You inherited your grandparents’ cherished cream whipper, or perhaps the color of a fine specimen you spotted at an antique fair caught your eye. You want to make desserts with the it. What is the next step?
I have good news! Hungarian cream whippers were almost certainly manufactured for eternity. Generally, they can be made fully functional with a thorough cleaning and by replacing a few parts. If you take care of them, they will continue to operate trouble-free for many years. The only issue in the future might be the potential discontinuation of spare part production.
The method described on this page is based on my own experience and does not qualify as professional advice. I cannot take any responsibility for potential injuries or damages occurring during the renovation or use of the whipper. You perform the steps described on the site at your own risk.
You are holding a device in your hands that may have left the production line 40 to 50 years ago. Needless to say, it is worth attempting the assembly with due respect and caution. My basic principle is to try to keep the original part wherever reasonable, and I only replace it if it is worn out or if aesthetics absolutely require it.
Note
As far as I know, Hungarian-made whipped cream siphons were manufactured with two types of head designs. The head on the left is the older construction, featuring a lever and dispensing piston made of metal. The head on the right is the newer version, in which both of these parts are made of plastic.
This post will discuss the reconditioning of the older type of whipped cream siphon equipped with a metal dispensing piston and a metal lever. If I come into possession of a version fitted with the newer head in the future, I may expand this article.
Necessary tools
Option one: Cream whipper siphon repair kit (Szasz Kft.)
Regardless of whether your siphon is fitted with an old or a new head, most of the wear parts can be found in the 8 or 9 piece repair kit (barcode: 5997969306067). For some time now, the repair kit has contained parts for the modern head; however, the components can be used without any problems, with the exception of the valve seal. Make sure not to buy a soda siphon repair kit, as the packaging is very similar! The easiest way to tell them apart is by the large, white head gasket.
If you see blue rubber parts in the packaging, you are looking at the newest version of the unit pack, and you can buy it with confidence. If there are no blue items inside, the product is older, but you can still manage; it will just be a bit more complicated. Most whipped cream siphon unit packs also include a so-called spanner tool, which is a metal plate shaped like a winding key. Everything can be done without a spanner tool, but it is less convenient.
The kit can be purchased in larger department stores (e.g., Auchan) or in household specialty stores (e.g., Vasedeny), and it can also be ordered from online shops.
Option two: LISS Retro soda siphon parts
Most parts from Szasz Kft. and the parts made for the Retro type soda siphons by LISS Zrt. until 2018 are interchangeable. This is not a typo; old whipped cream siphons and old LISS soda siphons really do use the same parts. (However, newer types of LISS cream whippers operate with different components.) You can find the cross-reference table on this page. LISS parts can be ordered online.
If your cream whipper has an old type head: lower O-ring of dispensing piston
The repair kits currently available contain parts required for the more modern plastic dispensing piston. The valve seal which is included is unnecessary for a metal piston; however, a second sealing ring is required, which is not included in the kit. Unfortunately, I do not know the exact size of the original seal, but in most cases, I use a 9.3 x 2.4 mm silicone seal for it. It is worth purchasing this part at a sealing specialist store, made from material that is food-grade quality.
Not recommended alternative: New cream whipper siphon head
It goes against my principles, but for the sake of completeness, I must mention that Szász Kft. also sells a complete siphon head (Hungarian whipped cream siphon head, barcode: 5997969306098), which you can immediately screw onto the old Hungarian aluminum siphons in place of the old head. The new head in question is the more modern version with a plastic lever and plastic dispensing piston.
Buying a new siphon head is an easy solution, but you probably didn’t find this page because you are looking for the royal road. If that were the case, you would have already ordered a modern whipped cream siphon, as there is little point in keeping an old aluminium flask that has been around for half a century alive with a new head when the “soul” of the old unit can be perfectly refurbished with some love. If you decide that you still want to give the old whipped cream siphon a new life, keep reading!
If you don’t have a spanner tool: a buttering knife and a large Phillips head screwdriver
You will use the knife to unscrew the siphon head screw and the Phillips head screwdriver to remove the gas inlet valve. Prepare the largest screwdriver you can find, and make sure the stem is long enough to reach into the valve without getting stuck. In other words, a short screwdriver with bits may not be adequate for the purpose.
To remove the neck rubber: tweezers
Many times you are only able to remove the neck rubber broken into pieces, but even with an intact rubber, a pair of tweezers can help.
To remove the old valve rubber: a thick crochet hook
The valve rubber is almost always hardened and brittle in well-used siphons. This component gets easily stuck inside the head when the gas inlet valve is unscrewed and is very hard to access. The best tool for pulling it out is a crochet hook of suitable thickness. The proper thickness is about 4-5 mm, if thicker than this, it will not fit inside the valve rubber.
To unscrew the clamping screw: pipe wrench
The clamping screw at the top of the siphon head can be a hit or miss. Sometimes it can be easily unscrewed by hand, but sometimes it takes a lot of force to get it to move. This is where a pipe wrench comes in handy.
For lubricating rubber parts: household silicone grease
It’s not essential that you use it, but moving parts, especially if they are made of rubber, should be lubricated. It prolongs the life of the seal and is good for the sealing ability. Remember, the material is in contact with your drink. It is worth using a product that is food safe, such as T-Silox OXETT A2.
For washing the dispensing piston: whipped cream siphon cleaning brush
During the reconditioning and also for subsequent use, you will need a cleaning brush to easily remove leftover whipped cream from the piston. Any small-sized brush will do, but I use the “9213 Cleaning brush” product sold by LISS Zrt.
For washing the bottle: dish soap and a bottle brush
The bottle should be washed thoroughly, which you can do with warm, soapy water and an ordinary bottle brush.
May be necessary: Neck rubber
If you have bought a repair kit that does not include a blue neck rubber, you will definitely need one. The alternative is to buy a newer, shorter version of the puncture pin, which can be used with the old neck rubber.
May be necessary: Plastic decorating nozzle
The part most commonly missing from used whipped cream siphons is the decorating nozzle used for shaping the whipped cream. Even if it is not missing, it is often cracked or the material has worn out, expanding to the point that it falls off the head. Fortunately, Szasz Kft. still manufactures them, and they are sold in a 3 piece set (barcode: 5997969306012).
If you’ve made it this far and you’ve got everything on the list, that’s half the battle! The operation is not difficult, if I was able to do it, you can do it too.
Disassembly
During the disassembly process, parts must be turned counterclockwise to loosen.
1. Unscrew the siphon head from the flask.
2. Pull the plastic decorating nozzle off the siphon head.
3. Unscrew the charger holder from the siphon head.
4. Remove the head gasket from inside the head.
5. Use the wider end of the spanner tool – or the blunt end of a buttering knife if you don’t have a tool – to unscrew the siphon head screw.
6. Use tweezers to pull out the neck rubber (or, in the case of old, worn-out neck rubber, dig out the remnants), or gently pry it out with the tip of a knife.
7. Use the narrow end of the spanner tool to tilt the pin to one side or the other. You do this just to loosen it so it falls out by itself when you turn the thread downwards.
8. Using the narrow end of the spanner tool again, find the keyway in the valve needle with firm moves. You should push the wrench into the opening as far as you can. Due to the manufacturing tolerances of the plastic part, this is not always an easy task. If you do not have a spanner tool, you can use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the valve. Unscrew the valve and then pull it out of the opening.
9. If you manage to pull out the valve needle but the valve rubber remains stuck inside the head (which it usually does…), you can remove it with a crochet hook. If it’s your first time, it will take a few tries. Don’t give up!
10. To remove the lever, first push the curved cam located on top of the lever toward the threaded nipple of the charger holder. If you do it correctly, the lever will unhook from the dispensing piston.
11. Push the dispensing piston into the head. It is possible that the piston is difficult to move due to the aged gasket. You should push it in a way that ensures you do not deform the opening at the end under any circumstances. After this step, the piston will fall out of the head, and the lever can also be simply pulled off.
12. All removable parts are out of the siphon head at this point. The exterior should be cleaned gently, without scrubbing, using some dishwashing liquid. Unfortunately, the shiny polyamide material is easy to scratch, so care should be taken. The inside of the siphon head can be cleaned by rinsing it thoroughly with detergent several times. The push lever should also be cleaned.
Replacing parts
Rubber parts are meant to be replaced with every maintenance. The colour of the new part is irrelevant, I have seen red, black, white and blue rubber and silicone based seals. They perform equally well, with a possible difference in their durability. This is something worth discussing after a few decades 🙂
For rubber parts, if a part is included in the repair kit, consider replacing it even if the old one is in good condition. Safety first – it’s not worth taking any risk to save a few hundred forints. However, always save the old part if it is in good condition. Everything is easy now, as there are still replacement parts available to be bought, but that may not always be the case.
Check which of the rubber parts are due for replacement:
- Lower O-ring of dispensing piston
- Upper O-ring of dispensing piston
- Valve rubber
- Neck rubber
- Head gasket
Replacing plastic and metal parts is not always necessary. However, the puncture pin is a very important wearing part, so consider replacing it at every maintenance.
Decide which of the plastic and metal wearing parts you wish to replace:
Prepare replacement parts, discard worn parts.
Assembly
1. Remove the upper and lower O-rings from the dispensing piston. Wash it thoroughly with warm, soapy water, and clean the inside and the holes on both sides with a cleaning brush.
2. Force the upper sealing ring onto the clean piston. This seemingly simple task can be the only hard part of the reconditioning process, as the sealing rings currently on the market are made of a much stiffer material than the earlier, flexible rubber seals. Based on my experience, it is quite a feat to pull the seal onto the first, thicker section of the valve stem, and then to coax it out of the groove between the two thick sections. A few crochet hooks can help with both tasks. The place for the upper O-ring is in the slot between the plastic and the metal sections.
3. Pull the larger, lower O-ring onto the piston; it should be positioned at the plastic end plate. Apply a thin coat of silicone grease to both rings.
4. Place the lever spring back into its position, and by pressing the curved cam on top of the lever, hook the clawed parts back onto the pin. (It will look quite silly like this at first, but trust me!)
5. Push the dispensing piston all the way back into the siphon head, then pull it back about half a centimeter from its end position.
6. Press both the curved cam on the top of the lever and the bottom of the lever (as if you were trying to dispense the foam) at the same time toward the head, while supporting the piston from below, until it clicks into place. If you succeed, test the lever to see if it functions as usual: it should be fully depressible and snap back to its original state when released. Expect the lever to be slightly difficult to press until the upper O-ring is broken in.
7. Remove the old valve rubber from the valve needle, then apply a thin coat of silicone grease on the surface of the needle where the valve rubber will fit. Slide the new valve rubber onto the needle until the end is flush with the end of the valve needle and the wide collar sits correctly on the valve. Also apply a thin coat of silicone grease to the outside of the new rubber, especially on the collar.
8. Push the valve needle in its place, then use the spanning tool or a Phillips head screwdriver to screw it in firmly, but do not over-tighten it.
9. Pick up the new puncture pin and put it in its place. It is important that the base of the needle sits in the right position, firmly in its place. If it is crooked or you can easily tilt it with your fingernail without any resistance, it is not in place! Use the narrow end of the spanner tool or a screwdriver to adjust the round base of the pin until it snaps into its place. If you can’t easily move it out of position with your fingernail and it’s not misaligned, the installation is correct.
10. Apply a thin coat of silicone grease to the rimless end of the new neck rubber. Then press the rubber firmly into place with the rimless side facing inwards.
11. Use the spanner tool or the blunt side of a knife to turn the siphon head screw into place. Make sure that the rubber is still straight at the end of this operation and that it is not wrinkled.
12. Apply a thin coat of silicone grease to both sides of the new head gasket, then insert it into the siphon head. If the edge gets caught in the threads, smooth it into place by circling it with your finger. Due to manufacturing tolerances, it might appear wavy (as if it’s too large) but don’t worry about this, as it should seat properly once the head is screwed on.
13. Screw back the charger holder.
14. Place back the decorating nozzle onto the head.
15. After soaking for a day, wash the siphon flask thoroughly with drinking water using a bottle washing brush. When you are satisfied with its cleanliness, store the restored siphon head removed until everything dries fully.