Retinning

If you have chosen our tin-lined copper, you will know that tin has many wonderful advantages: it’s naturally low-stick, hygienic and safe, and a wonderful heat conductor. You will also know that after extended use it deteriorates, and your cookware will eventually need to be retinned.

When we receive a copper pot in need of retinning, it doesn’t just get a “touch up”. We scrape off all the remaining tin to restore the pure copper, then remove any excess tarnish and check the handles. Our master tinner then applies a thin layer of the purest tin, by hand, just like he does with every new pot. Finally, it gets polished, cleaned, and safely packaged to be returned to you for many more years of faithful service.

Frequently Asked Questions About Retinning

When properly cared for, high-quality tin that was applied by hand over a flame will last a very long time! Many of the retinning inquiries that we receive are for items that do not need it, so we have tried to address some of our customers most frequently asked questions!

In most cases, no. Color changes are natural and result from the tin interacting with a number of acidic and salty foods. This is totally safe and you shouldn’t worry about it, but if you’d prefer to restore tin to its bright shine, you can fill the pot with water and sodium bicarbonate (a few tablespoons), and boil it for 10-30 mins, then rinse and dry well. Note that this is a slight corrosive so we recommend not doing it too often so as not to shorten the life of your tin lining.

Occasionally, the tin will be blackened because the cookware got overheated and burnt. This is not desirable and should be avoided. Before re-using your pot, do clean away the burnt-on layer by following the above instructions with sodium bicarbonate, and be mindful of avoiding these incidents in the future by cooking on low-to-medium temperature, and never leaving an empty pot on a source of heat.

Color changes in tin are perfectly normal and retinning is not needed

Minor scratches are not a problem and you can continue using your cookware. When the copper becomes clearly visible through the tinning, however, please send it in for retinning.

When the copper is clearly exposed, the tin lining needs to be re-applied.

We do! And we offer a special price for all Ruffoni products – basically, we’ll only charge you for the cost of materials and shipment. Please see below for instructions on how to send us your item for retinning.

The process of polishing and re-tinning copper cookware.

Not necessarily. We understand that shipping costs can be very high and so we’ve worked to identify master tinners in various parts of the world that can perform the job at a very high standard. We’ve listed some of these people below, and are always happy to consider additional recommendations.

You may also use any tinner in your area even if they are not on this list – many skilled craftsmen still exist around the world thankfully and we haven’t met them all just yet. However, we would recommend that you inquire about the quality of the tin that they use. We work hard with our suppliers to make sure that anything we deliver is made only with top-quality materials, safe for you and your family.

[List of selected tinners worldwide]

  1. Email us at service@ruffoni.net and make sure to include:
    1. A description and size of the item(s) needing retinning
    2. A photo of the inside of your items
    3. Your full shipping address and phone number
  2. We will check that your items in the photo actually need retinning, and if so, we’ll email you the shipping and re-tinning fees and estimated lead-time
  3. You'll pay through a secure PayPal link, send us the items, and we'll get to work
  4. Once it’s all done, we’ll email you the shipment tracking number so you can know exactly when your retinned pot will arrive, ready for many more years of faithful service in your kitchen. Happy cooking!