Evaluation

Retinning Services: Restore Your Copper Cookware

Over time, the tin lining inside copper cookware naturally wears down with use. If your pots and pans have exposed copper inside, it’s time to consider retinning—and we’re here to help. We are happy to restore any maker's wares to like-new appearance and as good as new performance. 

Before You Begin: Is It Truly Copper?

The first—and most important—step is making sure your piece is made of solid copper. Many modern manufacturers design cookware that looks like copper, borrowing its beauty and prestige, but using little or no real metal. These imitation pieces, unfortunately, can’t be repaired or retinned. 

You’ll also come across pans with copper bottoms or thin copper veneers—usually stainless steel cookware dressed up with a layer of copper foil. While the outer copper can be lightly polished, the material is very thin and is easily damaged by scrubbing or machine work. These are not candidates for restoration.

Then there’s a category of solid copper cookware that may appear authentic, but is intended for decorative use only. These pieces often have walls thinner than 1mm and interiors that lack the telltale marks of hand-wiped tin. Instead, the lining is electroplated—a cold-applied coating that’s too delicate for the high heat of traditional retinning. These decorative pieces can not be restored. 

True culinary-grade copper cookware has a wall thickness of 1.5 to 3mm or more and a hand-wiped tin lining that speaks to its artisanal origins. These are the pieces we love to work on—built to last, and worthy of being passed from one generation to the next. We are unable to work on thin copper items, these pieces are more for decoration, not functional. 

When Does Cookware Need Retinning?

Here are the signs to look for:

• Exposed Copper: If you see bare copper showing through the tin, approximately the size of a quarter for the total exposed area—especially on the cooking surface—it's time to be retinned.

• Flaking or Peeling: If the lining is flaking off or 'bubbled', it needs professional restoration.

A fresh tin lining ensures safety, optimal performance, and long life for your heirloom cookware.

How to Determine It’s Time to Retin

Copper cookware is made to last generations—but its tin lining is meant to wear with time and use. Here’s a simple, hands-on way to check if your piece is ready for restoration.

• Gently Clean the Interior- Start by washing the inside of your cookware to remove any buildup that may hide wear beneath the surface.
• Look Closely in Good Light- Look for areas where the silver-toned tin has worn away to reveal the warm pink-orange glow of bare copper beneath. Industry standard is that a quarter-size area of copper exposure should be on the surface before retinning is needed. 
• Think About Its History- If it’s been many years since the pan was last tinned—or if it’s a beloved workhorse in your kitchen—it’s worth giving it a second life. Retinning not only protects the copper, it honors the craftsmanship of the piece itself.

Not sure if your piece is suitable for retinning? Send us a photo—we're happy to take a look and offer honest guidance. Email us at Hello@sertodo.com

What We Can—and Can’t—Retin

We specialize in hand-wiped molten retinning, a traditional, high-quality technique that restores your cookware to its original glory.

We can retin:

• Vintage and antique copper pots and pans

• Cookware previously lined with tin

• Most hand-hammered or machine-formed copper pieces

We cannot retin:

• Stainless steel-lined copper cookware

• Cookware that is cracked or split

• No aluminum rivets

• Most hand-hammered or machine-formed copper pieces

• Items electroplated with tin or nickel- This includes (but is not limited to) partially or fully enclosed kettles, most narrow-necked milk pots, most mokas or Turkish coffee pots, as well as dessert and gelatine moulds.

If you’re ready to move forward and have your piece restored at our workshop, please submit a work order.

**Please note our June 2025 Restoration Run has ended! Please sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media for information on when our next restoration session will be.** 

  Submit Your Work Order!