safe to use old canning jars?

[MommaDogs]

I got a bunch of free jars on craigslist. When I got there, I realized they were the old bailing wire ones. There are boxes of new seals, which look to be in good shape. Are these old styles safe to use, assuming that the rubber is good? Seems like if they are, they'd still be being used?

[Violet]

They are only recommended for storing dry goods in them.

Still, a fun thing to have.

[KallieKat]

You made a nice find there! Those old canning jars work great for dry stuff, and they are very neat to have around for other stuff too, like buttons and other sewing notions. How about using some as gift jars? A vintage canning jar would make a nice gift with a goodie in it!

[Crazy4Canning]

I inherited about 5 dozen of these from my gramma. I washed them all up and yes, you can still buy those rubber rings at a good supply store. The only thing I use them for is dry storage - things like beans, etc. They just aren't safe to use anymore.

 

What a cool find, though!

[JCK88]

And here's an idea

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MS9VRI?smid=A...20&linkCode=asn

 

You can turn them into lamps for gifts...

 

I've seen this done with this kit. The lady who did them put artifical flowers in some, painted the jar, or included little shells and such like in them. I didn't buy them, but they looked nice.

[Prudy]

You can sell them and use the $$ to buy regular canning jars. They go for around $2-$5 each around here or on ebay. The old rubber seals are very hard to find.

 

According to a very experienced canner I know, you can use these for jam/jelly/preserves. They are just as safe if not safer than the paraffin wax treatment. Just make sure the rims of both jar and lid are free of cracks/nicks, the rubbers pliable, and everything nice and sterilized. I wouldn't put them in a pressure canner myself, but who knows? With jam/jelly/preserves, even if you get mold, the non-molded contents are fine (just scoop out the ick)(per extension agent, btw). I don't use paraffin for jelly because of the mold risk(too much work to risk having to throw any of it away), but the rubbers with intact rims should work better than wax anyway.

 

I think they are pretty, and use the ones I've found for storing things like chocolate chips/small quantities of specialty grains or seeds/gardening seeds. If I had rubbers for them, I'd use them for preserves without worry. JMO.

 

If you wanted to dry can in the oven, I think they'd work fine for that too. I've been disappointed in the beans and rice I dry canned that way though, I think other storage methods are better.

HTH!

[JCK88]

Prudy, you can order the rubber rings for those jars from Lehman's

 

Here ya go

 

http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/...keyword=canning

 

and if they are sold out...

 

http://housewares.hardwarestore.com/38-1...aign=googlebase

[Prudy]

Thanks! I've never seen the rubbers for sale anywhere except ebay and the occasional fleamarket.

 

They'd be good for refrigerator pickles, freezer jam etc.. too.

 

I also keep wondering what to do with the big box full of blue/green screw top canning jars I have.

I'd hate to sell them (they are so pretty!), but don't trust them due to their age in the canner. I just use them for dry storage right now, but I probably should sell them so I could buy more usable jars. My handy-dandy new pump-n-seal is awesome for sealing things in jars that can't be used for wet-canning though, I can't believe how quickly I was able to "put up" dry foods with it. It's easier to use than my foodsaver and faster too.

[MommaDogs]

Thanks everyone!