I need to take my Griswold skillet back to “nothing”

[vash]

It’s my #8. Somewhere along the line, it got kinda (very) crusty. There is a tactile grit on the flat bottom surface. A black buildup. My #9 is skating ring smooth by comparison.

I kinda think I need to strip and reseason. ATK strips and reseasons theirs annually (I think). Me; I just kinda use the thing and let the chips fall where they fall. Now here we are.

I don’t want to use EASY-OFF. I’m thinking my backyard grill set on high gets around 600deg should cook it off. Too warm at home to use the self-clean oven at this point.

What about one of those drill mounted scrub disc?

[masraum]

Well, I've heard some folks talk about using oven cleaner, but I'm with you, I don't want to do that.

I have gotten mine warm and then scrubbed the crap out of it with soap and water.

I would think that you might have good luck cleaning it in the grill or oven on the self-clean setting.

[glewis80SC]

Drill mounted wire wheel then a good scrub with soap/water then coat with Crisco put upside down in 375 oven for an hour then turn off oven and let it cool slowly.

[flatbutt]

I've used a coarse salt scrub.

[Jims5543]

I use this lightly to remove the gunk. I never use soap. I will typically use this when it is still warm but not hot.



https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber-Cookware-Seasoned/dp/B076MWF219/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1525030375&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=cast+iron+skillet+chainmail+scrubber&psc=1

[sammyg2]

The manufacturer blasts the raw cast iron with glass bead media prior to shipping to stores. If you could get someone with a cabinet to blast back to white metal, that would be ideal.

[drkshdw]

Just did this with an old Wagner waffle iron. It was rusted and crusted from sitting in a barn. Tried the fire pit thing, the self cleaning oven thing and finally a wire wheel. Nothing worked.

A friend collects old formularies and she found in the olden days they would soak them in washing soda (sodium carbonate..NOT bicarbonate which is baking soda). They still sell it in the laundry section. Mixed it up rather concentrated in a 5 gallon bucket and let the pieces soak. After 30 days I took steel wool to it and the old seasoning flaked off like it was on teflon. It took maybe 20 minutes to scrub it clean, at most.

Here's before and after. It's been seasoned and now makes the best waffles imaginable.

before:


after:

[TimT]

If you have baking soda you can make it into washing soda...

Better living thru science and all that...

Wikihow

[vash]

Thx. I’ll try my super hot grill first. (It’s in there now)

If not, i’ll Do the mechanical strip with the abrasive pad and my drill.

[vash]

Wow!

It worked kinda. I washed and scrubbed with a copper scrubber thing. Marginal success. Took off remaining seasoning wet sand if with 220 grit! It is so clean!!

Seasoning now with avocado oil. It’s gonna be slick. Slicker than ever.

Sucky thing; now I wanna do my #9

[GWN7]

These guys claim that their polished pans are better. https://smitheyironware.com/shop/ $200 for a pan compared to $40 for a Lodge pan...

[vash]

Originally Posted by GWN7

These guys claim that their polished pans are better. https://smitheyironware.com/shop/ $200 for a pan compared to $40 for a Lodge pan...

Yea. That new one called the FIELD SKILLET Co is making waves. But also $200+

I think people are taking a pan and 15 minutes of time and soothing out LODGE pans.
This pad:

Lots of videos on YouTube.

[quicksix]

sodium hydroxide (lye) from a soap maker.
Make a bath, immerse until every thing comes off with fine steel wool.
Rinse, season. don't let it sit out wet before seasoning or it will flash rust.

[vash]

& I thought that is to refinish a Pan you found buried in a barn?

I just wanted to remove what I call “ Mexican rice mistake”.

[quicksix]

Ahh, got it.
I used it on one that had so much crap on it, I couldn't get it off with a metal scraper.
I just read drkshdws post and I Believe that is what he used.
My results were similar.

[vash]

Oh o! It’s so slick. Seasoning is gonna go slow.

[vash]

Should have considered the ramifications of the nuclear option



Here is two cycles of seasoning. Long ways to go.