Gummed up Kelly Kettle

[queeg9000]

I've given in and bought myself a Kelly Kettle, a 2.5 pint one from Outdoorcode on Ebay, a bargain too, problem is i've tried it out using some pine off cuts, left over form wood working projects, and the funnel inner is covered in what can only be pine tar.
It's all got a bit sticky, and the base gets wedged in and bound by the tar, when stowed, so it's a pain in the derrier.

Any hints on how to sort it out, I was thinking, just use it more, but burn hard wood instead, maybe it'll clear the tar out???

 

[scanker]

I think that's how they all look over time - it is the inside of a chimney after all! Maybe scrape off the bit at the bottom if it annoys you, maybe put on some washing up liquid before the next time and that bit should stay a little bit cleaner. I wouldn't worry about it tbh.

 

[Dave Budd]

grab a handful of leaf litter and wipe around the the rim (oo err missus!) of the kettle. Normally if this won't clean off the resin, then it will coat it in dust that will then not stick tothe base

 

[Lostdreamer]

Yeah, it happens. Don't sweat it too much.

If you do feel the need to clean it, track down some decarbonising agent. (betterware et all seem to be good sources). That'll soon clean it. Stink the place out, but clean it.

 

[w00dsmoke]

My KK is so used that the base is now so distorted with the heat and the knocking it has had I've had to replace the base (£ 7 from the KK company). I would not worrry about the tar and soot, it's just part of that authenticity that many strive for Embrace it!

 

[BlackPacker]

Pine tar is easily cleaned with mineral spirits. I keep a bottle in my bathroom for cleanin and ocassionally cologne. (yeah, but, I use wd40 as car deoderant)

-BP

 

[Longstrider]

If you're desperate to keep your kettle chimney spotless try removing the sooty tar with something like White Spirit or Turps.
To be honest, my battered old Kelly Kettle has a build up in it that is probably 3 times as thick as the aluminium that it's on. To stop sooty dust falling out of the top when the kettle is in my pack I simply use a small branch like a shotgun "pull-through", feeding the stick up from the bottom and then twizzling it about with the twigs and leaves in the chimney bit of the kettle. This removes enough of the loose muck to keep my pack relatively clean. I don't worry about the tar. I figure the day that I get a "chimney fire" because of it, it will simply mean that my water will boil even quicker!

 

[queeg9000]

Thanks very much everyone for your replies, I guess I was just panicking a bit, thinking I'd gone and messed it up permanently, but it seems it's just bedding itself in.

Some good tips there if I do decide to make it shiny bright again, but I think I'll leave it, and maybe just give it a rub down with some leaves (Thanks Dave) or maybe a pull through with a small branch (Thanks Longstrider).

Thanks again, all your replies are much appreciated.

 

[steven andrews]

Mine has seen a lot of use and the fire tray is all wonky and the chimney is quite sooty.

Scraping the inside of the chimney with a stick gets the worse of it off.