Cracked Wagner - Useless?

[Bobby Cleveland]

I picked up this dutch oven on ebay and after cleaning it found there was a crack in the bottom.

Any use for this other than a plant holder?

Thanks!

Bobby

[Jeff Friend]

Bobby,

Did the seller disclose in the listing that it was cracked?  If they did not and there was no indication from the pictures or the item description that it was cracked, you should try to return it to the seller.  If it was damaged during shipment, that is another story.

If you cannot return it, I am not sure if it can be used as a cooking utensil.  It may depend on what you are cooking.  Liquids might leak through that big crack in your Dutch oven.  You might be able to have it repaired so that it is usable.  Some members have experience with having cast iron welded, but there is a lot of preheating and other considerations for that type of repair that may make it prohibitively expensive.  Brazing and silver solder are other techniques that you may want to consider.

Good luck with it.

Jeff

[Jonathon Davis]

Was the oven rusty/crusty when you bought it, I.e. Is there any reason you didn't find the crack as soon as it was received?

I very closely inspect every single piece of iron I receive in the mail no matter how good the packing. I got burned on a $100 deep 3060 Lodge (or BSR) fryer and I've made sure it doesn't happen again.

If there's no way to tell if it was cracked until you cleaned it, I say you own it. There was no way for the seller to know it was cracked and you are taking on some risk buying unclean iron.

I'm learning the hard way right now after buying a 40 piece collection last weekend. Some are a little rougher than I had originally thought   :-/

[Duke Gilleland]

At one time or another, we have all jumped (too soon) at what first looked to be a GREAT deal! :-/

[Bobby Cleveland]

It is not the seller's fault, the crack was not visible until after it went through my oven's self cleaning AND a scrub down with the steel wool.

I figured there was not much to be done short of welding it, which I have zero interest in doing, but figure it was worth asking before converting it into a planter or tossing it in the recycling bin.

On a positive note the lid is in great shape. I purchased the dutch oven for my mother and after telling her what happened she mentioned her chicken fryer is a Wagner and the cover she has doesn't fit quite right. So it's not a total loss.  :)

Thanks for the feedback!

[Russell Ware]

Bobby, I don't know if you've ever baked bread in a Dutch oven, but that's what I would use that one for.

[Robert Hynes]

Yep, I'd use it for baking...

Give turbo bread a try, 3 hours to a great loaf of bread and it's clean, no dough on the fingers :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4DQLB7_U1Q

[Daniel Webb]

I have the same problem with a large Wagner three-legged #8 cauldron I purchased a number of years ago. I was using it for a Halloween decoration and didn't realize that someone added water and dry ice to it for the bubbling cauldron effect.

The kettle cracked along the seam, turning it into a combination over-sized, cast iron storage jar and paperweight! Considering how difficult (and expensive) it was to find, I don't fancy myself picking up another anytime soon! I miss that cauldron. It was great as a stock pot.