posted on December 7, 2005 01:01:36 PM
Is the rust very heavy? If it is then I would use emory cloth. Start with a coarse sheet & then use a very fine sheet to finish. If it is just surface rust, I would use steel wool & a little vegetable oil. After you get it clean , put some oil (any vegetable oil or lard) in it & heat the skillet till the oil starts to smoke. Let it cool & then wipe it down with a paper towel. I have 2 that I use to fry chicken in. I never use soap on them, just hot water & then wipe them down, coat with oil & heat. Nothing ever sticks in them.
posted on December 7, 2005 10:51:42 PM
Jack...Dad is right. Heat is the best method. When you set up at the swap on a cold morning, take a 35 gallon lube grease drum and fill it with firewood. Throw the skillets in on top and torch the wood. You will be able to burn all the rust and crud off, and have a nice warming fire that will draw cold customers to your space. The only problem is it's illegal to do that. So what you do is take a rack from an old refrigerator and toss it on top of the barrel. Then you throw some tamales, enchiladas, chicken. etc. that has been wrapped in foil on the rack (grill). Your fire is now no longer an illegal heating fire, but it's now a legal cooking fire which is exempt from EPA and fire dept. restrictions. By the time the fire burns down, you'll be full of chicken and the cast iron skillets will be done. Be sure you tied a piece of bailing wire on the handles first so you can pull them out, they'll be hot. A couple swipes with a wire brush and they will look like new. Then season them later as Sanmar suggested. Just be darn sure you have something cooking on that grill when the fire dept does their walk through. A friend of mine used this exact method, with great success, for several years.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on December 8, 2005 02:14:05 AM
yes, Jack, I used to put mine in the fireplace for a few hours during the winter. Burns all the gunk off. Then to re-season, just give the inside a good wipe down with bacon grease. And never-ever soak an iron skillet in water.
Also, something to keep in mind. Don't try this with those cheap made in Taiwan skillets. They are so poorly made that they can literally explode when exposed to high heat.
posted on December 8, 2005 02:51:04 AM
I wonder if putting them inside the oven when it is in the "self clean" mode would work??
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posted on December 8, 2005 04:04:37 AM
Heat is great to clean off grease build up but I have found not for rust. Self cleaning oven works good for grease build up also but not for rust. The best cleaner for rust and build up is apple cider vineger. You will need to soak the pans sometimes up to a week. After that reseason the pans by greasing and heating them a couple of times.
posted on December 8, 2005 05:49:30 PM
Thanks for all the delicious ideas,,,I don't buy the Tiawan stuff,,Griswold and Lodge and a few other good U.S. Names....They sell GREAT at the car shows,,,,$10.00-15...When ya paid a Dollar a piece for them that's a pretty good return for something that was going to the DUMP anyway......I have around 30 right now, Dutch ovens too and LIDS.....The RIGHT Griswolds sell for Really GOOD money on e bay. When ya see e'm....Grab em.. Gonna give ALL ideas a shot......
I was thinking drain cleaner acid today???
P.S. One day while l@@king at a pile of that kind of Kitchen stuff,,,,One skillet had a Strrrrrrannnnge LOOK! to it,,,,something was Not,,,,,,,,right,,,,,I grabbed it,,,,NO WEIGHT!!!!!!! nothing?????? AHHHHHAAAAA! It was a Slap stick Comedy skillet!!!!!!!!!! Rubber!!!!!! looked real as real can get!!!!! POW!!!!! I slammed it against my head and my REAL skillet sales have SOARDED......Check ot the QUALITY of these folks,,,,, Wham! BAM!!!! they are SHOCKED!!!!!! and THROWWWWWWWWWWWWing it into the air,spinning,,,,,,,,and CATHING it,,,,,,,,,blowS their minds,,,,,and people even from a distance see this happening and are STUNNED!!!!!!!! I am a GOOD cather, hahahahaha,,,,,,,,,,,Sometimes I throw it AT a customer,,,,,,,,,yikes!!!!!!! hahahaah. really funny......they JUMP BACK!!!!!!! i have a REAL metal pan too,,,,,,it has a GREAT RINNNNNNNNG to it, but OUCH!!!!!!!
posted on December 8, 2005 06:08:31 PM
Don't be too quick to sell those Griswold lids at the swap until you've done your homework. There's a couple of them that will bring $300.00 to $500.00 apiece on Ebay.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on December 10, 2005 11:38:19 AM
To remove light rust I've been known to throw a handful of sand into them and then scrub them with a dry rag. I've even heard that sand is the proper way to clean them when they are dirty.
posted on December 10, 2005 07:20:46 PM
Getalife,,,,,,GREAT IDEA!!!!!! FAST! Sandblast them!!!!!! POW!!!!!! I know a guy with just that too! Brilliant!
posted on December 12, 2005 11:52:02 AM
Sandblasting will ruin the value of any collector pans you might have. Also ruins the value of any antique tools.
,,,,,,,,,yikes!!!!!!! hahahaah. really funny......they JUMP BACK!!!!!!! i have a REAL metal pan too,,,,,,it has a GREAT RINNNNNNNNG to it, but OUCH!!!!!!!
