Smokpole,
Ahhhhhh yes, "Canning Lingo".
Well I didn't know how deep you were into it yet.
Cans versits Jars and so on.
Having a lid not seal, guess what goes to the fridge to be eaten first.<img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>
Maybe when a person first starts out, "The book says,,, *.*". And you try to follow it to the letter. Me? I don't really preheat my lids - - - just hot water from the tap.
Preheating is to soften the rubber, not to germans kill.
Wiping the lip off with a damp rag just before putting the lid on???
If I have a clean jarfill without drips and spilage (I always look closely), I never wipe any jarlid. Slap the lid on. Be done with it! Trying to recall how I do it from automatic habits, my hands are usually wet. I'd say I dip my fingers into the hot lid water and run a wet finger around on the lip just to make sure.
Screwing the 'CAPS' on.
I suspect you cranked the caps on tightly and that is why your jar didn't seal.
Jusy twist it down until it makes good contact. not tight at all. The air inside that jar has to blow out and when cooling the lid seals and a vacuum is formed.
nohunt