HI everyone, I have a 1962 Westinghouse open handled steam iron. Here is the problem: when you use it, the control does its own thing and heats the iron way too high, it won't stay on the setting that is selected. Is it possible to have this repaired or should I just put in on the shelf for display? Thanks, Gary
Westinghouse open handle iron
- Thread starter abcomatic
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Dash It In the Bin
And pick up another on eBay. They are cheap enough and cannot be repaired, well at least today's small appliance repair men won't bother. Have hand several Westinghouse and other vintage irons, and sooner or later most just burn or wear out.
L.
And pick up another on eBay. They are cheap enough and cannot be repaired, well at least today's small appliance repair men won't bother. Have hand several Westinghouse and other vintage irons, and sooner or later most just burn or wear out.
L.
appliguy
Well-known member
Gary......
before you do such a silly thing as throw it out...check with some of your older more established appliance repair shops in your area you (as well as Laundress) might be surprised and find someone who can and will work on it. I admit that it is getting rarer and rarer to find those type of people but they haven't all disappeared yet (that is exactaly how I found they guy who repairs my 1957 GE console TV). If you can't find someone then display the item if it is in nice shape or get a nicer one and save the cuurrent one you have if it has any good parts, but don't just toss it. FYI the iron you have was made between 1950 and 1960 in both dry and steam versions. I know this because I have seen 1962 Westinghouse ads for there new irons and by that time they had gone back to the closed handle design. PATRICK COFFEY
before you do such a silly thing as throw it out...check with some of your older more established appliance repair shops in your area you (as well as Laundress) might be surprised and find someone who can and will work on it. I admit that it is getting rarer and rarer to find those type of people but they haven't all disappeared yet (that is exactaly how I found they guy who repairs my 1957 GE console TV). If you can't find someone then display the item if it is in nice shape or get a nicer one and save the cuurrent one you have if it has any good parts, but don't just toss it. FYI the iron you have was made between 1950 and 1960 in both dry and steam versions. I know this because I have seen 1962 Westinghouse ads for there new irons and by that time they had gone back to the closed handle design. PATRICK COFFEY
Love vintage applainces as much as the next gal, but at about 10 USD or less for a MIB Westinghouse on fleaBay or at a thrift, it just does not pay to seek out a repair person IMHO. Unless the person is within walking distance one will certianly pay more in petrol or postage just shipping the iron back and forth.
When my first Westinghouse iron died, tried every small applinace type repair service in the greater NYC area, and not one would even bother (if they even knew what I was talking about). Even repair services that work on commercial irons/ironers would'nt let me put my foot past the door. Finally got wise to myself and took another off eBay.
Now it may seem "silly", but one does know when one is better off. The vintage iron market is not the same as say vintage washing machine/dryer market. There are literally hundreds of irons used and MIB sitting in attics, garages,laundry rooms, thrifts and at sales. If we were talking about a Pyrex "glass" iron, or a Knapp Monarch "flatwork" iron, then things might be different.
Keeping a non functional iron for display or parts is something I'd go along with, but again can't see spending dear time and money reparing that can be replaced easily.
L.
When my first Westinghouse iron died, tried every small applinace type repair service in the greater NYC area, and not one would even bother (if they even knew what I was talking about). Even repair services that work on commercial irons/ironers would'nt let me put my foot past the door. Finally got wise to myself and took another off eBay.
Now it may seem "silly", but one does know when one is better off. The vintage iron market is not the same as say vintage washing machine/dryer market. There are literally hundreds of irons used and MIB sitting in attics, garages,laundry rooms, thrifts and at sales. If we were talking about a Pyrex "glass" iron, or a Knapp Monarch "flatwork" iron, then things might be different.
Keeping a non functional iron for display or parts is something I'd go along with, but again can't see spending dear time and money reparing that can be replaced easily.
L.
appliguy
Well-known member
Sorry Laundress.......
But I disagree........while these Westy open handle steam irons may not be as rare as a Pyrex iron they are still a whole lot rarer than a GE steam iron of the same vintage. For example there are 3 or 4 of them available now on Ebay as you said (I didn't see the dry version on Ebay at all), but how many of the GE ones of the same era are available.....probably at least 10 times that many. I still feel tossing that iron is ridiculous, especially if it has a good cord or other parts. If people keep tossing these they are going to eventually get harder to find. IMHO if it can't be repaired it should be displayed or parted out not just thrown out all together. PATRICK COFFEY
But I disagree........while these Westy open handle steam irons may not be as rare as a Pyrex iron they are still a whole lot rarer than a GE steam iron of the same vintage. For example there are 3 or 4 of them available now on Ebay as you said (I didn't see the dry version on Ebay at all), but how many of the GE ones of the same era are available.....probably at least 10 times that many. I still feel tossing that iron is ridiculous, especially if it has a good cord or other parts. If people keep tossing these they are going to eventually get harder to find. IMHO if it can't be repaired it should be displayed or parted out not just thrown out all together. PATRICK COFFEY
If an appliance was thrown away every time a serviceman said "it's time for a new one", there would be very little for us to collect.
Sure you could buy a new Chinese iron for less than the cost of a repair, but then all you have is junk.
Ken
Sure you could buy a new Chinese iron for less than the cost of a repair, but then all you have is junk.
Ken
Does anyone have
a picture of this iron they could post or link?
I tried Google Image Search for "Westinghouse Open Handle Iron," and "Westinghouse 1962 Iron" and no hits.
Thanks in advance,
Lawrence/Maytagbear
a picture of this iron they could post or link?
I tried Google Image Search for "Westinghouse Open Handle Iron," and "Westinghouse 1962 Iron" and no hits.
Thanks in advance,
Lawrence/Maytagbear
I have the dry version and love it. It was also far more dependable than the steam/dry iron with the same styling. I love the big round dial on the top of the iron under the handle and the pointer with the W on the round end that you use to set it to the different heats. Have you tried Googling Iron collections or collectors? They exist. I even think I remember that iron at either the Henry Ford Museum or at the Mechanical Brides exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt. Anyway I love the styling of mine and it's a good iron also with a soleplate in very good condition. Using a separate dry iron, I was told, would help keep the toasted lint from accumulating in a steam iron's steam ports when used dry which can lead to staining if they break loose in a surge of steam. I use my WH dry iron a lot for touchups because it is easier to mist something with my ironing sprayer and use the dry iron than put demineralized water into the steam iron, heat it for steam and then empty it.
I don't know if libraries have any old appliance repair books anymore, but they all had chapters on fixing irons. It might be that you could open yours up and see if you can research a source for a similar thermostat. You might even be able to adjust yours or find out why the bimetal blades are stuck together.
I don't know if libraries have any old appliance repair books anymore, but they all had chapters on fixing irons. It might be that you could open yours up and see if you can research a source for a similar thermostat. You might even be able to adjust yours or find out why the bimetal blades are stuck together.
