My Little Project: That Old Bromwell’s Sifter
So, I got my hands on one of those old metal flour sifters. A Bromwell’s, the tag said. Found it tucked away in a box of old kitchen stuff at a flea market. Didn’t pay much for it, figured it might be junk.
Took it home and really looked at it. It wasn’t terrible, but definitely seen better days. Had that dull look old metal gets. A little bit of surface rust, mostly around the seams and the handle mechanism. The crank handle felt kinda stiff when I tried to turn it dry. You know, like it hadn’t been used in ages.
Getting it Cleaned Up
First thing, I gave it a good wash. Just warm soapy water and a soft brush. Didn’t want to scratch it up too bad. Got most of the dust and grime off. That rust though, that took a bit more effort. I used some fine steel wool, gently rubbing those spots. Took some time, but it started looking better. Had to be careful around the screen inside.
Then, that stiff handle. I put a tiny drop of food-safe mineral oil right where the crank mechanism goes into the body. Worked the handle back and forth, back and forth. Slowly, it started to loosen up. It wasn’t perfectly smooth, you could still feel the gears grinding a bit, but way better than before. Rinsed it out again real good after the oil, didn’t want that anywhere near my flour later.
Putting it to the Test
Okay, moment of truth. Let it dry completely. Then I scooped some regular all-purpose flour into it. Maybe halfway full, didn’t want to overload it first try.
Started cranking the handle. It made that classic metal-on-metal sound, kinda rattly. Not quiet like those squeeze-handle ones you get now. But you know what? It worked!
- The little wires inside turned.
- The flour started falling through the screen.
- It was actually sifting!
It wasn’t lightning fast. You gotta keep a steady crank going. And yeah, it felt a bit clunky compared to modern stuff. Sometimes if I turned too fast, it felt like it might jam, but it never actually did. Just needed that steady rhythm.
Final Thoughts
The flour came out nice and light, no lumps. Did exactly what it was supposed to do. Clean up was easy too, just tapped out the extra flour and wiped it down.
Honestly, I’m keeping this thing. It’s built like a tank. Simple design, all metal. Feels like it could last another fifty years. It’s not fancy, makes a bit of noise, but it’s got character. There’s just something satisfying about using these old tools that were made to just work and keep on working.
