# Glass Canning Lids



## JustMe2 (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi everyone! I'm hoping someone can help me decide! I recently "inherited" over 50 porcelain/glass canning lids, and when I first received them, I almost threw them away they were so dirty. At the same time I was looking into buying Tattler lids (I thought Tattler were glass, not plastic). Something (or maybe my father in law from up in heaven, who actually had them before me) told me to give it a go at cleaning them up. So after scrubbing, bleaching and brushing, 53 out of 59 lids came out looking beautiful, like new, with no chips, cracks, dirt, etc. So I immediately started searching for info on them, and while I appreciate reading the history on them, no where did anyone say if they still use them. So I then decided this site has NEVER steered me wrong, so here I am. I did a search on glass lids, and the only post I saw was from about 3 years ago. 
So here I am posting a newer one! Lol! 
Does anyone use these to this day? Do you think (once I bought new rubber gaskets) they would be safe to use and, hopefully, work? 
I'm hoping someone can offer insight, because things have become extremely tight with our budget, and these would help us save some money. 
I attached a picture so maybe someone would "recognize" what lids I'm talking about.
Thanks so much gang!


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I have several of those, the problem I have noticed, they are so thick, its difficult for the ring to screw onto a jar far enough for them to seal.


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## oneokie (Aug 14, 2009)

Those use/d zinc bands, which are/were taller than the current bands.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

My computer is not working well and having troulbe seeing the lids..if they are the zinc.can't give advice. If all glass using rubber rings..I do use them with the 'newer" flat lids and metal rings. I always put a flat lid with metal ring jar in with oo..hope this hel
ps.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

can you pick up a vintage canning cookbook and see if there are instructions- I can look thru mine tomorrow


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Becka03 said:


> can you pick up a vintage canning cookbook and see if there are instructions- I can look thru mine tomorrow



Mon has a few and still uses them. I have never seen them used with "rings". There is a zinc lid/cap that is normally used with them.Hope this helps.

Wade


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## JustMe2 (Mar 8, 2011)

Thanks gang for the help!  I guess I'll have to "play" around with them to see it they would still work... 

I need to find a old canning book...I love the older cookbooks!

I love this forum! People are always so willing to help! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You don't ususally see just the milk glass liners. As a matter of fact, I can't even remove the glass from the zinc lid.

The zinc lids don't work well with the modern canning jars because the rubber seal sits down at the bottom of the threads on a "shoulder". The shoulder of modern canning jars does not protrude far enough from the body of the jar to give a good "seat" for the ring. If you have some old canning jars, look for those that have "Strong Shoulder" embossed on them. Atlas was one brand that I can think of. They were a response from canners back then that complained about the shoulder breaking off when the lid was screwed on. The shoulder of these jars is much more "robust" than modern jars.

I don't think your glass inserts are of much use without the zinc counterpart. You can still buy the zinc lids. I saw them somewhere recently, but I don't recall where, perhaps Lehman's? Most people don't use them anymore due to the fact that that it was hard to tell if the jar had actually sealed. They recommended tipping the jar sideways and looking for drips. :grumble:


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## JustMe2 (Mar 8, 2011)

I have the jars that the lids were with, I see what you mean about the lip, and some jars actually have a different shape to them. 
It took a lot of umph to get them out of the zinc caps...trust me! LOL! I was really hoping to be able to buy the rubber gaskets and be able to use these with todays bands. Guess I'll bag them up until I figure out what to do with them all. 
Thanks!


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## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

Please let us know what you come up with. They certainly look to nice to throw away. They were able to be used at one time so I am sure they can be used again, with the right information and maybe the right band?


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

JustMe2 said:


> I have the jars that the lids were with, I see what you mean about the lip, and some jars actually have a different shape to them.
> It took a lot of umph to get them out of the zinc caps...trust me! LOL! I was really hoping to be able to buy the rubber gaskets and be able to use these with todays bands. Guess I'll bag them up until I figure out what to do with them all.
> Thanks!


If you have the zinc caps, you are set to go. They don't work with todays rings. 

The rubber rings are readily available. Try these:

https://www.lehmans.com/p-3178-standard-old-style-canning-jar-rubbers.aspx?show=all

Let us know if you need instructions on how to use them.


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## JustMe2 (Mar 8, 2011)

The lids were beyond rusted, some were even crumbly. I cut them to get the glass liners out.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Well, you do have artifacts still. I see these for sale in antique stores. Hate to see them go for wind chimes, but still.

The JARS are the thing, the lids are pretty easy to find. The lids don't do well in the refrigerator; & I don't can with them. Wish I had more for dry storage though.


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