October 20, 2009 - 7:38pm
Broken Hearthkit
We just made a 1600+ mile move to the midwest. I'm happier than a clam in mud with all the different locally grown organic flours, etc. but one of our biggest losses in the move was my hearthkit. A corner chunk broke off, my DH says it's not that big but I'm wondering if it will affect the quality of my baked goods, the performance of the stone, or anything else. Is there a way to repair it???? Should I worry about it?????
Have to say I love this website and plan to vist and participate often. Thanks for any assistance.
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But you may have to check into durable materials.... Can you drill into it and "sew" it together using a flexible yet heat resistant wire to hold it together? How great is the damage? Photo?
Mini
my instincts tell me that the worst case here is that it will not work quite as well with a small corner broken off, but that should be the only risk. A photo might help to assess it, but unless it is a pretty big chunk I think some loss of efficiency is the likely impact. I don't see where there is any risk of damaging your oven since nothing is getting any hotter than the oven can make it anyway.
If, unrepaired, it is sharp and in a place where there is risk of cutting yourself you should be able to dull the edge with a file, or some fine-grit wet/dry sandpaper. I recently smoothed out a chip on a piece of (cheap) crystal tableware with my diamond bar knife sharpener and it worked just fine.
You might also check with some of the local bakeries and stores with in-store baking facilities and get the phone numbers of some commercial oven repair companies. Call them and try to get the names of some food-safe refractory cements, adhesives and/or patching kits. You might be able to stick it back together so it works at nearly full capacity. Just be sure it is a food-safe product. Some of those fumes can be pretty nasty on the non-food rated products. Good Luck!
OldWoodenSpoon