Doug, I don't know if you're still looking, but I've had good luck on Ebay. There is some competition for the good pieces, but you can usually buy them for a little less, if you're willing to wait to acquire your pieces one at a time.

I was looking at stainless steel cookware the other day. I want to buy some someday. My old set is ceramic coated and from Germany. Bought them at a mom and pop pots and pans factory in the mid 1980's. They are chipped and very well used and so thinking of getting a new set. Bad thing about the search for stainless steel is that most seem to be made in China and are bad quality...just like microwaves. I worry about dishes/cookware made in China too, the coating they use. I don't buy pretty dishes when I see they're made in China. This past summer I found a coffee mug (travel type) that looked like aluminum, made it China. Bought it even though I never buy food/drink containers made in China. After using it all these months, though, I think it's plastic made to look like aluminum. So, I was in Wal-Mart the other day and saw some more aluminum looking ones, one made in Canada (better than China) but more expensive than the one from China. Which by-the-way, is very dented up just from being put in my locker at work. The only copper things I've ever used was a tea kettle from Turkey. It got very discolored but I never babied it. I think I still have it and may have to try and clean it up.

Jim : You can do it like Dcarch say's. It is not to easy with a very large pan. You will need a torch to help, with the outside of the pan. Haven't done this for years. Had a 14 inch Copper Skillet. When Teflon came out we got rid of the older things. The Skillet was used for a Bonsai Plant which died. Think it is still around in my shop but has 3 drainage holes in the bottom. Dumb d Dumb dumb !!! - -- - - - - - - - - You have to clean it first, then pickel it with Diluted Sulfuric Acid and rinse. It will be a pinkish color. I have muriatic acid on hand. Then clean it with one of them green scouring pads and rinse. Heat he pan to the right Tin melting temp. Add flux Rosin with a clean cloth and pour in a small amount of melted tin, rubbing it around. You can use the torch now to help. When done,if there are spots that haven't been coated, Use a fine Steel Wool , to clean, Redo the spot. Practice on a smaller piece, it is easy, if the piece is pickled right and clean. Lou PS: I'll be going away tommorrow, be back monday, so !!! you're on you own.

Dear Bmorepanic: Thank you very much for this cookware forum link. It has been very useful. Jacob