Just messing around with some cast iron. My mom got the set of three from my step-cousin. They were sitting in a storage facility for years.

The bottom one was my grandfathers'. It was given to my mom by her aunt. Its somewhere between 80 to 90 years old.

I put them in the oven on "oven clean" for 2 hours. I hit the bottom one with a wire wheel but Ive still got some work to do before I season them.





Tony.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: benny6, July 09, 2018 11:49 AM

Keep us posted once you get them all cleaned up.

Seems like a good method to clean them.

I have one similar to the bottom one in your photos. Its bottom isn’t perfectly flat it has a slight ridge. I’m thinking that won’t work on a flat top electric stove, any tip to make it smooth?

Don't grind. Trade.

What size is it?

Just so you know, the top three aren't too old. They were manufactured in the mid 90s (1990s).

The bottom one looks to me like a ca. 1930s Lodge. Decent pan here.

Working with/restoring cast iron is a part time hobby for me. I've always got my eye open for some good pans and it's fun to see them go from rusted up hunks of metal to smooth clean black cookware.

Tagged. I also have the more recent manufacture Wagners in similar condition. Found them on the back porch up at my cabin.

This is one of my favorite videos, though I don't own any cast iron products.

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
This is one of my favorite videos, though I don't own any cast iron products.

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j6Tz3HnnCFs" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

I was just about to post the same video! That's the one I'm following now as a guide.

I used his tutorial before on three other skillets and they came out great.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Just so you know, the top three aren't too old. They were manufactured in the mid 90s (1990s).

The bottom one looks to me like a ca. 1930s Lodge. Decent pan here.

Working with/restoring cast iron is a part time hobby for me. I've always got my eye open for some good pans and it's fun to see them go from rusted up hunks of metal to smooth clean black cookware.

Thanks. I had suspected that the 3-piece set was fairly new. I doubt they've ever been used at all. They show no signs of use or previous seasoning.

I'm starting to get into cast iron cooking but have much to learn. I tried making fajitas and they came out really good but I used a salt based seasoning which gummed up my griddle in the middle on my stove really quickly. I really need to start over on that one too. I use the flat side of my stove's griddle a lot for grilled ham/cheese sandwiches, quesadillas and pancakes.

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
This is one of my favorite videos, though I don't own any cast iron products.

That's very fixable, Sir.

Tony, I think that video pretty well covers it. Most of that is the method I’ve used to restore a couple skillets that spent time out in someone’s yard in Florida. Thick red fur on them, just beyond service at first glance. I cook with them all the time now. HOWEVER, his tip about the excess oil and seasoning in heat stages, wiping down excess oil that pulled out and pooled would have been good to know when I did it, because I got that imperfect “pattern” in the bottom of one.

Never did get around the the Dutch oven. I guess that needs to happen now, since I now know I want to wire cup brush the inside of the one with the imperfect seasoning and start that one over.

With regard to the above video; IMO, be extremely careful using the self-cleaning feature on ovens. Oven temperatures can reach close to 1,000F using the self-cleaning feature and repeated use could destroy the oven's electronic components.

Personally, I don't use the feature whatsoever.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Just so you know, the top three aren't too old. They were manufactured in the mid 90s (1990s).

The bottom one looks to me like a ca. 1930s Lodge. Decent pan here.

Working with/restoring cast iron is a part time hobby for me. I've always got my eye open for some good pans and it's fun to see them go from rusted up hunks of metal to smooth clean black cookware.

The bottom one is a pre 1960 Birmingham Stove & Range or BSR for short. An old Lodge would have 3 notches on the ring. I have an old BSR and a 3-notch Lodge sitting in the oven as we speak getting seasoned.

quote:

Originally posted by houndawg:
The bottom one is a pre 1960 Birmingham Stove & Range or BSR for short. An old Lodge would have 3 notches on the ring. I have an old BSR and a 3-notch Lodge sitting in the oven as we speak getting seasoned.

60s Lodges have three notches. The earlier ones (ca. 30s) have one.

Not saying you are incorrect with the BSR guess, just that that is what it appears to be to me (Lodge).

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by houndawg:
The bottom one is a pre 1960 Birmingham Stove & Range or BSR for short. An old Lodge would have 3 notches on the ring. I have an old BSR and a 3-notch Lodge sitting in the oven as we speak getting seasoned.

60s Lodges have three notches. The earlier ones (ca. 30s) have one.

Not saying you are incorrect with the BSR guess, just that that is what it appears to be to me (Lodge).

All post 1960 pans have to have country of origin on them. Lodge started making 3-notch in the 40's. None of my 3-notch Lodges say Made in USA on them, which means they are pre 1960. Looking at that pan again, you may be right about it being a Lodge. I didn't notice the single notch. I was going off the handle and size markings.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Don't grind. Trade.

What size is it?

The one I referred to is about 9" and the cooking surface is smooth as glass.

So wish I had natural gas. Kinda sucks they're drilling gas wells all around and putting in mega pipelines to move it out, but not piping it down our road.

Thanks for the info, guys. Your knowledge is truly amazing.

Tony.

I spent just a little bit of time with some steel wool, scouring pad and some 240 grit sand paper on the Wagner's.

The Wagner's have literally never been used and the texture is very rough.


The large skillet had such a rough spot that the steel wool was snagging on it. The area where the rounded 90˚ shadow is, is where the snagging was. This is still after hitting it with 240 grit. I'm going to hit it with some 80 grit next.



Tony.

With 80 grit, I'd be worried about adding scratches as you go. I highly suggest trying the wire brush cup at this point.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Don't grind. Trade.

What size is it?

The one I referred to is about 9" and the cooking surface is smooth as glass.

So wish I had natural gas. Kinda sucks they're drilling gas wells all around and putting in mega pipelines to move it out, but not piping it down our road.

PM sent.