Cast iron frying pan maintenance

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Not a chance will sandblasting warp cast iron. Have you ever sandblasted anything? I have. It may affect thin sheet metal but thick cast is not an issue unless you blast far, far beyond merely cleaning the surface off.

I won't comment n collectability, just utility.

It won't warp it, but if this is a rare piece, it'll destroy any value and possibly a piece of history. It's not hard to tell when a piece has been sandblasted, even with a gentler medium like walnut shells. Some US pieces are selling for thousands of $$$, seen a bread pan sell for $21,000. Sandblast that and value is gone.

[Fish along]

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

Wanna take a dip? It won't hurt too much

Jed Clampett would have been into that,lol course I would have been into Elly May .

[Fish along]

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

It won't warp it, but if this is a rare piece, it'll destroy any value and possibly a piece of history. It's not hard to tell when a piece has been sandblasted, even with a gentler medium like walnut shells. Some US pieces are selling for thousands of $$$, seen a bread pan sell for $21,000. Sandblast that and value is gone.

That's big money for a bread pan,that probably sold in the beginning for less than dollar.

[58thecat]

Take the ol'dirty bugger down to the creek, scrub the hell out of it with sand, smear it with lard and chuck it on the fire...next morning cook up some bacon.

[FishHunterPro]

I not to sure what to do for cleaning up the pan because I only bought new and keep it clean but I really like the camp chef cast iron seasoning. Works really well so far.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/28518...on-conditioner

[Sitting Bull]

IMG_0687.jpg Every time i try to up load the next picture which indicates made in Canada it says unable to upload?

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

Ever eat a German bagel? Lye is used in quite a few foods. Oven cleaner is fine, sodium hydroxide is the active ingredient. I clean all cast iron in a lye tank.

Eaten a German bagel? Yes. Oven cleaner? No, Yourself? What's your point? Iodine's added to salt but I ain't going to drink a bottle of that either.

Why would you even bother using something as caustic as a lye tank? It's not necessary nor required. There's a lot of simpler, safer ways to do it. Did you see the picture of the pan? Doesn't need hardly any cleaning at all let alone a caustic tank dip.

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by YYC338

Eaten a German bagel? Yes. Oven cleaner? No, Yourself? What's your point? Iodine's added to salt but I ain't going to drink a bottle of that either.

Why would you even bother using something as caustic as a lye tank? It's not necessary nor required. There's a lot of simpler, safer ways to do it. Did you see the picture of the pan? Doesn't need hardly any cleaning at all let alone a caustic tank dip.

I've been using lye for years now in cleaning cast iron. It eats organic materials, and some metals - like aluminum. If people are that concerned, wipe it down with a bit of vinegar to neutralize it, lye is also water soluble. It was used in soap.

i've seen more old expensive iron ruined in the name of bad advice - and I've destroyed a few pieces when I was starting out cause I was impatient. Mechanical cleaning should not be used. Especially with old virgin iron - it's not like the scrap that was used after WW2.

If it's a new piece that's replaceable, feel free. But mind you, some people are sanding down their new skillets - only to find out it won't hold seasoning.

[Fish along]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Take the ol'dirty bugger down to the creek, scrub the hell out of it with sand, smear it with lard and chuck it on the fire...next morning cook up some bacon.

This would work for sure sand alone with water is a powerful pan cleaner, done it lots in the bush, some lard an throw it in the fire let it get smoking hot and while its cooling clean it up and lets get cooking

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

Attachment 143237 Every time i try to up load the next picture which indicates made in Canada it says unable to upload?

So that was the pic just as the ol'lady swong the pan at your head after your comment about her cooking

[Joe Quiroga]

When I worked at the foundry we'd just shot blast them with steel pellets. I'm sure sandblasting would be fine.

For seasoning, coat it in peanut oil and bake it.

[Joe Quiroga]

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

Attachment 143237 Every time i try to up load the next picture which indicates made in Canada it says unable to upload?

Does it say Findlay on the bottom?

[jgib01]

Originally Posted by Weedy1

The science behind seasoning, mind you it is from the internet so who knows.

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/20...ing-cast-iron/

That all sounds pretty logical to me. I may try to pick up some flaxseed oil to try out. The dutch ovens our Scout group has tend to not get the care they deserve, but do get deep cleaned occasionally and then re-seasoned. Can't speak decisively for everyone in our group, but typically not anything as excessive as sandblasting or oven cleaner... more often elbow grease, course salt, and all else failing a mild detergent. When I do it, I have used the Camp Chef conditioner to season. Not sure what it is made out of, but almost certainly not pure flaxseed as it gets quite viscous when cold. It's probably 50 cents worth of goop that they bottle, put the Camp Chef name on, and sell for $12.

Good luck to the OP in keepin on with your project... hope it ends up being worth $21k!

[omega50]

Heavy amounts of Salt in pan on a large hot burner outside until it turns molten as taught to me by a 75 year old chef 30 years ago
Takes 3-4 hours and produces copious amounts of smoke.
Tiger torch optional

I looked at the reflection in the bottom of the OP's pan pic and I think it is a Klingon Pan cuz the reflection looks like Worf

[Sitting Bull]

Originally Posted by Joe Quiroga

Does it say Findlay on the bottom?

No , It says GSW

[Joe Quiroga]

General Steel Wares, Toronto. Still a nice piece, 50-100 dollars. Good buy for 2 bucks. Findlay is around the same price.

http://castironcanada.com/?page_id=138

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by Joe Quiroga

When I worked at the foundry we'd just shot blast them with steel pellets. I'm sure sandblasting would be fine.

For seasoning, coat it in peanut oil and bake it.

Which foundry did you work at?

[Joe Quiroga]

Originally Posted by silverdoctor

Which foundry did you work at?

Lethbridge Iron, was only there for around 7 years or so.

[Sitting Bull]

My skillet is sticky/tacky !
I seasoned my pan 3 times today. Each time was very lightly coated and in the oven at 350 for 1 hour each time. now that my pan has cooled it is sticky /tacky to the touch. Do I have to start over or can the pan be used as is?

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

My skillet is sticky/tacky !
I seasoned my pan 3 times today. Each time was very lightly coated and in the oven at 350 for 1 hour each time. now that my pan has cooled it is sticky /tacky to the touch. Do I have to start over or can the pan be used as is?

Oil was put on to thick, hot soapy water and a good scrubbing should take it down to base again.

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

My skillet is sticky/tacky !
I seasoned my pan 3 times today. Each time was very lightly coated and in the oven at 350 for 1 hour each time. now that my pan has cooled it is sticky /tacky to the touch. Do I have to start over or can the pan be used as is?

Just emailed you back with a how to.

To everyone else, in order to season, you need to breech the smoke point of the oil you're using. Olive oil is 391 degrees, so 425 or 450 will do the job. But it's going to stink.