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Unknown

Grilled some NY strips last night(they were great) and didn't shutdown the egg. I cooked them at 800 and I'm assuming that the temp remained at that level for sometime. I went outside this morning and can't open my egg now. I've even put my feet on the nest and tried to pull it open and all I did was begin to lift the egg out of its nest. [p]How can I get the darn thing open now?

Tim M

William R,[p]Try using a filet knife and insert it between the two felt gaskets and slowly cut it apart in the middle. Try a butter knife to see if you can tell where it is sticking together first and then cut the two halves apart with the filet knife. If you do a good job, the gaskets will still be useable.[p]Tim

Wise One

William R, grab the thinnest flat metal device (flat knife will do, putty knife is ideal). Insert it bewteen the felt pieces (find your gap - we all have them) and then slowly work your way all around the egg. After a bit you should be able to open your egg. That's the good news. The bad news is that your felt gaskets are "toast". The chances are that you will need to buy new gaskets and install them.

Wise One

Tim M, you beat me to it (even if you wer emore optimistic). How are things going? Any chance of power anytime soon back at your house?

JSlot

Sounds like you may have melted (not quite correct, but close) your gaskets together or they had some grease etc. on them and it hardened up. If you can, drop a starter cube or some other heat source down the top vent and let it warm up. Another option is to shove some newspaper in the bottom vent and try to start a small fire to heat the Egg. If this doesn't work, you will probably need to work a putty knife or flathead screwdriver around the top and pry a little bit. If you do this carefully you could avoid doing any more damage to the gasket, but, in all likelihood, you will have to replace the gasket. Someone will post a link to gasket replacement advice (I don't have it) if that's what you need. Good luck![p]Jim

TRex

William R,[p]My dad did exactly what you did, right down to the standing on the nest part. Only difference is, he DID get the top open - problem was he pulled a huge ceramic chunk from the bottom half of his Egg up with the lid. That's right, there was a chunk of ceramic, the top of which was still bonded to the top half of the Egg, hanging off of the lid.[p]In summary, do what Tim M and WiseOne are suggestion. [p]Good luck![p]TRex

Unknown

JSlot,
heating the egg up didn't work. Dropped a couple Big Green Egg safe starts through the top and then burned some newspaper and got the temp up to 500. Waited a few minutes and still wouldn't open. [p]butter knife is next.

Unknown

William R,[p]How long did you have the egg on at 800 degrees?

Unknown

G-man,
I'm not sure. Grilled 2 strips we ate em and watched a movie and went to bed. I forgot to go outside and close it down.

wdan

JSlot,
Does anybody know where that link/archive is re: changing the gaskets? I cpuldn't find it. I'm going to be doing a gasket job this weekend in conjunction with installing my new hinge.