Enamel billycan

[Woody girl]

I've come across this little beauty today. in a magazine. From Green Man bushcraft. Has anyone got/used one? I'm very tempted to get one. The construction seems to be stainless steel with a triple baked enamel finish whatever that is.. but it sounds good. Most places that stock it seem to be out of stock at present (probably due to the magazine article) . I'd be interested in any feedback as though I love my Dutch oven without a car it gets little use nowadays as I can't carry it. This might be a good compromise. Has anyone ever used one like a Dutch oven? Don't you just want that spoon too!

 

[Wayland]

Does look good.

I've not come across enamel on stainless before.

 

[Woody girl]

I've just tried to check if it was steel or stainless steel but I can't find the site that said about the construction. It may just be steel.( I'm so used to saying stainless steel when it comes to cooking pans! ) I definatly know it said steel which was why I had the thought it might make a good Dutch oven substitute. It's 2.8 litres

 

[Erbswurst]

I don't own this, but stuff like this is relatively heavy.

There is a reason why the market changed to stainless steel and titanium.

A pot like this was the state of the art in 1880.

 

[Woody girl]

Yes that's quite true, but then so were Dutch ovens which are much heavier and very popular in bushcraft circles. I like the retro look and it will be much lighter than the cast iron pots even if it's not as light as a modern Billy.

 

[CLEM]

I love enamel stuff and I was looking at that very pot some weeks ago meself. I really wish I could find a bottle to nest inside my Falcon made enamel cup. Just so nice to drink from, pretty robust too.

 

[Wander]

I do like the look and charm of enamel ware.
Question though - would it not de-laminate over the naked flame of a fire?

 

[Woody girl]

I do like the look and charm of enamel ware.
Question though - would it not de-laminate over the naked flame of a fire?

I don't think so. The enamel is baked on at very high temperature and I have been using an enamelware kettle on fires for years with no problems at all.

 

[Erbswurst]

No its fire resistant, but it gets gets damaged in the surface over the time by mechanical knocks..

Where you hit it, the surface flies away in an ugly spot. Schould you eat that you get a real medical problem.

But the spots usually stay small and are the normal patina. It doesn't disturb the functionality.

Such equipment works well and is lovely old fashioned. It's just relatively heavy.

 

[Wayland]

It's dints and dents you have to watch for. The enamel tends to chip exposing the metal within.

Never did me any harm growing up though, probably just added a bit of iron into my diet.

 

[Erbswurst]

The enamel cuts in the body like glass if you would eat it.
But usually that doesn't happen...

 

[Woody girl]

I don't think it matters on the outside of the pan. Only on the inside. I buy and use both new and secondhand ware. As long as it's fine inside with no cracks or chips it's fine to use.
I've heard that in the past.. ... victoirian times... lead was used in the manufacture of enamel ware . I'm not sure about that and have not been able to verify that fact. I use wooden spoons in those sort of pans so that the inside doesn't get chipped, and they are stored on a shelf where they won't get knocked about. So as long as care is taken enamelware is fine. I think that with today's modern steel pans that can take a lot of abuse we forget how to treat less modern stuff.

 

[Woody girl]

View attachment 55739 I love enamel stuff and I was looking at that very pot some weeks ago meself. I really wish I could find a bottle to nest inside my Falcon made enamel cup. Just so nice to drink from, pretty robust too.

Personally, I wouldn't nest a bottle inside that cup. Too much risk of chipping damage as mentioned above.

 

[steve a]

No connection but this may be of interest, I met this lady at the Wilderness Gathering a few years ago and was impressed with her cooking pots.
https://kotlichcooking.co.uk/about-us/about-us

 

[Woody girl]

Yes I have a kotlich but it's not got a lid and very large! Perhaps I should have tried to getting a smaller one but they only seem to come in one size when I bought it about 12 yrs ago! Lovely versatile pot. I've made jam in mine before now. Great for large family stews.

 

[Janne]

It is not stainless steel.

Love enamel ware, brings back childhood! They still make quality enamelware in Poland.

 

[steve a]

Woodygirl, you can buy the lids as a separate item on her web site if you wa not one.

 

[Robson Valley]

Look at the kotlich cooking fires in the link. Not a blast furnace.
Rake out a bed of coals for a consistent cooking temperature.
And, radiant heating not contact or big flame. I'd like to meet the cook.

I think I own all the enamel pots and pans that nobody else wanted to cook in.
No appealing sizes and shapes.
I believe it's the sudden big temp changes that lead to enamel flaking off.

 

[Janne]

Kotlik is a Slavic word ( Czech the way I spelled it) for a pot you hang on open fire. Later they were used on woodburning stoves, yopu just removed enough rings for the pot to be stable.
In Hungary a proper Poerkoelt or Goulash should be made in one, the Gipsy way.....

Using a pot over open fire is easy, but you need to remember that the fire (heat) needs to be low. Simmering only.

I managed to find one kotlik in Czech Republic, a multi use one. Classic round, except a flat area on the bottom to be placed on an electric hob.
Stainless.

If I would be interested in buying an enameled kitchen ware, I would maybe not buy one manufactured in the Far East, as they have a track record of using Lead and other less palatable metals in the first enamel layer, and sometimes in the others too.

 

[Erbswurst]

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