Care of Tinware
After using your items at an event, wash and dry them well with a soft cloth.  This is for all Tinware, even blackened boilers.  DO NOT SCRUB TO REMOVE THE BLACK.  After drying well with a soft cloth, rub mineral oil over each item, inside and out and over the blackened areas.  The oil helps preserve the tin and solder and takes the place of the rendered lard as was the practice in the 1860’s.  When packing for an event, wash the item with soap and water, dry well and you are ready to go.

Using items over a fire
Always keep liquid in the item, full is best.  The lower the liquid, the further away from the fire.  Cook and heat over a glowing coals cookfire, not a leaping flames fire.  Do not use cookpots to cook “dry foods”.  Do not fry foods in these items.  These instructions are for soldered items.

Cookware and Coffee Pots
Use wooden utensils inside the pots, do not scratch or gorge metal.  Treat as “Teflon”.  Scratching through the tin to bare steel causes rusting and bas tasting food or coffee.

Village Tinsmithing Works