Polishing up cast iron pans

May 07, 2019, 11:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by x0225095:
quote:
Originally posted by Gustofer:
Soap won't hurt a properly seasoned pan.

Of course it will.

No, it won't.

The seasoning process polymerizes the grease and there is nothing left to "degrease". Hence, the soap will have no more of an effect on your pan than it will on your Tupperware...provided the seasoning is done well and properly, and you don't scrub the living snot out of it.

May 08, 2019, 07:38 AM

benny6

quote:
Originally posted by RNshooter:
I hit the pans with the wire wheel. They didn't seem overly impressed with it as it didn't even knock down the high spots.
I decided to get serious and switched to the orbital sander with 80 grit paper. I spent about an hour sanding them, changing the sandpaper often. That got rid of the high spots and got them on their way to smooth. Then I switched to 150 grit, then 220. I cleaned them off with a Brillo pad and then started seasoning them.
We'll see how they look in a couple of hours.

Bruce

So how did they come out? Did you use the culinary fanatic's method?

Tony.

May 08, 2019, 08:27 AM

joatmonv

quote:
Originally posted by Edmond:
Can you season cast iron without putting it in the oven?

Not sure but everything I've read or seen has it going in an oven.
I restored 3 Griswold pans and seasoned in the oven.

May 08, 2019, 08:33 AM

joatmonv

https://www.seriouseats.com/20...illets-cookware.html

Here ya go Edmond. I use peanut oil.

May 08, 2019, 04:25 PM

RNshooter

Tony-

I did use his method for 2 rounds of seasoning.
They came out a little bronze colored. The surface feels acceptably slick. I cooked an egg with butter, in one. It's not quite Teflon, yet. The egg snagged in a couple of spots but lifted without much work.
I am trying his aftercare method and hope they keep getting better.

Bruce

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May 08, 2019, 05:01 PM

benny6

Since you used sandpaper like I did on a couple, the burnt bronze look is the result. They will darken to black with usage.

The more seasonings the better and you’ll find that cleanup is pretty easy. Three to four seasonings, I think, is ideal.

Tony.

May 08, 2019, 07:56 PM

RNshooter

I may put them back in the oven for a couple of more rounds of seasoning or just cook bacon every day for a month

Bruce

May 08, 2019, 08:23 PM

EssKayR22

quote:
Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
quote:
Originally posted by EssKayR22:
<snip>
I really like them so far. I did buy into the flax seed oil stuff and gave them both a full 6 layer seasoning. Well, it’s all but flaked off now. Very smooth surface.

One thing I’ve discovered in my research is that having a glass smooth metal surface can actually hinder creating a good seasoning. Having a very small amount of texture helps to give the oil something to adhere to when creating that plasticized surface. The seasoning is what should be glass smooth and non-stick.

I agree completely. I seasoned a very smooth French carbon steel fry pan with Sheryl Cantor’s flaxseed oil method – it came off in patches not long afterward. Later, I seasoned a carbon steel griddle which had a shot peened surface the same way – it’s still on.

The early Stargazer fry pans had a very smooth surface – and problems with seasoning adherence. Later versions of the Stargazer had shot peened or glass beaded finishes to fix that problem.

Oh man, do I want a Stargazer! I would settle for an old Wagner or Griswold though. I need to hit up the yard sales and estate sales more.

Next time I try seasoning from scratch I'm going to try the potato skin and oil method and see how that works. Maybe that is more applicable to when the new pans come covered in wax though.

May 08, 2019, 08:35 PM

DSgrouse

I have a friend in seattle who reconditions cast iron pans.

Here is his mewe grouo
https://mewe.com/join/cast_iron_restorations

May 08, 2019, 11:10 PM

houndawg

quote:
Originally posted by EssKayR22:

Oh man, do I want a Stargazer! I would settle for an old Wagner or Griswold though. I need to hit up the yard sales and estate sales more.

I have both sizes of Stargazer. I use them more than my old stuff. Neither one is black yet, but they are getting there slowly.

May 09, 2019, 12:16 AM

old rugged cross

I only have newer Lodge pans. I have seasoned on the woodstove. I have not smoothed them out. Just use them and mostly just wipe them with canola oil. The more I use them the better they preform. If I used more oil for cooking they would probably preform a bit better but do not go overboard with additional oil. I like the results of my cast iron.