Hi all: I have some fine old sauce pans with Bakelite handles that are falling apart and would like to make some new wooden ones. Don’t know exactly what the temperature will get to at the edge of the pans but will any wood stand up to it? What is the modern replacement for Bakelite and where do you get it?
Thanks, KDM
Kenneth Duke Masters
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
Replies
Duke, I replaced the handles on an old dutch oven with either sycamore or maple (can't recall).
Haven't had a problem on the stove, but I'd not put them in the oven.
FWIW, I finished them with tung/linseed oil mix.
would corian work?
Bakelite is an old brand name of a phenolic resin plastic. It was invented by Leo Baekeland around the beginning of the twentieth century. It was the first synthetic material made by man. The material is still made, but probably not with the old name. If you do a search for phenolic resin, or phenol formaldehyde, you may find some sources.
Most phenolic resin product contain fillers of cotton, paper, or glass, similar to the way fiberglass does, but you may be able to find some without.
Bakelite is an old brand name of a phenolic resin plastic. It was invented by Leo Baekeland around the beginning of the twentieth century. It was the first synthetic material made by man. The material is still made, but probably not with the old name. If you do a search for phenolic resin, or phenol formaldehyde, you may find some sources.
**********Micarta is available from knife making suppliers.Leon Jester
Duke,
If you can work metal, why don't you use aluminum?
Easy to bend, drill, rivet and clean.
For the purists there is phenolic flat stock
(Usually black) which can be 'Sandwiched'
to the business end, so as not to burn one's hand.
Aluminum bar stock is available
through Macmasters-Carr and the flat phenolic
is sold to the knife makers trade
over the net ( Also rivets.)
Steinmetz
Duke -
We have several old cooking pots and pans with wooden handles. Not meant for use in the oven, of course.
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
Thanks, all. To follow up: I like the idea of aluminimum, for the quaintiy needed it could be filed and sanded to shape though if I remember correctly keep it off the grinding wheel; it will embed it self and when heated will expand and crack the wheel. Does the modern day Micarta have the same, more or less, temperature rating as Bakelite?
KDMKenneth Duke Masters
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
See if you can find some of the tiles that fall off of the Space Shuttle!
Forget the aluminum! The purpose of the wood or Bakelite is to provide an insulated handle that can be grasped with the bare hand while the pan or pot is hot. That aluminum handle will conduct all the heat right to the point of contact. Try maple or birch or beech .... perhaps even cherry.
John
I second the idea of using Corian.
We own an old copper clad skillet that we inherited from a great aunt about 30 years ago. Still use it several times a week. It has a wooden handle (appears to be oak) that has held up all this time. Skillet does not go in the dishwasher or the oven. If there ever was any kind of finish on the wood, it has long since disappeared.
Hope this helps.
I had the same problem, I made new handles from a piece of cherry. A couple of the cherry handles are 4 years old, no problem with heat. I would not put them in the dishwasher.
mike
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