Sometimes thrift-store finds clean up nicely!
I recently acquired a grungy Presto 21-B canner; it needed a bit of work. Of course, the gasket and over-pressure plug were old and dry and stiff. The gauge wasn’t sitting on zero and it needed a good old-fashioned cleaning.
When I removed the gauge, it stripped some of the threads out if it’s hole. I had to pick up an appropriately sized tap and die set (1/8 NPT) to clean up the threads so I could put in a new gauge. This resulted in the gauge turning ‘round more and facing toward the “back” of the canner. I used a Sharpie pen to draw alignment marks on the back side so I could still see the gauge.
Hopefully you can see there is less grunge on top of the lid than there used to be.
I used a bit of Bar Keeper’s Friend and a scrubbing pad on the rust stains on the inside bottom of the canner. A nylon brush and a bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid around the edges of the lid and the top of the canner, took care of most of the grunge.
See my 21-B canner page for the parts list for this canner and other similar models. I’ve also posted a scan of the 21-B manual.
Looks good, mine is just as grungy and add dust from sitting on a shelf for years. Hope it looks as good as yours.
How old is the model 21-B. I just got one at a tag sale and printed off the manual that you have for it. I was just wondering how old it it.
Nancy,
So far as I can tell, the numbers on the rim of the canner body is a date code, but I’m really just guessing. I also know that not all of them have any numbers whatever around the rim. I believe that they were in production into the 1970s with the transition to the stamped models coming in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
Jim
I have one with the date 3874; the date on this one is on the bottom, not the rim.
Should have added, that would translate to September 1974. Thanks for posting all this, especially the booklet, it’s been a real help in getting mine usable.
Judy,
Glad I could be of help!
Jim
My husband found me one , but we can t get the lid off. I can turn it to open and it’s like it is stuck on one side. Can you tell me what I can do?
Brenda,
You can try some down-ward pressure on the lid. Perhaps it’s only one of the lugs catching.
Jim
In a old ‘presto’ canning book (1945) that came with past 20 yo e-bay purchase recommended interior cleaning is with several T’s of Cream of Tarter.
It worked like magic! Interior of my canner look like new…