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[sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>]

Leslie wrote:
> That pretty much sounds like what my grandmother did !   Mom said, that they even pressure canned them more than one.... 
One thing about the lids your mom likely used:  up until about 20-30 
years ago, the seal portion was a lot thicker than it is now.  In those 
days I reused a lot of lids and never had a failure, but the lids now 
are a different kettle of fish.

I do sometimes reuse lids but always for something that gives notice if 
it's not right--jelly or something, never for 'touchy' stuff--meats, 
etc.  Problem for me is that I hardly ever do jelly anymore, not fond of 
it and kids weren't either, so as they've (really their 
peanut-butter-jelly eating friends) have gone off, not so much use for 
them.  I do use 'used' lids to vacuum seal things but every few years I 
end up chucking a batch of them.


Somewhere in the mid-seventies I bought a lot of very thin SS lids which 
came with reusable seals.  The seals were also very thin (1/16" maybe?), 
and separate, like the old red seals for bail jars were.  I used those 
things for years and years (20+) and never once had a failure with them 
but never saw them after the fire, of course.  And can't find them 
anywhere.  That seems like a product crying for production, although my 
guess is that one would have to fight the USDA....just like the steam 
canners and others who've had ideas that didn't benefit the big boys.  
Certainly I would buy a lifetime supply (again!) if I got the chance. 

SJ