Use of a Salometer making fermented pickles?

Question

I have made fermented cucumber pickles before with varying luck. I read in the Ball Blue Book of 1969 that you really need a salometer (or salimeter). It also said the reader could write to Ball for further directions but that was almost 40 years ago. Does anyone have those directions? I bought a salometer and am using it. Although the words are in French, the scale runs from

1.000 to 1.250. It would appear that a 7% salt solution is 1.050 which is what my goal is. Do you have any info for me? By the way, this is not an unheard of device. My 81 yr old aunt remembers her father using one of these when he made pickles. Thanks for any help!

Answer 1

I've never heard of it and I'm impressed you are so into pickles that you have one and know how to use it!  If you want more information on this, try finding the Ball Canning website.  Even though the info is 40 years old, I bet you can find what you are looking for on their current web site.