How to dissolve dried/polymerized oil?

[beanbag]

I can pretend that this has something to do with cleaning old machines, but in reality I want to remove burnt-on oil from my cooking pans. This turns into a thick brown gummy goo that I can push around with my fingernails, but soap and hot water and scrubbing doesn't seem to affect it at all. Even brake parts cleaner (acetone) seems to have a minimal effect. The only thing that has worked so-so so far is near boiling water and Barkeeper's Friend. However, I am a bit concerned about the steam/fumes it gives off.

Also, this is on anodized aluminum, so I don't think I can use anything really caustic like oven cleaner.

[Tait]

Have you tried some expanded melamine foam, (such as Magic Eraser)?

[MichaelP]

Get married.

[drmico60]

Use a dicloromethane (methylene dichloride) based paint stripper.
Mike

[gizmo2]

The pumice hand cleaners work well in the kitchen: Agent Orange, Simple Orange, the name escapes me right now. It doesn't seem hard enough to scratch stuff but it does cut the crud.

[Carld]

Have you tried some of the oven cleaners?

[aboard_epsilon]

Use a dicloromethane (methylene dichloride) based paint stripper.
Mike

works well ...even decarbonises cylinder heads

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/aboard_epsilon/rover%20420/carbonoose.jpg

no wire brush has touched this head ..just a tooth brush and the paint stripper

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/aboard_epsilon/rover%20420/combucham.jpg

take note ..only use the paint stripper described above ..others corrode and turn aluuminium black.
wear eye protction ..and if your hands are sensative find some gloves that are resistant to paint stripper

all the best.markj

[3jaw]

Use a dicloromethane (methylene dichloride) based paint stripper.
Mike

That may be fine for cylinder heads but i don't think I would want to use it on cookware.

[Peter.]

Why not? You could eat off that cylinder head :D

[Wirecutter]

I've found that ammonia can take that really gummy "condensed" oil off of things, if you can stand the smell. I haven't tried it on anything that contacts food, though. (rinse, rinse, rinse, no chlorine) That's why glass cleaner works so well around the stove. Most glass cleaners are mostly ammonia and alcohol, if memory serves.

A while back, I took an old slow cooker (crock pot kind of thing) out of kitchen service and put it to use de-potting encapsulated electronic assemblies. I used glass cleaner (and finally, just ammonia) to "pre-clean" it. Worked great.


-M

[gvasale]

I'm finding that just soaking in hot water with many dishwashing liquids like Ajax will do a respectable job of cleaning most of the stuff you're talking about. Problem with aluminum is that a lot of things may damage it, even plain water if it is left in there too long. Aluminum cookware, doesn't seem the have the overall durability compareed to stainless or cast iron. I really don't use anything but an old Mirro coffee percolator which is aluminum, anymore. All else is stainless.

[ckelloug]

Some of the citrus oil based cleaners or paint strippers might work.

Specifically I would suggest d-limonene. This is a chemical that is extracted from citrus peels. It's FDA designated "Generally Recgnized as Safe" for a food additive so it probably won't kill you although allergic reactions have been noted for some perfumes containing it. It will likely also remove latex paint.

The first good hit for d-limonene I found was http://www.citrusdepot.net/products.html

[aboard_epsilon]

That may be fine for cylinder heads but i don't think I would want to use it on cookware.

ive used the stuff on deep fat fryers...........they are impossible to clean any other way .

all the best.markj

[beanbag]

I tried some limolene-based degreaser I had and it didn't seem to do much. I don't have any paint stripper, but I had some pure(?) methylene dichloride that I use for acrylic solvent bonding. It worked pretty well in softening and removing the gummy oil. Thanks - you saved me from having to get married.

[Forrest Addy]

Yup plain old solvent based paint stripper. A little smelly and messy ut it really works to remove caked on baked on organic films of any kind. Problem is is will also remove underlying paint and most fillers.

That said, I submit the old paint system if sound should be preserved as the base to be patch primed and touch sanded for a new Alkyd enamel paint system. Cleaning and prepping is far less costly in time and material than stipping to bare metal, filling, prepping and building up for a new paint system.

My trick is to remove as much crud and corruption as possible mechanically (putty knife, wooden chisel, plastic spatula), then as much as possible with plain solvents (like paint thinner, naptha), then water based kitchen cleaners and ScotchBrite. Only then do I resort to acetone, lacquer thinner, Homer Formby's furniture refinisher. - all very aggressive solvents to be used used sparingly in small areas. The idea is preserve the underlying paint and filler system by useing a progression of cleaning methods.

Once you're down to sound old paint and immovable deposits, you get severe. I've wet sanded varnish build-ups rather than jeapordize the underlying paint.

You don't use just on cleaning technique; you use a couple each intended for specific kinds of dirt. Oily dirt with solvents. water based cleaners for dried coolant and oxidized oilt dirt. etc. Ot's more work but much less messy and there much less EPA disposal waste to contend with. I cleaned a mid sized planer wth a bale of rags, a couple gallons of solvent and a gallon of spray-on cleaner. I finished with 20 lb of burnable waste, a half gallon of spent solvent, and a half gallon of watery waste I evaporated. It took 6 hours and the planer was clean enough to eat off of. It was ready for paint prep and since the surface was clean, a light sanding and tack rag was all that was necessary to make it ready for spot prime and the first coat.

Removing build-up from un-sound paint, bare metal, and where you intend to replace the original paint system with new, you start with a good paint stripper. I prefer Jasco gelled solvent based paint stripper. Smear it on a few square feet at a time scrape it off with wood scrapers, deposit the goo and goop in a small cardboard box. A couple applications will take most everything to bare metal. Any residue can be cup wheeled off.

Note: I made no mention of sandblasting or pressure washing. These methods are generally wasteful when employed on intact machine tools. They triple the time required to clean and prep a machine tool. The water intrusion/dust and abrasive forces you to completely dismantle the equipment for a thorough clean up. You don't dare risk such extreme methods without a last part dissassembly and clean-up. Yokels and the defiantly ignorant "get 'er done" while irreparbley harming what they allege to be :"fixin".. Craftsmen are more deliberate.

[Black_Moons]

Forrest Addy: Remind me never to let you do the dishs.

[3jaw]

I still don't want it near my cookware. Note areas in red.

MSDS for Methylene Chloride

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 - PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRODUCT NAME: METHYLENE CHLORIDE
FORMULA: CH2CL2F
ORMULA WT: 84.93
CAS NO.: 75-09-2
NIOSH/RTECS NO.: PA8050000
COMMON SYNONYMS: DICHLOROMETHANE; METHYLENE DICHLORIDE;
METHANE DICHLORIDE
PRODUCT CODES: 9324,9341,Q480,9330,5378,5531,9315,9329,9264
EFFECTIVE: 10/24/86
REVISION #03
PRECAUTIONARY LABELLING
BAKER SAF-T-DATA(TM) SYSTEM
HEALTH - 3 SEVERE (CANCER CAUSING)
FLAMMABILITY - 1 SLIGHT
REACTIVITY - 1 SLIGHT
CONTACT - 2 MODERATE
HAZARD RATINGS ARE 0 TO 4 (0 = NO HAZARD; 4 = EXTREME HAZARD).

LABORATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

GOGGLES & SHIELD; LAB COAT & APRON; VENT HOOD; PROPER GLOVES

PRECAUTIONARY LABEL STATEMENTS

POISON DANGER
CAUSES IRRITATION
HARMFUL IF ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN
MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED
NOTE: REPORTED AS CAUSING CANCER IN LABORATORY ANIMALS. EXERCISE
DUE CARE.
AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES, SKIN, CLOTHING.
KEEP IN TIGHTLY CLOSED CONTAINER. WASH THOROUGHLY AFTER HANDLING.

SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 - HAZARDOUS COMPONENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COMPONENT % CAS NO.
METHYLENE CHLORIDE 90-100 75-09-2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 - PHYSICAL DATA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOILING POINT: 40 C ( 104 F) VAPOR PRESSURE(MM HG): 350

MELTING POINT: -95 C ( -139 F) VAPOR DENSITY(AIR=1): 2.9

SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.32 EVAPORATION RATE: 27.5
(H2O=1) (BUTYL ACETATE=1)

SOLUBILITY(H2O): MODERATE (1 TO 10 %) % VOLATILES BY VOLUME: 100

APPEARANCE & ODOR: COLORLESS,VOLATILE LIQUID WITH
PENETRATING, ETHER-LIKE ODOR.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 - FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLASH POINT (CLOSED CUP N/A NFPA 704M RATING: 2-1-0

FLAMMABLE LIMITS: UPPER - 19 % LOWER - 12 %

FIRE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA
USE EXTINGUISHING MEDIA APPROPRIATE FOR SURROUNDING FIRE.

SPECIAL FIRE-FIGHTING PROCEDURES
FIREFIGHTERS SHOULD WEAR PROPER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND
SELF-CONTAINED
BREATHING APPARATUS WITH FULL FACEPIECE OPERATED IN POSITIVE
PRESSURE MODE.
MOVE CONTAINERS FROM FIRE AREA IF IT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT RISK. USE
WATER
TO KEEP FIRE-EXPOSED CONTAINERS COOL.

UNUSUAL FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS
CLOSED CONTAINERS EXPOSED TO HEAT MAY EXPLODE.

TOXIC GASES PRODUCED HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, PHOSGENE, CARBON
MONOXIDE, CARBON DIOXIDE

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 - HEALTH HAZARD DATA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACGIH DENOTES THAT THIS SUBSTANCE IS SUSPECT OF CARCINOGENIC
POTENTIAL FOR MAN.

THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE (TLV/TWA): 350 MG/M3 ( 100 PPM)
SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE LIMIT (STEL): 1740 MG/M3 ( 500 PPM)
PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL): MG/M3 ( 500 PPM)

TOXICITY: LD50 (ORAL-RAT)(MG/KG) - 2524
LD50 (IPR-MOUSE)(MG/KG) - 1500
LD50 (SCU-MOUSE)(MG/KG) - 6460
LC50 (INHAL-RAT-)(G/M3) - 88

CARCINOGENICITY: NTP: NO IARC: NO Z LIST: NO OSHA REG: NO

EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE
INHALATION AND INGESTION ARE HARMFUL AND MAY BE FATAL.
INHALATION MAY CAUSE HEADACHE, NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIZZINESS, NARCOSIS,
SUFFOCATION, LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSION.
INHALATION OF VAPORS MAY CAUSE SEVERE IRRITATION OF THE RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM. LIQUID MAY BE IRRITATING TO SKIN AND EYES. PROLONGED SKIN CONTACT
MAY RESULT IN DERMATITIS. EYE CONTACT MAY RESULT IN TEMPORARY CORNEAL
DAMAGE.

INGESTION MAY CAUSE NAUSEA, VOMITING, GASTROINTESTINAL IRRITATION, AND
BURNS TO MOUTH AND THROAT.

TARGET ORGANS
SKIN, CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, EYES

MEDICAL CONDITIONS GENERALLY AGGRAVATED BY EXPOSURE
NONE IDENTIFIED

ROUTES OF ENTRY
INHALATION, INGESTION, SKIN CONTACT, EYE CONTACT

EMERGENCY AND FIRST AID PROCEDURES
CALL A PHYSICIAN.
IF SWALLOWED, DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING.
IF INHALED, REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. IF NOT BREATHING, GIVE ARTIFICIAL
RESPIRATION. IF BREATHING IS DIFFICULT, GIVE OXYGEN.
IN CASE OF CONTACT, IMMEDIATELY FLUSH EYES WITH PLENTY OF WATER
FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. FLUSH SKIN WITH WATER.

ACCEPTABLE MAXIMUM PEAK ABOVE THE ACCEPTANCE CEILING CONCENTRATION
FOR AN 8 HOUR SHIFT = 2000 PPM FOR 5 MINUTES IN ANY 2HOURS. (PEL) CEILING
= 1000 PPM

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 - REACTIVITY DATA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STABILITY: STABLE HAZARDOUS POLYMERIZATION: WILL NOT OCCUR

CONDITIONS TO AVOID: HEAT, FLAME, OTHER SOURCES OF IGNITION, MOISTURE

INCOMPATIBLES: ALKALI METALS, STRONG OXIDIZING AGENTS, STRONG
BASES, OXIDES OF NITROGEN, ZINC, ALUMINUM, WATER,
MAGNESIUM, AMINES

DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS: HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, PHOSGENE,
CARBON MONOXIDE, CARBON DIOXIDE

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 - SPILL AND DISPOSAL PROCEDURES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF A SPILL OR DISCHARGE
WEAR SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS AND FULL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
STOP LEAK IF YOU CAN DO SO WITHOUT RISK. USE WATER SPRAY TO REDUCE VAPORS.
TAKE UP WITH SAND OR OTHER NON-COMBUSTIBLE ABSORBENT MATERIALAND PLACE
INTO CONTAINER FOR LATER DISPOSAL. FLUSH SPILL AREA WITH WATER.

DISPOSAL PROCEDURE
DISPOSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.

EPA HAZARDOUS WASTE NUMBER: U080 (TOXIC WASTE)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 - PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VENTILATION: USE GENERAL OR LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION TO MEET
TLV REQUIREMENTS.

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION: RESPIRATORY PROTECTION REQUIRED IF AIRBORNE
CONCENTRATION EXCEEDS TLV. AT CONCENTRATIONS
ABOVE 100 PPM, A SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING
APPARATUS IS ADVISED.

EYE/SKIN PROTECTION: SAFETY GOGGLES AND FACE SHIELD, UNIFORM,
PROTECTIVE SUIT, POLYVINYL ALCOHOL GLOVES ARE
RECOMMENDED.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 - STORAGE AND HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: BLUE (HEALTH)

SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS
KEEP CONTAINER TIGHTLY CLOSED. STORE IN SECURE POISON AREA.
KEEP CONTAINERS OUT OF SUN AND AWAY FROM HEAT.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 - TRANSPORTATION DATA AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOMESTIC (D.O.T.)

PROPER SHIPPING NAME DICHLOROMETHANE (AIR ONLY)
HAZARD CLASS ORM-A
UN/NA UN1593
LABELS NONE
REPORTABLE QUANTITY 1000 LBS.

INTERNATIONAL (I.M.O.)

PROPER SHIPPING NAME DICHLOROMETHANE
HAZARD CLASS 6.1
UN/NA UN1593
LABELS HARMFUL - STOW AWAY FROM FOOD STUFFS
*

[aboard_epsilon]

cookware ........

well you dont leave residues on them ...after cleaning you then clean again in the normal manner.

so ..do you have an ozone extraction device for the electric motors and welders in your workshop ..do you have a faraday cage over your welder ...do you run out of the workshop every time the decibels exceed 68, ...do you have vibration sensors on your sanders, so that you can stop them, if your thinking that they are vibrating too much and giving you white finger ....not to mention all the chemical fumes you are breathing from the oil and coolent...or is it, oh dear, its turning at 50 rpm, way too fast better pack up and leave.

all the best...markj

[Alistair Hosie]

Ammonia is great . However can you still buy it in bottles etc? I havent seen it in ages in any supermarkets.Alistair

[Doozer]

Try MEK.

--Doozer

[3jaw]

cookware ........

well you dont leave residues on them ...after cleaning you then clean again in the normal manner.

so ..do you have an ozone extraction device for the electric motors and welders in your workshop ..do you have a faraday cage over your welder ...do you run out of the workshop every time the decibels exceed 68, ...do you have vibration sensors on your sanders, so that you can stop them, if your thinking that they are vibrating too much and giving you white finger ....not to mention all the chemical fumes you are breathing from the oil and coolent...or is it, oh dear, its turning at 50 rpm, way too fast better pack up and leave.

all the best...markj

No, I don't have all those things on my tools, I am not a safety Nazi and I'm not going to get into a pi$$ing match with you. If you want to use it that is your business.

[gwilson]

Awesome Orange from the Dollar Store is really effective at removing greasy stuff. Haven't tried it on pans. Maybe this is what the other guy was trying to remember.

[1-800miner]

Try Gloria Swansen t.v. dinners;)

[beanbag]

methylene dichloride is very volatile, so I am not worried about it sticking around, unless it somehow manages to permeate into anodized aluminum.

[Black_Moons]

... Really, Are you guys argueing about using *industrial solvents* on cookware as a safty issue or not???

if <insert industial solvent here> was safe and effective for use on cookware, You would see it being sold in the supermarket along with the rest of the cleaning products.

I wonder what compounds some of these industrial cleaners result in after mixing with food products?

Seriously.. I don't even let industrial chemicals near my sink, Let alone my dishs. I only use the ones actualy designed for use in the kitchen! (And many of those are still nasty enough to eat your bones, so why would you want stronger?)

This is why women do the dishs, Men would kill themselfs given half the chance :P

"Look mah, using a mixture of laqure thinner, black emery and this 3600rpm 9amp polisher, I can get the dishs spotless!"
"Yes, and if you bothered to presoak, use soap and a 36rpm scrub brush, Our kids would still be alive today" "....... Always bringing up the past. She just never lets me forget it... One polishing mishap and she never lets me live it down..."

[ckelloug]

Hi Guys,

I studied Methylene Chloride as a paint stripper when I was involved in a study on removing Mil spec airplane paint for McDonnell Douglas. Our study was being done because even the military had decided that it was just too nasty for general use stripping airplanes using trained personnel in hazmat suits etc.

I've also dealt with it stripping bathtub paint once at my house. My general theory on it is never again. The smell and what it will do to things including you just aren't very nice.
In most cases, for household use, potassium hydroxide based paint strippers available commercially will work well and are much less toxic although eye protection should be worn.

Potassium hydroxide is also a good thing for getting rid of grease in pans. Before the anti-chemical crowd get too worked up on this recommendation, the source of potassium hydroxide I would recommend is standard (not eco-friendly) dishwasher soap. Because a dishwasher doesn't have abrasion working in it's favor, it has to do something to attack grease. Saponification of grease by hydrolysis using a metal hydroxide is what dishwasher soap does among other things. Dishwasher soap is far far more aggressive than Dawn but works nicely if you don't get it in your eyes or too much on your skin.

Another not-very-useful suggestion: A couple percent N-Methyl-Pyrrolidone in water is recommended by it's manufacturer, ISP chemicals, as a starting formulation for a kitchen cleaner. I can't attest to what a few percent in water will do but the pure stuff is used industrially as a degreaser and solvent for cured epoxy. I've used the pure stuff myself to remove cured epoxy.

Green 3M scrubbing pads or something like ChoreBoy green scrubbers also do pretty well with a bit of elbow grease. The blue non-stick safe scrubbers are usually not sufficient to do anything.

[darryl]

Anyone here drink decaf? The so-called direct method of removing caffeine from coffee involves a soak in methylene dichloride. Benzene is also used, as well as other chemicals. I'm sure there are a lot of other food-related processes that use harsh chemicals.

I know there is at least one brand of apple juice which tastes like what you'd expect pesticides to taste like. I couldn't drink it- I poured it down the drain.

Anybody here smoke? Check out the chemical cocktail in tobacco.

There is at least one brand of soda pop which uses silicone brake fluid in its makeup.

Like white bread? Sugar? I don't recall what I read about those, but I'm not going to look it up again. I've cut down a lot on sugar, and I don't eat white bread by choice.

What things do you eat that are grown near a highway- imagine the load of exhaust that constantly washes over them.

I'm getting depressed just thinking about it all.

By the way, maybe the word someone was looking for was fast orange-

[beanbag]

In most cases, for household use, potassium hydroxide based paint strippers available commercially will work well and are much less toxic although eye protection should be worn.

Potassium hydroxide is also a good thing for getting rid of grease in pans. Before the anti-chemical crowd get too worked up on this recommendation, the source of potassium hydroxide I would recommend is standard (not eco-friendly) dishwasher soap. Because a dishwasher doesn't have abrasion working in it's favor, it has to do something to attack grease. Saponification of grease by hydrolysis using a metal hydroxide is what dishwasher soap does among other things. Dishwasher soap is far far more aggressive than Dawn but works nicely if you don't get it in your eyes or too much on your skin.



Both of these chemicals will ruin anodized aluminum cookware.

[ikdor]

Talking about guys doing the dishes. A friend of mine used to have a bottle of nitric acid to clean his difficult pans, just a quick rinse outside the kitchen and dump it in the plants :rolleyes:

Just for the record, I don't recommend this practice ;)

Igor

[Carld]

yes, it would scare you to death to know what is in our processed food and what is used to clean kitchen ware in restaurants.

OH, but wait, it's approved by the FDA.

[nitsuj]

The easiest answer is to ditch the anodized aluminum cookware. It's terrible. Poor heat distribution, you get hot spots and stuff easily burns on it. Once it scratches up, it's easily attacked by acidic ingredients which can throw off the flavor of the food and stain the pan. Use clad stainless or cast iron. The only aluminum pans that even marginally useful are Teflon coated ones. Which are good for eggs and that's about all I'll use them for.

[Arcane]

beanbag, have you tried using a small hand held steam cleaner on them?

[aboard_epsilon]

OK ..if you want to be cautious....

use neat biological washing powder mixed 50/5 with hot water...leave them soak for a few hours ....that will turn the alloy black ..but it can be polished after .

all the best.markj

[RussZHC]

I've found boiling water but a very small amount, just enough to cover the residue (so over fill and boil off until its about right) and then adding those packets of flavoring from raman noodles (or similar)...they are such a high concentration of salt...and then just scraping but with a wooden spoon or spatula.
The other option is to try other common kitchen items, various acids spring to mind i.e. tomato and citrus fruits [if you have ever seen pots that have been used to can tomatoes, they leave a ring of clean as high up in the pot as the tomatoes were...]

[Horst]

This method will make oven racks look like new, which are coated with the stuff you are talking about.

Get a plastic bag. Lawn and leaf bags work well. Put the pans in the bag along with ammonia, either in one of the pans or in a container (or just pored into the bag. Tie-off the bag so as to get a good seal and leave over night.

It is the ammonia fumes that do the work. The stronger the fumes and the longer the contact time the more crud it will remove. Usually 24 hours is enough.

Obviously, do this outside. We use this method in cleaning up rentals.

[Black_Moons]

The easiest answer is to ditch the anodized aluminum cookware. It's terrible. Poor heat distribution, you get hot spots and stuff easily burns on it. Once it scratches up, it's easily attacked by acidic ingredients which can throw off the flavor of the food and stain the pan. Use clad stainless or cast iron. The only aluminum pans that even marginally useful are Teflon coated ones. Which are good for eggs and that's about all I'll use them for.

Aluminum is a great heat conductor. That said, any pan will have poor heat distribution if it has a thin bottom. I was blessed with stainless steel cookware with a 1/2" thick bottom that I suspect may have an aluminum insert in it for heat distribution. Absolutely wonderful stuff.

[dian]

very interesting thread, because i have never seen anodised aluminum cookware in my life. did you try coke?