Rachael Ray stoneware

jrcnc · ‎08-26-2010

I purchased a set of Rachael Ray stoneware at a QVC outlet. There were 2 sizes of casserole dishes, a pie plate and one lid. They were tightly taped together so they would not move around.

The smaller casserole was sitting inside the pie plate and now I cannot separate them. The casserole is wedged so tightly there is absolutely no movement. I have tried squirting liquid dish detergent around the rim of the pie plate, but still cannot get them to come apart.

Would appreciate any ideas of what to try next. I hate to resort to extreme measures, as in hammer from the tool box!

Thanks!

Campion · ‎10-21-2011

Freezer overnight, followed by light tapping where it looks stuck. Cover a small hammer or end of a screwdriver with a towel, and tap with it lightly to vibrate it loose.

Report back!

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

I'd also try the freezer.

If that doesn't separate them, I'd try letting them come to room temperature and pouring in a few spoons of veggie oil. There may be a spot of something sticky holding them together. Let it sit for a while and see what happens.

Good luck.

jrcnc · ‎08-26-2010

Thank you Campion and millieshops! Had not thought about the freezer idea. Will try that and report back.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

Not sure I follow this. Did you remove the tape and still couldn't separate? What's holding them together?

Campion · ‎10-21-2011

On 1/9/2015 ValuSkr said:
Not sure I follow this. Did you remove the tape and still couldn't separate? What's holding them together?

FRICTION (wedged together.)

cookinfreak · ‎03-31-2010

Would it work to put bottom dish in sink with warm water and then ice water in the top one?

Warm would make it expand, and the cold would make it tighten up

cookin

Campion · ‎10-21-2011

On 1/9/2015 cookinfreak said:
Would it work to put bottom dish in sink with warm water and then ice water in the top one?

Warm would make it expand, and the cold would make it tighten up

cookin

Might be something to try--but the expansion properties of glazed stoneware are not easy to predict--and there may be some deformation of the glaze going on (it's essentially glass which is a liquid--so the two surfaces may have actually bonded slightly.) The cold idea was to break this bond more than have the dishes contract, though that will help. If the dishes become "smaller" as a result of the freezer, it could pull the surfaces away that are touching and bonded. I haven't worked as a chemist engineer for some time (I retired to do finance) but I think the glassy surface is the issue here. Not certain, but the freezer is the first thing I'd try. Tapping afterwards (nothing too violent) was to add vibration to encourage the ceramic glaze to release its bond.