriously you shouldnt have to stretch the gasket, shows they are using wrong material to make it. Like said I think these black gaskets are neoprene and though it will stand up to heat to certain extent, it doesnt last near as long as silicone. Not sure what those old red rubber gaskets were made of. But they lasted without hassle. I have been looking at those generic silicone pressure cooker gaskets on ebay. I think you might poke them into that slot on old Prestos with pop sickle stick or similar. Not ideal, but they are like $1.50 shipped and even if they only lasted a year, might be worth it. Whats annoying they list them by size but dont say if thats ID or OD. I measured the gasket on my 4qt and its 9 inch outside diameter. This is 23cm and there is no 23cm diameter gasket. However if its 22cm inside diameter then it probably would work. I understand they want to sell more product but seriously as a consumer, I want things that are both cheap to buy and that last long time. The official Presto gasket is like $10, if you have to buy new one every year that adds up, you better just find one of those older smaller National or All American that doesnt need a gasket. Think smallest All American was 7qt, but they dont sell that size anymore. I used to have a 6qt National like that but somebody broke into storage during a move and busted it up with a hammer. Also got my old antique mechanical typewriter. Again what joy that brought them, no idea. Funny those used to be give away at auctions and thrift stores, now they bring the money. I also have a small thrift store stainless cooker from India, no idea of brand. It has good gasket, was missing its weight and I wasnt finding proper replacement for love nor money, so converted it to Presto style stem/weight. But now the cheap plastic handles broke off it. So will need to make some wooden replacements. Like say its for all intents and purposes an orphan. |
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Post by feather on Aug 6, 2018 16:50:35 GMT
I have a black replacement gasket on my old pressure cooker. It's about 3 or 4 years old. The first time I use it in the season, I get gaps of steam coming out the sides. I usually open it up and push the gasket into the gasket area of the lid, and I can see it has shrunk a bit. The recommendations are to wash it and coat it with vaseline at the end of the year, and then put it back in place. Who knows how the vaseline affects it while sitting over winter.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 6, 2018 18:27:25 GMT
I just ordered a 22cm (hoping thats ID and not OD) generic silicone gasket on slow boat from China for $1.51. Its C-shape but very thin so think can force it double into the slot the flat gasket goes into. It will have two lips but shouldnt matter. Worth a gamble. If not then will order that 12x12 chunk of silicone sheeting 1/8 thick and cut my own gasket from that. If that doesnt work, just forget about this pressure cooker and find a small no gasket cooker. Sorry I am not wanting to play willing sucker to this scam of yearly gasket replacement. Just savings on gaskets alone would pay for an overpriced small gasketless pressure cooker in few years.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 6, 2018 18:32:39 GMT
You know I hadnt thought about it, but wonder if one could make own flat gasket with shoe goo. Its tougher than silicone sealant. Be bit of a trick to get it the necessary 1/8 inch uniform thickness. I guess use cardboard spacers, maybe slightly greased with vaseline so the gasket then peel off when hardened.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 6, 2018 20:01:26 GMT
Thats interesting, just curious about that Indian made pressure cooker. Its a Manttra. Apparently large going concern very much still in buisiness. Goodmans carries the gasket for it. With shipping would cost me $10.50. Its kind of a heavy duty C-shape gasket so not sure one of the thin generic C-shape gaskets would seal properly. Anyway nice to know I could get an official replacement if I wanted to, though I didnt give anywhere near that much for the pressure cooker itself. And I would need to make new handles for it. They carry gaskets and the relief valve but nothing else for it. Those handles were as cheap brittle plastic as it gets. They bolt on so could even make metal handles. Might be easier than wood. The body of the pressure cooker is stainless with heavy bottom so good in that way.
Nah, suspect the no gasket antiques are the way to go.
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Post by feather on Aug 6, 2018 20:07:37 GMT
I like listening (reading) about what you think you might buy or make or how you might repair things, or instead buy something else. I have wood handles on my pressure canner. I really like the wood handles, they are hefty, and they stay cooler than metal. I've had two favorite pairs of tennis shoes over the years and when they started to fall apart, I used more duct tape and glue than I ever have before. I stopped just short of cuttting out new soles from old tires.  |
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 6, 2018 22:56:24 GMT
I like listening (reading) about what you think you might buy or make or how you might repair things, or instead buy something else. I have wood handles on my pressure canner. I really like the wood handles, they are hefty, and they stay cooler than metal. I've had two favorite pairs of tennis shoes over the years and when they started to fall apart, I used more duct tape and glue than I ever have before. I stopped just short of cuttting out new soles from old tires. :D Its the personality type I am blessed with, love examining endless possibilities. Drives lot people crazy when I do that. They want one or two choices and make an instant decision and not think about it or talk about it any further. I will think about further possibilities, even after I make a decision.... unless some new project comes up..... |
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Post by farmchix on Aug 9, 2018 9:56:38 GMT
Now I'm nervous about the new gasket I got at Lehman's. I had a Presto and an AA canner. Momma found another Presto canner for me and brought it over, but it had no gasket. When we were at Lehman's, I grabbed one, but I haven't had to use it yet.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 9, 2018 14:44:46 GMT
Now I'm nervous about the new gasket I got at Lehman's. I had a Presto and an AA canner. Momma found another Presto canner for me and brought it over, but it had no gasket. When we were at Lehman's, I grabbed one, but I haven't had to use it yet. It maybe only problem for the flat gasket used on older Presto?? Perhaps the newer C-shape gaskets hold up better? I was digging around in my storage shed and who knew, found an old small National cooker that doesnt need a gasket. Well it says WARDS on it but pretty sure made by National. Forgot I bought it, must seen it someplace and remembered the one the vandals broke with hammer. I really liked that one. Still has the manual steam bleed instead of jiggler weight, but I used it without converting, you just have to watch the gauge closely and turn down the heat to maintain pressure. In other words back then you were the pressure regulator. Nice gauge on it. Has couple broken T-nuts on clamps not the nut itself but the plastic handle on the nut, so have to use pliers. Not as convenient as the gasket type that you twist on and off the lid with a cam lock system, but you cant ask for a more robust design. Very little that can go wrong with it short of somebody attacking it with a hammer. |
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 9, 2018 16:51:20 GMT
casaveneracion.com/replacing-the-pressure-cookers-rubber-sealing-ring/www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH0YQ125wpgFirst is article of somebody actually using one of those $1.51 chinese generic gaskets, though not lot detail. Amazing thats only article I found on them. The second is a youtube video of guy making at home, large silicone o-rings. Think that would be good way to make flat gasket for a pressure cooker though I suspect silicone sealant isnt what you would want to use. Nice mold though. And interesting in comments, somebody said corn starch speed curing of silicone sealant. And I found no discussions on materials replacement pressure cooker gaskets are made of. I would still like to know more about those old red rubber gaskets that were originally used on older pressure cookers. Alas such knowledge maybe lost to history. And the material probably not available anymore.
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Post by feather on Aug 9, 2018 17:00:41 GMT
hermitjohn, not specific to pressure canners, but specific to seals being used with the tattler and 4ever recaps used as tops to the jars. The 4ever recaps came with red silicone gaskets. These began to fail. The company then went with what tattler was using the black nitrile gaskets. They replaced the silicone gaskets with nitrile gaskets. The failures happened months after canning (in addition to the immediate failures upon canning). This happened around 2013. I would imagine, or hope that nitrile gaskets would work best. I know silicone sealants are available, and I don't know of sealants made of nitrile--because I've never looked.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 9, 2018 20:27:24 GMT
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 9, 2018 20:33:25 GMT
I will patiently wait for that $1.51 silicone gasket. see if it works and how long. Then will try the FDA approved EPDM sheet to make a gasket. It sounds like it would make a good pressure cooker seal, better than neoprene, silicone, or nitrile. And indeed what they should be made out of. But those with financial gain as main interest dont want things lasting too well. They obviously make more if you buy more often.
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Post by paquebot on Aug 9, 2018 23:46:42 GMT
My Presto pressure canner came with a black gasket. That canner replaced and older Presto which developed a leak. Since they were the same size, saved all parts from the old one including the gasket. Just checked and it also is black.  ? Martin |
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 10, 2018 7:11:16 GMT
My Presto pressure canner came with a black gasket. That canner replaced and older Presto which developed a leak. Since they were the same size, saved all parts from the old one including the gasket. Just checked and it also is black. ???? Martin Flat gasket? How long did it last. My 4qt originally had red flat gasket. Those seemed to last forever until they finally get brittle/cracked. All current "official" Presto replacement flat gaskets are black. I have an old cast aluminum 16qt Presto canner that I got a knockoff gasket that is white. It is holding up ok though canner not used nearly as much as the cooker. Course those cast aluminum 16qt canners were so numerous and sold under so many brand names, that there are third party suppliers. Dont see the third party gaskets for the smaller old cast aluminum cookers. |
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Post by paquebot on Aug 10, 2018 16:56:48 GMT
Both of my Presto gaskets are flat and black. They can be used with either surface up or down. Just looked at the old one which is over 30 years old and no checks or lack of pliability noted. That's not to say that the chemical formula for those are the same used now but that color alone is not the issue.
Martin
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 10, 2018 23:13:56 GMT
I am sure the color has nothing to do with it, I just used that to differentiate them. The old ones were red. No idea what they were made of and at this point probably no way to know. And as you say just cause a seal is black doesnt mean its made of same materials.
Least if I make my own out of sheet of EPDM, I will have something to actually compare. Seems to be most common rubber material that is supposed to hold up to steam and hot water the best. I do suspect those replacement Presto gaskets are made as cheap as possible. They have no incentive to produce one that lets people use antique Presto for another 50 years or whatever without regular profit coming to them.
But if the EPDM doesnt last, then those cookers just go in the storage shed and I modernize the Wards/National that doesnt need a gasket.
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Post by farmchix on Aug 11, 2018 9:07:16 GMT
Now I'm nervous about the new gasket I got at Lehman's. I had a Presto and an AA canner. Momma found another Presto canner for me and brought it over, but it had no gasket. When we were at Lehman's, I grabbed one, but I haven't had to use it yet. It maybe only problem for the flat gasket used on older Presto?? Perhaps the newer C-shape gaskets hold up better? I was digging around in my storage shed and who knew, found an old small National cooker that doesnt need a gasket. Well it says WARDS on it but pretty sure made by National. Forgot I bought it, must seen it someplace and remembered the one the vandals broke with hammer. I really liked that one. Still has the manual steam bleed instead of jiggler weight, but I used it without converting, you just have to watch the gauge closely and turn down the heat to maintain pressure. In other words back then you were the pressure regulator. Nice gauge on it. Has couple broken T-nuts on clamps not the nut itself but the plastic handle on the nut, so have to use pliers. Not as convenient as the gasket type that you twist on and off the lid with a cam lock system, but you cant ask for a more robust design. Very little that can go wrong with it short of somebody attacking it with a hammer. The one I bought is a C gasket, so we shall see!  |
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 11, 2018 10:57:07 GMT
www.nkrubber.com/gasket.htmSo looks like nitrile is the common material. But EPDM from what I can tell is best of all listed above for hot water and steam. Still no idea what those old style red gaskets were made of.
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Post by paquebot on Aug 12, 2018 0:37:17 GMT
Don't know what type of gasket the red ones are but both black ones would be called a "C" gasket. They are not solid but are a "C". That's so they will better return to original configuration after being compressed. Also would be more forgiving if there were any warpage in the metal components. Any home made gasket would not have that capability.
Martin
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 12, 2018 21:05:31 GMT
Ok, you got the newer style. The older cast aluminum Prestos used a flat gasket, think of it as a big flat o-ring. It fit in little groove around the lid. The originals were some kind of red rubber and lasted forever with little care.
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 20, 2018 20:05:34 GMT
Not long after my gasket broke, saw official Presto replacement on ebay for $5 shipped. I imagine somebody found new one for 25cents at yard sale or something. I had bid and forgot about it, figuring somebody outbid me. Nope won it and its here. Comes all folded so hard to measure. I put it in the lid and got to looking at it. Is there any reason one has to take it out after use other than washing it? How about just sealing it in place with shoe goo to point there is no hiding place for dirt/food. You just wipe down exposed surfaces. And shoe goo holds it in place. I mean the old one still functioned until I broke it stretching it. I had forgotten, new ones come extra large so its a trick getting them stuffed into place, Presto knows they shrink. Its just that they shrink too far to where you have to stretch them each time to get them to seal. If its locked in place, then shouldnt need to pull it out and stretch it. Remember this is the old flat style gasket for the cast aluminum cookers, not the c-shape gasket for the thin wall rolled-aluminum cookers. The c-shape I think would need to be removed and washed after each use.
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Post by wally on Aug 20, 2018 21:16:10 GMT
Have seen this thread, I am putting the gaskets on the outside of the canners,cookers to see if they retain the proper size. .
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Post by paquebot on Aug 22, 2018 3:23:59 GMT
Are we talking canner or cooker? Opening [pst mentions both and information has been jumping back and forth ever since. Solution may be different for each.
Martin
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 22, 2018 13:41:41 GMT
Are we talking canner or cooker? Opening [pst mentions both and information has been jumping back and forth ever since. Solution may be different for each. Martin I am talking cooker BUT the old cast aluminum Presto canners and cookers used same flat type gasket. It simply doesnt matter, one is just bigger than the other. Its the inherent extreme shrinking of these replacement black FLAT gaskets that requires stretching them before each use. |
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Post by hermitjohn on Aug 26, 2018 17:47:32 GMT
Oh got the universal silicone pressure cooker gasket on slow boat from China. I guessed wrong whether the 22cm was inside or outside diameter, its too big so guess it was inside diameter. But also its a C-shape gasket and the little ridge is too wide for the slot so wouldnt worked anyway. Interesting it is right diameter for the Manttra cooker which uses a C-shape gasket, not sure how well it would seal, the original Manttra gasket is thicker/taller so....
Now my notion rather than gluing the official Presto gasket is to just slather it with Vaseline and hope it indeed swells. It swells in place, then just leave it. and not ever try to remove it. Unfortunately the petroleum jelly I bought yesterday is PERFUMED!????? Now not sure I want that around my food. Why in world would they perfume petroleum jelly?
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