Letter 19047

Magnalite Cookware Refinishing [Texas] 

+++ I have Magnalite cookware and the "nonstick" finish is destroyed due to age and use; specifically scratches. What can I do to restore the finish, or where can I have this done?? Barbara G [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Bellville, TX, USA +++ I have the Magnalite Cookware Set but, time has destroyed the beautiful finish of the cast aluminum set. My question to you is what can I do to restore the shine to this great set? For the price of the product, you can't find a better cookware set. I just want to bring back that new shine. I hope you can give me the name of a product that will do the job. Maybe one day my grandchildren will appreciate the quality of this cast aluminum cookware. Thank you, Georgia B [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Houston, Texas, United States +++ Use the finest grade Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler] (#0000) and Mother's Aluminum Polish [link is to product info at Amazon]. Scrub with a blob of Mothers on the steel wool. It will turn into a grey sludge. Use dish detergent to cut the sludge. Rinse and repeat as many times as necessary to remove all tarnish. Then to restore the shine use SimiChrome [link is to product info at Amazon]. It is expensive but worth it. Marilyn B [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Denver, Colorado +++++ I have 11 various pieces of Magnalite Cookware "non stick inside & out" (DARK GRAY). The finish on most of my pieces is is about 85% gone. When I purchased these I was told they had a life time guarantee & was given documents verifying this. The merchant I purchased them at is no longer in business. I purchased them in 1998. The guarantee was backed by the manufacturer, I would like to get these replaced or repaired. Any input on who I should contact would be really appreciated. Bob M [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Bridgeport, Mich., USA

+++++ I would Like to know where and if i is possible to repair the Magnalite Pots I have that were caught in the hurricane Katrina flood waters. The Pots I'm able to clean but due to the salt water of six feet in my home, screw tops have fallen off. Desperately need help. Brenda C [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Carencro, LA, United States February 9, 2006 I own many pieces of Magnalite GHC anodized cookware. Many are in need of having the finish restored, which is covered by the "lifetime warranty". Would like name of anybody who can help me with this problem. Jack K [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Cerritos, CA USA

Apparently the manufacturer of Magnalite has been taken over by American Culinary. They can be contacted through their web site at americanculinarycorp.com. It would be interesting to know if they will honor this warranty.

Steve D [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Tucson, AZ, USA

I believe the name of the company that makes Magnalite is General Housewares Corp. Their address is 1536 Beech Street, Terre Haute, IN. 47804. Hope this helps anyone trying to use the warranty to get them refinished.

Paula D [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Phoenix, AZ, USA

Thanks to the folks in AZ for the info, I'll pursue this warranty issue and report back.

Jack K [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Cerritos, CA, USA

Just to let you know - General Housewares (800-999-3436) just told me to call 888-327-8472, who told me to call 800-767-5160, who told me they are only honoring the Magnalite warranty on pans made in Korea. I am unable to find who is honoring the warranty on the Magnalite Professional pans which were made in the U.S. Does anyone out there know?

Sara R [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Wellington, Florida, USA

I too have several pieces of Magnalite pro. After a few years all of the saucepans had lost their anodized surface on the inside. I called General Housewares and explained this to them and they replaced them. (This was about 8 years ago) When they sent me my replacement pans there was a letter advising me not to cook anything acidic in the pans as that is what erodes the anodized aluminum surface. Now I have Three 'like new' (because I hardly ever use them)'sauce' pans that I cannot use wine, lemon juice, or even make tomato sauce in....Kind of useless as far as sauce pans go! I have another mag pro 8 quart stock pot that the same thing has happened to. I don't even know if it is worth the trouble to get it replaced..or if they will even replace it! For the last ten years or so I have been buying All-Clad and have been very pleased. I will not ever buy any more mag pro or any other anodized aluminum pans.

K. Burden
- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

I, also, have Magnalite Professional purchased in the late 80's. Although they look terrific from the outside, the insides are discolored and very unprofessional. Using the telephone number offered by a previous message, I called today. The company representative or CEO on the other end was very informative and concerned. He said that the discoloration was a result of acidic foods or carbon build-up. He recommended a thorough scouring with Bon-Ami [link is to product info at Amazon] and a Scotch-Brite to be followed by wiping the inside with Wesson Oil. Afterwards, heat it in the oven or on top of the stove to allow the pores of the metal to absorb the oil.This seasoning is similar to the process completed upon using the cookware for the first time. Also suggested was a spray sold in restaurant supply stores called " Carbon-Off Carbon Remover [link is to product info at Instawares]". In addition, to take away the discoloration of the handles and lids a metal polish was recommended. This polishing paste made in Germany is called "Flitz [link is to product info at Amazon]".
The gentleman also said that if there were further issues to please e-mail him at wagnerware.com or americanculinarycorp.com. I hope this helps others who thought we had bought the last pot in our lives. I might add that the representative or owner of the company thought we had the best cookware on the market and it was indeed professional quality.

Pam S [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Santa Ana, CA

After several emails to American Culinary Corp., I am about ready to give up the quest for refinishing of my Maglite Pro GHC cookware. So much for lifetime warranties. I have purchase a couple of pieces by Analon, and they seem to be okay, but just loved that Maglite. Too bad the company doesn't respond to eamil.

Jack K [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Cerritos, CA

Can I ever use my Magnalite pots that went through Hurricane Katrina again at our house in Bay St. Louis, MS? How do I clean the corrosion out of the inside? What type of cleaner? Do they need to be sandblasted?

Katherine C [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting]
- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

July 27, 2006 I would like to know if anyone found out about the lifetime warranty on the magnalite pot. I too have a set from Katrina and would like to contact the company. Terri D [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - Norco, LA August 6, 2006 I have read a couple of posts about GHC Magnalite cookware that went through Katrina. I have a large roaster that has corrosion in the bottom but has partially washed out. I would like to hear from anyone who knows how to sanitize this and other pots in the series so I don't have to be afraid to use them. The thought of having to throw them away makes me sick all over again. Thanks for any help, Wanda J [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] - New Orleans, LA, USA

December 7, 2006 I have a whole set of Magnalite professional pans and have recently read several articles about Teflon products being carcinogenic! Does anyone know if these pans are coated with Teflon? If so I believe we should throw them out and buy something different! Thank you! Charlett J [name deleted for privacy due to age of posting] Loan Officer - Danivlle, CA, USA December 13, 2006 Don't throw them out and overload the landfills, Charlett, sell them. Countless tens of millions of teflon-coated pots and pans and other food service items are in use, and many people feel they are perfectly safe. Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

For those asking about their MAGNALITE that went through Katrina. All you need to do to sanitize them is to fill with clean water and add approx 10% Chlorine and allow to sit for 2 -3 hours, Empty and wash with Bon Ami cleanser. After the cookware has been dried, apply a VERY THIN coat of vegitable oil to both the inside and out, then bake in the oven @ 350F for 1 hour to Re-Season the cookware. In the future as I mentioned before use only Bon Ami or Dish Soap to clean in the future and reseason approx once a year. I am a retired Captain FDNY and used to cook for my Engine and Ladder Companies. I have a very large set of the Magnalite Professional Cookware that I purchased over the years and used at the Engine house. They all are still in excellent condition and I still use them today.

Stay Safe,

Michael Connolly, Capt. FDNY Ret.

Michael Connolly
- Bridgeport, WV USA

To update you on having your Magnalite pots refinished, I just had 36 pieces of mine done by this company here in Los Angeles. My pots are back to a new and even better shine! This company is willing to refinish any cast aluminum pot, i.e. MagPro, Magnalite Classic, All-Clad, Revere-Ware, Wear Ever,Vintage aluminum pots and pans like Wagner Ware, Guardian Service and 18 grade Stainless Steel. His specialty is anodizing. He does Residential or Commercial Pots and Pans (like for restaurants and such). I took pictures of my pots to show to anyone interested.

Duran Mouton
- Venice, CA, USA

Looking for the name of the company that did the refinishing in Los Angeles. I have a huge set of Magnalite Pro that needs attention.

Michelle Welter
- Miami, FL

April 26, 2007 I have a set of Magnalite GHC pots that have lost their anodizing. They used to be grey black but are now the aluminum is exposed on the inside. What is the name of the company in Los angeles and does anybody know of any companies that does the same process on the east coast? Dave MacMaster - Woodstock, VT, USA

I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A CAST ALUMINUM DUTCH OVEN(AMERICA/CLUB)AT A FLEA MARKET WHICH HAS BAKED ON GREASE AND DIRT...WHAT CAN I USE TO GET THIS CLEAN SO IT CAN BE USED..SANDY

Sandy Ducker
homemaker - Canton, Ohio

Does anybody know the name of the company in California that re anodizes cookware?

Arthur Geffen
- Dallas, TX, USA

For all that is interested here is the name of the company in Los Angeles, CA that cleans pots including copper and brass: Kaleidoscope Polishing. The company is in the City of Gardena, which is a surburb of L.A. The owner is Mr. Ray H. Johnson, when contacting his office, speak to him and let him know I referred you to him from this site.

Hello,
I'm trying to find out if my Magnalite GHC cookware is non-stick? Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Debbie

debbie saenz
none - oceanside, ca, usa

Hi, Debbie. You should be able to detect whether your cookware has a smooth teflon-like lining or not, rather than trying to judge by what someone else says about theirs :-)

You can feel the softness of the coating, you will see that water beads on it instead of any tendency to flow out and wet the surface, and you'll observe that it tends to "scuff" as opposed to scratch because it is relatively soft whereas anodized aluminum is very hard.

Hopefully, of course, it functions as a non-stick surface. If you're not noticing an improvement in that regard, it would be a waste.

Regards,.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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