Enamel Repair

[KARL]

Does anyone know of a material that can be applied to seal a scratch in an enamelled steel utensil so that the item remains usable with food, including being placed in the oven up to 150 degrees ?

[LCDMAN]

Enamel....

[Zacs-Master]

You can buy enamel pain from most DIY places and spray paint from Halfords. I'm not sure of the heat resistant qualities of the general stuff but they do this:
http://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repairs/specialist-decorative-paints/halfords-enamel-high-temperature-spray-paint-black-300ml
It only seems to be available in black so if you wanted to use the general enamel paint, I would recommend contacting the manufacturer:
James Briggs 0161 627 0101.

[heathfield]

Enamel is ground glass powder which is melted and fuses onto a metal surface. So-called enamel paints are not enamel, but were originally termed that for their relatively hard and glossy finish. The scartch on your utensil can be pretty well ignored. It will do you no harm. If it looks rusty, just scrub it with a green scouring pad and use it as normal. After washing it, just rub a little cooking oil on the scratch so as to prevent rust developing. Scouring and oiling is what they do in the Far East with their Asian woks, which are nearly all made from ordinary steel which rusts easily.

[KARL]

What you write, heathfield, is correct in every way (enamel paint is not a real enamel as with enamelled steel). While I agree that it is not likely to pose a serious durability problem, it is an unsightly blemish on a brand new item which was damaged by a visitor who insisted on "helping" my wife after dinner - it is a puzzle how she managed to do the damage. It would be nice to at least reduce its visual impact. I once had some teflon which you applied and then baked on in the oven - but it was transparent so the scratch would still show.