I bought one of these a few years ago and it is still going strong. I must have burned a cord of wood in so far, and it's held up remarkably well. It does rust (no surprise there!) but after you've used it for a season or two, a good wire brush and a can of Rustoleum High Temperature paint will have it good-to-go for another year or more. It's a very authentic and perfectly functional piece of camping/ren-fair gear.