CPAPtalk.com

Note: N95 masks filter for PARTICULATES only.
Oven cleaner spray passes right through the material.
A better choice would be a RESPIRATOR mask, or a remote air supply.
If using anything else, do it outdoors with the wind at your back.

oh...for pitys sake...

Electrolysis. 5gal bucket of water, 1 cup epsom salts (electrolyte for
electron transfer), some kind of metal plate that will fit in the bucket,
12v DC battery charger. Negative lead goes on your cast iron, positive
lead goes on the metal plate. Don't let the metal plate touch the
cast iron. Let it cook for 24hrs. Replace the water/epsom salts and
let it cook for another 24hrs. Wash/season.

The rest of that stuff is worthless.

carbonman wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:46 pm

oh...for pitys sake...
more condescension ...
The rest of that stuff is worthless.

Truly spoken like someone that didn't bother to read the thread before spewing their condescending comment:

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:15 am

Conrad wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:00 am

What's on the skillets that needs to be cleaned off? Rust? Old food?

Both rust, old food and a very thick layer of really gunky oil in places.
...
The rust isn't as much of a problem as the gunky thick layer of crap.
It seems to be preventing the re-seasoning to take hold.

Your method is good to get rid of *rust*, which, as Pugsy says "isn't as much of a problem".

I go with the old settlers method--burn it off; but heat and cool slowly,
so thermal shock will not shatter the iron.
My son restores iron pans all the time, with power tools or a sandblaster.
Never use steel wool--microscopic bits get embedded as seed for rust.
Speaking of rust, a little bit is not necessarily a bad thing.
In some places cooking with cast iron is viewed as a measure to fight anemia.

Interesting article on the subject that seems to weigh the pros and cons of several of the methods that have been mentioned:

https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-rest ... n-cookware

So I opted for the oven cleaner method.
Worked fairly well. And I didn't do the 24 hour thing as I had already accomplished a lot with the other things I tried.

The little skillet is in great shape. The much larger 12 inch skillet cleaned up pretty good but it looks like I may have some pitting in a couple of areas. I elected to go ahead and season it again for now and see what happens with it.
My main planned use for the larger skillet was going to be deep frying in oil anyway.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:58 am

going to be deep frying in oil

You mean, the guv'mnt still allows that?!

[End of half-hearted attempt to get thread locked. ]

lazarus wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 2:14 pm

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:58 am

going to be deep frying in oil

You mean, the guv'mnt still allows that?!

[End of half-hearted attempt to get thread locked. ]

Oh, c'mon, you can do better than that.

I'd like to join an induction coil to a good cast iron skillet.
Or maybe a cast iron Dutch oven. Super efficient, minimal risk.
Big enough to cook a good size mess of beans.
Or boil up a nice batch of kholodets'.