Can anyone help my Zebra billy can split

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Tomcoles

Settler
Jul 21, 2013
537
0
Buckinghamshire
I saw a similar thread on this forum where a zebra billy had split. The conclusion was that it had been crushed and it had caused it to split. The person was adiment that it had not been crushed.
I unpacked my kit today in preparation to sort it out for an overnighter. My 10cm billy nests inside my ikea hobo stove and is there for always protected. To my amazement I found it had splits all around the lip of the can. I have used this billy twice. And never got to to a rediculas heat. I just don't understand what has caused this and if I can do any thing to sort it.
Will zebra replace it?? Are there better alternatives that are not going to do the same???
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Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
Send/bring it back to where you bought it mate, that's not fit for purpose and you have a right to another or your money back
from the retailer; they can then sort it with Zebra. They are legally obliged to sort you out.

I would go for an exchange, these don't seem to go wrong often, many people use them and swear by them. :)
 

Joonsy

Native
Jul 24, 2008
1,483
3
UK
thats odd, even if it was crushed i'd have thought it would just dent and buckle but not split, i have dented plenty of pots but never had one split. smells of a manufacturing fault, return it.
 

Tomcoles

Settler
Jul 21, 2013
537
0
Buckinghamshire
Do you have any idea who I can return it too as I brought if off eBay a while back and can't find the seller won't it cost me more money to send it to Canada than it's worth if I was to send it directly back to zebra??

Does any one know of something similar that I can buy that won't split???


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Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
3,388
640
50
Wales
Do you have any idea who I can return it too as I brought if off eBay a while back and can't find the seller won't it cost me more money to send it to Canada than it's worth if I was to send it directly back to zebra??

Does any one know of something similar that I can buy that won't split???

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Where do you get Canada from? Zebra are Thai

http://www.zebra-head.com/
 

Countryman

Native
Jun 26, 2013
1,652
74
North Dorset
Sorry, it did this spontaneously all on its own?!! It does look very much like it has been crushed.

How tight a fit is it in its nested stove? Could this have been from thermal expansion/ contraction in storage?

I don't suspect the material it's made from has a lot of flex built in. It's designed to be fairly hard (durable) where as typical ally pans dent and fold.


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Last edited:
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
Has the quality of zebra pans fallen? I've had a larger pot for years and it has often been deformed in my pack, it hasn't shown any signs of splitting (yet).
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
Has the quality of zebra pans fallen? I've had a larger pot for years and it has often been deformed in my pack, it hasn't shown any signs of splitting (yet).

Shouldn't think so based on just a couple of issues out of a few hundred/thousand of users ? More likely a faulty batch of stainless or careless heat treatment or something at the factory would be my (uninformed !) guess ?

Cheers, Paul
 

Tomcoles

Settler
Jul 21, 2013
537
0
Buckinghamshire
It sits loose in the hobo stove about an unchanged all around it. My thoughts led me to thermal contraction.
I thing the inner pan/ bowl has expanded quicker that the outer and caused it to split.
But if I am honest I am shocked that this gauge of stainless would split like this. I would of thought this billy would be bomb proof


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Teepee

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 15, 2010
4,115
5
Northamptonshire
I suspect a bad batch of stainless, that shouldn't happen.

I have a stash of 4 identical Thermos flasks in the cupboard. One of the stainless cups on one has split all the way round, exactly as your billy has, and there is no rolled lip on it. It hasn't been squashed either.
 

Tomcoles

Settler
Jul 21, 2013
537
0
Buckinghamshire

Tomcoles

Settler
Jul 21, 2013
537
0
Buckinghamshire
Has anyone had similar problems??
I really don't want to replace it like for like and it fail again.
Can anyone recommend something similar from another manufacturer


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copper_head

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 22, 2006
4,261
1
Hull
Has anyone had similar problems??
I really don't want to replace it like for like and it fail again.
Can anyone recommend something similar from another manufacturer


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As others have said I think you just got unlucky and got a friday afternoon job. But if your set on a different manufacturer then have a look at Tatonka billys. I've had my 1.6l model for a couple of years and it has a few features lacking from the Zebra models and excellent build quality.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tatonka-Sta...e=UTF8&qid=1399813119&sr=1-1&keywords=tatonka
 

Tomcoles

Settler
Jul 21, 2013
537
0
Buckinghamshire
I think your right to be honest thanks for the info on the tatonka. I wounded if it would help if I brought a new billy and then put it on the oven and heat cycle it before I used it. Basically temper it. I know there a lot of very skilled knife makers / engineers on here maybe they could advise me.


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