We continue to get requests for help with the problem of the metal handle spline separating from the body of a cookware piece, like this:
So we thought we’d summarize the best information we have on this problem in a single blog post.
Option 1: spot weld it back on
You can find out blog post on spot welding here.
When we talked to welders, they felt that the cookware metal was too thin for a good spot welding result. But it has been done with success, so perhaps they were wrong. It also might matter if your cookware is older, pre-1968, which has a thicker stainless steel, versus newer cookware, which can be quite thin.
Option 2: Braze it back on
You can find our blog post on brazing here.
Brazing is like soldering; heat up both pieces of metal and flow a melted metal wire between them to permanently attach them.
The results are not flattering, but it works.
Option 3: bolt it back on
You can find our blog post in screwing the handle back on here.
Perhaps the least aesthetically pleasing of the options, but the simplest.
Kudos to your efforts here on possibility preserving precious pots!
If you will entertain a suggestion, riveting is also a repair path; stainless steel rivets will also avoid the possibility of inter-granular corrosion from usage (and look neat too!).
Very good point. If you happen to do this we’d love some pictures and a description of what you did so we can add this to our list.
I have a 9″ Stainless Steel Copper bottom skillet where the riviets on 1 side have detached. Does anyone know somebody that does this?
Skip, I read your remarks about the rivets. You do it?? have you had any seepage from the repair spot?? just curious about your results…I may go that route instead of the spot welding or bolting it back on the pot. Thanks, please let me know. This ole gator did a number on the pot.
I had someone else do the brazing job on my pot. There was no seepage as the brazing material will fill any holes to the other side if done right.
Thank you for your complete and useful response
I honestly thought these pots and pans, I have an entire set, were warranted for life. So if they fell apart no matter how old, they would be replaced if they become broken. That is why we paid an arm and a leg for the set. Giggles. Elizabeth
For many years Revere Ware did honor a lifetime warranty. And then it became 25 years. And then unfortunately they shut down the brand and no longer provide any warranty replacement.
I also bought a piece with a lifetime warranty. I contacted Corelle about my 12 inch copper bottom frying pan. I was told that since they no longer manufacture Revere Ware, they have no facility to send it to for a repair. So, they will not honor the warranty. They did send me a coupon for 30% off a future purchase, and I was basically told that I should be happy with that.
It will be interesting to see what happens now that the Revere Ware brand has been bought by someone else.
I’ll have to look into these ways to reattch the handle to the pot. This is a tale, not a tall tale. Not a tall tale because the ole alligator who i bopped on the head well that poor alligator wasn’t tall by any means. Well, I’m down here in Louisiana on the bayou and I’m cooking up a mean mess of gumbo. Along come this gator and he smells my gumbo roux and expects to get himself a taste of it or me – we didn’t debate for too long on which one it was that ole gator was looking to get. I reared back with my pot in hand and proceeded to batter that gator in the head. He tossed and struggled and hissed and snapped his jaws down on my pot. With a good and mighty jerk I freed the pot from the gator’s mouth and started banging it on his head again. This doesn’t hurt any gator, but it sure makes him mad and confused as to why I keep hitting him. You can’t show a gator any fear or he’ll run up on you and take you. I wolloped teh gator for a good minute longer then the handle popped of the pot. I’m standing here holding the handle and the gator is looking at the pot ….before I could get to my rifle, that ole gator must’ve had enough and kn ew he weren’t going to get any of me and I wasn’t giving up any of my roux…he crawled on back down to the water and scurried right on in the bayou and then swam off. I don’t know if ole Paul Revere ever run up on a gator, and who knows how he could handle it – well, I tell you this – the Revere Ware pots can handle the business – and I do mean handle.
Yall have a good ‘en. ahhh-yeeee! Come on down to the bayou, we’ll cook you up a pot of gumbo!
Wow, just wow!