Picked a steel ladle over a ceramic one for our 3pm pour today

Had to make a call between the two ladles we keep in the shop. The ceramic one holds heat better but I saw a hairline crack on it from yesterday's run. Grabbed the steel one even though it cools faster, we were doing a smaller 50 pound batch so it worked fine. Got through four molds without a single splash or cold shut. Anyone else trust steel over ceramics for quick turnaround jobs?

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harper_singh185mo ago

Man, hairline cracks are the worst. I once grabbed a ceramic one that looked fine but it basically exploded mid-pour and scared the heck out of me, plus ruined a batch. Steel all the way for quick stuff, even if my hands get a little cold holding it.

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sarah_nelson5mo ago

Oh man, "exploded mid-pour" gave me chills just reading that. I switched to double-wall steel mugs for my morning coffee after dropping a ceramic one that basically shattered on my driveway (and I stepped on a piece barefoot later, ouch). For quick stuff like that, I've found stainless is just way more forgiving, even if my fingers do get a little chilly. What really sold me was finding a set with a silicone sleeve on the bottom, so it doesn't slide around on the counter and I don't have to worry about cracking that either. Hope your next batch turns out better, ceramic just ain't worth the risk for me anymore honestly.

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