I will have to find it and take side by side pictures, but my original blue/grey hood is much closer to the repro in colour.
Cheers, James - now you mention it, I've got three of his reproduction caps around here. I've never fitted them to anything so I can't comment on how they'll withstand the heat of a lantern running but I can tell you the enamel on the edge of one of them developed a small chip with nothing more than gentle handling. I can't say I was hugely impressed with that and it might suggest that these caps aren't suitable for lamps and lanterns intended to be run on a regular basis. I'll probably confine their use to 'shelf-queens' - that is, when I get a shelf upon which to display my queens...
The raised part in the centre looks wider. Would that be a way to identify the repro if all else was equal?
On my example the top coat of enamel doesn't cover the undercoat completely, you can clearly see the black undercoat at the edges and around bolt holes. Also, the edge of the top hasn't been ground back before enamelling so it's very rough.
Hi there There is no black undercoat as you call it, the hoods are done in blue only the black is the metal that colours at 800c Vitreous enamell has a big problem sticking to very thin edges
Whilst Ferrous Oxide does form at 800c, what I am seeing looks more like the undercoat used to prevent the formation of oxides I saw being used on mild steel during my own research into enamelling. I am happy to be corrected, especially if you are involved in the manufacture of this product. HD
Next time I am up at the enamel factory I will take some pics, I can assure you that there is no black base coat as it effects the new coloured enamel.
I spoke with a chap at a steam fair a couple of months ago. He told me these caps came from a factory in, I think, Oldham which was called TRICO (The Rustless Iron Company). When I looked at their website later that day, I recalled that I'd been in touch with them myself some years previously, enquiring about having some vitreous enamelling done. I can't remember exactly what happened with my enquiry but it all came to nought in the end. Possibly it was something to do with batch size. Anyway, if vitreous enamel doesn't adhere well to sharp edges, that would explain why one of the caps I bought chipped easily... Edit: It was Bingley, not Oldham - http://www.trico-ve.co.uk/homepage
I don't think the metal blank has had the edges ground after being, most likely, stamped. However, when I saw some enamelling being done, the item was ground after the under coat and then polished after the top coat, perhaps that isn't being done in this case. The hood I bought for my 300X is also very rough around the edge. HD
Thank you for your post and this thread to compare. I have a pristine x300 and a less than wonderful 305 with a pitted brass hood. My cleaning attempt with metal polish has improved, but not mirror finished it. I had considered a enamel cap as brass would look too shiney- now thinking brass only choice for durability
Hi, I think what you can see is the initial 'dust coat' of clear enamel, it prepares the item for the top colour and also keeps any moisture from forming oxides as you thought. It looks black because you are seeing the steel where the colour has missed but as it's been heated and 'glassed' it appears black? Hope this makes sense? Best wishes, pod
