Starting head for a continuous casting mold and associated method

A continuous casting mold system comprising:

• a continuous casting mold defining a mold cavity;
• a starting head comprising a circular top surface, the starting head configured to engage a bottom of the continuous casting mold and seal a bottom side of the mold cavity with the circular top surface;
• wherein two or more recesses are defined within the circular top surface, wherein each recess extends from a first end to a second end along a bottom surface, wherein the first end of a respective recess is closer to a center of the circular top surface than the second end of the respective recess, wherein a depth of the first end of the respective recess relative to the circular top surface is less than a depth of the second end of the respective recess relative to the circular top surface, and wherein a center of the circular top surface is positioned lower in the continuous casting mold system than the bottom surface of each recess;
• and
• a clinch point defined by the second end of the respective recess.