Try a bit of vegetable on top and bottom of the gasket. Test it first and I'm sure you will notice the ease in opening.

Vegetable oil, that is.

My 70's era Mirro 22 qt does the same thing - oiling (just a tiny bit) the gasket works. I rub a bit of oil on the flange parts of the lid and canner top flanges where they would meet the lid when closed tight too....I don't have to repeat when refilling to do a second canner full.

It never did this with the original gray gaskets when those were available, but certainly does with the new replacements. I had to call a friend to come over and release the lid when canning tuna one year - could NOT get the lid off, DH out of town, very frustrating :)

These seals must always have a lubricaton applied. The older gray seals were just a plan rubber that could dry and crack. The newer ones use silicone based rubber. I have even used a non stick cooking spray. The other choice is a metal to metal seal, that requires no gasket. These are a differnet brand, but stll require the seal area to be lubricated

If it's really, really stuck, try re-heating the canner (leave the weight off) just until the sides are hot to the touch. Turn off the heat and see if you can twist the lid off.

Carol

Hopefully someone will see this, especially since the thread's been dormant a couple of months now. This was helpful I think.
I am right smack in the middle of canning pork and can't get the lid ON, let alone off. Last time I used the pressure canner, about 6 weeks ago I had a devil of a time then too. SO I've removed the jars and taken off the lids since they were all popping and I don't want this low acid dish sealing without processing. I'll stick all of it in the fridge tonight and deal with it tomorrow. It's too late to try again tonight. I washed the lid and applied oil all aorund the seal. I'll go back and reread those intructions carefully again to make sure I've done as recommended. So tomorow morning I shouldn't have any difficulty closing the canner? (I hope) It's one of the old 23 or 26 qt Prestos-can't remember which, bought in about 1976. I don't remember it being so difficult in the past, but then maybe my husband always opened it for me and I've just forgotten. If it doesn't work, then I'm going to just put everything back in the pressure cooker(a different pot than the canner) and cook it to the doneness I'll want for use, and put it in the freezer. I wanted to get some of the excess out of the freezer though so I sure hope this all works. Waaaa

Will the lid settle down onto the canner ok but just not twist to lock or does it not even set down into place? If it won't even set into place then either the lid or the canner is warped and will have to be replaced.

If it just won't twist to lock then try removing the gasket, rotate it 1/4 turn and put it back on and check the extension tabs to make sure none of them is bent. If that and the oil doesn't work you will need a new gasket.

Meanwhile cooking and freezing is the best solution. Good luck.

Dave

As mentioned, you may need a new rubber gasket. Newer ones are usally very well made and are silicone based. To oil the seal area, remove the gasket enirely and wash well, including the gasket. For lubrication, veg oil is OK, but tends to get sticky and difficult after a lot of heating. Here, I use a food grade silicone lubricant and this is appled to the gasket channel, the gasket, the top flange of the canner, as well as most everywhere hard metal will be sliding on other hard metal. If you have a really flat surface, check to see if the lid has becomed warped. Just a slight amount can cause a lot or grief. Here is a site for the silcone spray lubricant that is food grade and will not get sticky. If you still feel 'sticky' on the canner, it could have some hardened vegetable oil thats very difficult to remove. For non food contact areas outside the canner at the top latching flancg, you could also use a small amount of Vaseline, but avoid that in the internal areas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Silicone spray- food grade

What about using inexpensive Mineral Oil to lube the lid? People use it when constipated as it's non toxic and passes right through the human gut.

I posted a thank you hours ago but it isn't here. So I'll add it again. I followed the instr, using veg oil instead of silicone since I can't handle the silicone, and put the danged seal in the proper groove (duh) and it worked just fabulously. How I'll handle the potential varnish effect is just scrub the lid and seal obsessively after each use.
So thanks everyone.

This is going to sound odd, but just as a heads-up for others who might be having a problem with their canners, sometimes there's a right-side-up on those gaskets and if it's inserted the wrong direction there will be problems both putting on and taking off the lid.

I know that has been the case with some Presto models.

Carol

Because the silicone remains stable and will not get to a 'varnish' stage, it does have its advantages. Mineral oil could be used too, but I am not sure how high its resistent to heat is. Its always a good idea to try and get rid of all dried oil traces. One way, is to use a mild oven cleaner, that has no strong fumes. Using the more powerful 'Easy Off', can eat into the aluminum. I have also use Goo Gone to get rid of hardened dried grease. Removing and reoiling the rubber seal is one way to reduce any issues with a poor seal or a stuck seal.

I have a pressure that has always been difficult to open but not I cannot get it open at all. I see that I need a new seal and or to oil it but, any ideas on how to get this lid off now. I even had my neighbors husband fight with it and CANNOT get it off. Do I really have to throw the whole thing away?

Do I really have to throw the whole thing away?

You may have to. But depending on the model there are a couple of things you can try first. Invert the pot and soak the sealed rim with WD-40 or a similar silicone spray all around. Let it sit that way for several hours and then try to open it. If it does then you will need to clean the lid and rim well with hot soapy water before using.

Or you can take it to a machine shop and see if they can get it open for you but it may still do enough damage in the process that it will have to be replaced. If they are careful enough then you may only have to replace the lid, not the base pot.

Dave

My lid wouldn't open; I put it inside water, did not work. I warmed up the pot, did not work. I finally put it inside the bathtub and soaked the rubber with WD40 and after some 15mn I tried and it moved a millimeter. I kept trying and it finally opened!

Going to invert the position of the rubber seal, and oil it next time I use it, to see if I can prevent this..

My friend got a presto canner but it s close to impossible to get the lid on an off. It has an extra tab at the top that apparently has something to do with the little pop up pressure valve on the lid. It's a lot different than my Mirro canner which has never had any problems. Is the presto design just bad?

I'm having fun reading all the comments! I have an old Maid of Honor 620-212..21 qt & I could not twist it clock wise to lock it..I tried the cooking spray on both the lid and the seal. it wouldn't work until i turned the seal inside out/ over . It seems that there is a right and a wrong way to install the sealing gasket. ( who knew) I fought with this for an hour until I found this quick fix.