Cast Iron Pan Refurbishing Project

[Buckeye1]

So I was cleaning up and sorting through wife's nice collection of kitchen stuff (S@#$) in the basement, when I stumbled upon the three CI pans shown in the attached photos. So I ask where did these come from and the reply was "Oh I forgot about those. I found the at a garage sale a few years ago." Which I translate to at least 10 years ago HaHa.

anyways I have read a things on how to recondition these and really not sure how to attack. So I thought I would ask the knowledgeable group on here to give me some ideas on how to reconditioned and season these beauties. There is no name on bottom only a size stamp and Made in USA stamp. They seem quite old. I hope maybe she found a diamond in the rough!

I am open to all suggestions and comments, thanks in advance and Happy New Years!

 

[JLeonard]

They actually dont look too bad. If your oven has a self cleaning feature on it...Put them in there upside down and run them through the cycle. Should cook every thing off of them and be down to bare metal. Just let them cool down in the oven. They will be EXTREMELY hot. then just re-season them.
Jim

 

[Buckeye1]

JL great idea!!
What would I do for the rust in the one corner or will this process help remove that also?

 

[Brokenhandle]

Just watch the self cleaning oven...I've heard said on some of the newer stoves they don't advise using it...gets too hot for some of the electronics. Can't say if true or not.
A good scrubbing with light sand paper and water should do the trick. Wash with hot soapy water, rinse and dry on stove. A light coat of oil inside and out (Grapeseed oil was recommended to me by a guy that buys, sells, and refinishes alot of cast iron). Place in oven upside down at 350 degrees for a few hours. I almost always fry bacon in them first and you're good to go!
Great find! And they'll clean up real easy for you!

Ryan

 

[Bumppo]

For that little bit if surface rust, you could just scrub it off before going into the oven.

If it's a little deeper than it looks, you could use a little white vinegar to scrub it.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Should mention doing this in oven will put off a bit of an aroma...while not bad, I usually try to do it when I can open some windows. Depending on where ya live a grill or smoker might be a good option depending on how cold it is there. I'm from Iowa and gonna have - 35 F windchill tonight into tomorrow so outside not happening for me!

Ryan

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

gonna have - 35 F windchill tonight into tomorrow so outside not happening for me!

Oh c'mon Ryan! Why don't you put your skirt away, throw on some flip flops, and go fire up that smoker!

 

[JLeonard]

B Buckeye1 The process will pretty much take care of that rust also. If they arent that bad the others suggestions will have ya cooking like a champ pretty quick.

All About Seasoning

Seasoning is just oil baked onto the cast iron. It gives your cookware that classic black patina.

www.lodgecastiron.com

Lodge Has great info for seasoning, cleaning, and cooking with cast Iron.
Jim

 

[BigW.]

As someone who has fried the electronics on their oven from self clean, I do this outside now. Evapo-rust works well as another option. I think the little rust you have will scrub off with steel wool. Add a couple of layers of seasoning and start cooking.

 

[jcam222]

Man those look pretty clean to me. I’d almost think a little elbow grease and re seasoning might be all that’s needed. I’d do my best to not have to take them back to bare metal.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

That rust is not bad at all. As mentioned above, wash it, dry it on low heat on the stove, and apply either a light coat grapeseed or canola oil or Crisco to the inside of the pan.
It really doesn't appear that you need to strip and reseason the entire pan unless that is something you want to do.

And it's true about the self clean setting on the newer ovens.

 

[Buckeye1]

Thanks for all the feedback. Two of the pans are mint condition for sure!!

The rust feels a little pitted, its only in that one area. I think I'll try to work it off with soap and water to start in that side to see how deep the pitting is. After that I'll slowly get most aggressive starting with steel wool. Probably won't get to until Sunday. If pitting is what I think is bad I'll post some more picks.

I'm in WI so outside grill treatment not happening this weekend

But I will be smoking a pork shoulder !!

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Thanks for all the feedback. Two of the pans are mint condition for sure!!

The rust feels a little pitted, its only in that one area. I think I'll try to work it off with soap and water to start in that side to see how deep the pitting is. After that I'll slowly get most aggressive starting with steel wool. Probably won't get to until Sunday. If pitting is what I think is bad I'll post some more picks.

I'm in WI so outside grill treatment not happening this weekend

But I will be smoking a pork shoulder !!

I wouldn't even worry about any slight pitting as it will eventually fill in with repeated use and subsequent layers of seasoning.

 

[Winterrider]

Nice find on the CI . . .

-35 F windchill tonight into tomorrow

After about -5° it all seems the same to me honestly. Just sounds nasty.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Oh c'mon Ryan! Why don't you put your skirt away, throw on some flip flops, and go fire up that smoker!

Well I never could stand wearing flip flops or be able to keep them on my feet but my wife does chuckle at me when I wear shorts and my cowboy boots!

Ryan

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

my wife does chuckle at me when I wear shorts and my cowboy boots!

Shorts or Ass-less chaps?

 

[DRKsmoking]

my wife does chuckle at me when I wear shorts and my cowboy boots!

That's not standard attire for the summer ?, or a nice Hula skirt

Great find on the CI pans

David

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Also meant to mention great find on the CI pans! I have one I need to refinish myself so this has been great information. Thanks!

 

[chopsaw]

After that I'll slowly get most aggressive starting with steel wool.

Good . Give it a good scrubbing and dry it . Then try some coarse salt to scrub up the inside . Rinse it out and dry again .
They do look pretty good , but just remember , they didn't get in that condition overnight . So it might take a couple times to get them right .
I agree on trying to get them back without a complete re-season , BUT you never know what someone else used them for . Just keep that in mind .
Are they marked or unmarked ?
If they say " Made in " or have a country of origin they are post 1960 .
No made in mark , or country they are pre 1960 .

 

[DougE]

Heck, I'd just take a brillo pad to that little spot of rust, dry it on the stove. Once dry, I'd oil it down good, and just start using it. The seasoning will build back up in that one spot just from usage.