# Canning lid question



## barnyardfun (Mar 26, 2005)

I 'thought' I got an AWESOME deal on craigslist yesterday. A lady had wide mouth lids and rings for sale. Brand new, they were taken off brand new Ball jars that were then used to make candles. I got over 800 flats and about 700 rings. :rock: For $60!:banana02:

Well, when I got home I took a closer look at them. They are new and look just like a regular ball canning lid EXCEPT they don't have the pop center thingy! I guess the proper name would be more like the safety seal. 

Am I still going to be able to use these!? Why would they not have that thing in the middle?! 

URGH! I am so mad at myself for not paying more attention. :flame:


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## Prickle (May 9, 2009)

Most of the ones I've bought new recently are flat flat. There's no button in the middle. If they were taken off Ball jars they should be fine.

They will look slightly concave and have no give to them when you push on them to check the seal.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Yep! most new lids don`t have that center ring anymore.>Thanks Marc


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Any chance this lady has a cousin also selling lids who lives out my way ?

Congrats on score!


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

Pelenaka said:


> Any chance this lady has a cousin also selling lids who lives out my way ?
> 
> Congrats on score!


Yeah, me too. Can I get on that list?


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

If they don't have the doohickey in the middle how do you know if it seals? I'm too new at this to not have safety precautions in place!


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

They are a company flaw. Don't use them! I have been instructed by the company to find and confiscate all these "rogue" lids that have been stolen from the company and are being sold to unsuspecting people by way of Craig'slist. Please PM me and I will see that you are reimbursed for your time and trouble and you will not be prosecuted for receiving stolen goods.

ah hem, you got an awsome deal! I purchased a bunch of lids off ebay acouple of years ago from a candle maker and am very happy with the lids!


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

As long as we are talking canning lids...
I was on a web sitr the other day and they sold generic canning lids in bulk sleaves and a good price. 
The problem, I didn't bookmark it and don't remember what is was. 

Does this site sound familier to anyone?


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## mosepijo (Oct 21, 2008)

PrettyPaisley said:


> If they don't have the doohickey in the middle how do you know if it seals? I'm too new at this to not have safety precautions in place!


When you get them out of the canner, they are puffed up a bit and as they cool, they pop down. You can see the difference in them as they cool and pop. You can actually hear them pop (great sound). After they are completely cool, you can tap on the lids with a spoon and here a high ping sound. If it goes thud, (you hate hearing this sound) It did not seal. You can also see that the lid did not go down in the middle. Put those jars in the fridge and eat first.


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Has anyone had any problem with the Ball silver lids sealing? I used these for the first time today on a small batch of pineapple. A couple didn't seal and one that did seal has a kind of ripple or raised spot near the ring. I bet when I take the ring off tomorrow it won't be sealed even though the center is depressed. The lids seem flimsy to me compared with the old Ball lids.


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## upnorthlady (Oct 16, 2009)

They are flimsy! And yes, I have had problems with the new silver lids. Usually they are the ones that came with the jars, and they package them now with the lids screwed on, so they are 'used' when you get them new! The Ball Co says they recover in hot water, but I still say they aren't quite up to snuff. I prefer Kerr lids, even though they are all made by the same company now. No idea why Ball silver and Kerr regular lids are made by the same, but are really different in performance! I've never had a Kerr lid buckle on me. I had 3 Ball silver lids buckle on me in one batch last summer!


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

upnorthlady said:


> so they are 'used' when you get them new!



That's what these were! I haven't bought a box of new jars in ages so was surprised by how tight the bands were screwed down on the lids.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Just Cliff said:


> As long as we are talking canning lids...
> I was on a web sitr the other day and they sold generic canning lids in bulk sleaves and a good price.
> The problem, I didn't bookmark it and don't remember what is was.
> 
> Does this site sound familier to anyone?


Both Fillmore Container and Lehman's sell the bulk lids.

Scroll down to find the size you need:

http://www.fillmorecontainer.com/Lids/

https://www.lehmans.com/cgi-bin/lehmans/dyna/dynav2cdtc?page_number=1


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## Just Cliff (Nov 27, 2008)

Thanks Sally
I thought it was Lehmans but couldnt find it on the site.
I think Lehmans is having an issue with that web page. Your link worked the first time then went to an error message. I called and talked with a rep about it. She said they may be working on it.
Below is the link I am using.


http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...ning_Dome_Lids___bulklids?Args=&from_search=1


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

THe new silver lids by Ball are actually thinner and the sealing seal is a lot thinner.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

You can also try an eBay seller, MulberryLaneFarm. I have no troubles with the newer lids at all, but that said, they do sit in hot water much longer than they say is necessary.


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## Sparkey (Oct 23, 2004)

I have been buying a half dozen or so boxes of standard Ball lids at the east Menards store in Eau Claire,WI whenever I stop there. They had the brass colored lids last week but I see yesterday all they had at both the east side & west side stores were the new silver colored lids. On the way home I stopped at the Mennonite store where they sell bulk lids where the price is about 12 cents a lid. Menards was $1.39/doz. also abt. that price.

Charlie


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

Beware that the bulk lids sold by Lehman's are "imported." And they don't say from where! I will pay more for the Ball or Kerr lids and keep fellow Americans working!

As for the silver lids, that is mostly what I have used so far; all came on new jars since I don't have any old ones. After using about 3 dozen jars so far, about five with gold lids that were purchased new to use on the few used jars I have) the only one I didn't have seal was a GOLD one. I find no difference in them at all. I compared the thickness of the lid on the jar rim, and they are the same. I think this is just a perception by some, because the silver ones are "different" and not what folks are used to after years and years of seeing the same thing.

As far as I remember, lids and rings always came on the jars. The jars I have purchased do not have the rings on tightly and a lid is not considered USED until it has been on a jar and processed. If that was the case, lids would be considered "used" when you put them in hot water prior to placing on the jars.


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