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PSA: A vinegar soak saved my sausage stuffer from a rust jam

My old LEM stuffer got totally stuck last week, wouldn't budge after a pork batch. I was about to force it and risk breaking the gears. Instead, I filled the tube with white vinegar and let it sit overnight. Next morning, the rust had loosened up and it cranked right open after a quick scrub. Anyone have a better trick for keeping older gear from seizing up?
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3 Comments
josephl67
josephl671mo ago
Man, that's it right there. People always go straight for the force, but a little patience and the right trick fixes most things.
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uma409
uma4091mo ago
My uncle swears by a light coat of food-grade mineral oil on the gears and piston after every use. He has a 20-year-old stuffer that still works like new. He just wipes it down with a rag dampened with the oil, says it keeps moisture off the metal. The vinegar trick is a good save for when you forget, though.
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masonbell
masonbell1mo ago
That mineral oil rag, does it ever leave a taste on the meat?
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