For those people who use the Fowler Vacola preserving bottles, i would like to post a few hints.
Maybe I am not to particular with all the sciences, but i make 40 bottles of plums and 40 bottles of peaches each year.
I look at the rings and use them many times over. If the rings look a little dodgy, replace them.
I use the same lids over and over. Once again, if they are becoming damaged, get rid of them. Yes we buy the rings and lids at the hardware store. Why i think the Vacola bottles are superior, is because they have steel lids, and it does not matter if cold condensate falls on the lids. I was brought up in Holland where we used glass lids and we were forbidden even to touch the lid of the cooking vessel incase a cold drop of water cracked the lids.
i am now preserving broadbeans. (Lima beans in US)
Saving the Good Times (Plum and Cherry Wine)
Preserving jars
Personally I've been using old jam and pasta sauce jars for making jam and bottling fruit for a while now with no problems. The tomatoes do just fine with a small amount of salt added. Rusty lids and damaged jars generally won't seal, so it's better to throw them out.
Kfish.
Kfish.