Great way to score cast iron very inexpensively: TJ Maxx. They don't always have them, but I picked one up a couple of years ago for probably $10 USD.
Cast Iron Pan
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If you are looking for new CI I too highly recommend Lodge CI cookware. Stay away from the imports, not great quality.
I am a collector of CI cookware and a user as well. Have mostly vintage Griswold pieces but do have a few Wagner pieces. They are both excellent products. The vintage stuff can be had on Ebay but one has to be careful about buying there just as you do with razors on Ebay.
As for cleaning the vintage CI cookware, do not use wire brushes on electric drills, do not sandblast them. This will ruin the patina on them and often make it very hard to get a good seasoning on them. I recommend using a lye bath, that is 1 lb of lye to 5 gallons of water or even double the strength. A good Rubbermaid container of say 18 gallons or so filled with 10 gallons of water will do.
Simply put the cruddy CI pan in the solution and let it sit for a week or so. Take it out of the lye bath then, rinse it, dry it quickly and then season it immediately.
For rust problems, if it is not bad, flaky and thick rust a couple hrs or so in a solultion of equal parts water and white vinegar will take away the rust. For major rust you need to use electrolysis.
As a member of WAGS, Wagner and Griswold Society, I highly recommend our site http://www.wag-society.org/ for more info on the correct way to clean, season and care for your CI cookware. Be sure to click on the Forum link on the home page.
I am a collector of CI cookware and a user as well. Have mostly vintage Griswold pieces but do have a few Wagner pieces. They are both excellent products. The vintage stuff can be had on Ebay but one has to be careful about buying there just as you do with razors on Ebay.
As for cleaning the vintage CI cookware, do not use wire brushes on electric drills, do not sandblast them. This will ruin the patina on them and often make it very hard to get a good seasoning on them. I recommend using a lye bath, that is 1 lb of lye to 5 gallons of water or even double the strength. A good Rubbermaid container of say 18 gallons or so filled with 10 gallons of water will do.
Simply put the cruddy CI pan in the solution and let it sit for a week or so. Take it out of the lye bath then, rinse it, dry it quickly and then season it immediately.
For rust problems, if it is not bad, flaky and thick rust a couple hrs or so in a solultion of equal parts water and white vinegar will take away the rust. For major rust you need to use electrolysis.
As a member of WAGS, Wagner and Griswold Society, I highly recommend our site http://www.wag-society.org/ for more info on the correct way to clean, season and care for your CI cookware. Be sure to click on the Forum link on the home page.
All of my cookware is Le Creuset, I have tried many other brands over the years but I have never been more satisfied.
Le Creuset is really, really nice. Plus, since it's enameled, you don't need to season it and it's nonreactive with acidic things like lemon juice.
In case you're still looking for your cast iron pan...
If you want a vintage one, in Calgary, I would check out the Value Villages. Sometimes they show up there. I found a Wagner in one for $12. There's also a few antique shops in Inglewood on 9th Ave.
If you want a new cheap made-in-china pan, Superstore should have an unseasoned 12" skillet for ~$12.
If you want a vintage one, in Calgary, I would check out the Value Villages. Sometimes they show up there. I found a Wagner in one for $12. There's also a few antique shops in Inglewood on 9th Ave.
If you want a new cheap made-in-china pan, Superstore should have an unseasoned 12" skillet for ~$12.
If you want good, smooth CI cookware, on the cheap, don't forget to look in antique and thrift stores.
I haven't found this to be the case, but I keep looking.
Lodge is the only american company still open if you are looking for new pans.If you are considering vintage there are several with griswold and wagner leading the pack.
I'm a big Lodge fan and have maybe a dozen pieces. Recently tried some French pieces from De Buyer. They aren't as cheap as Lodge but they are terrific. 99% iron, they look more like a professional steel pan but IMO much better. Worth a look if you're a CI fan like I am.
Ken
At the chance that I will be taken for a cast iron infidel, I wanted to state that it does not hurt cast iron if you need to wash it with soap and water. There are times when it just has to happen. What happens after that is important, though. Although I routinely wash my cast iron when needed, I never put it away without re-reasoning the pan, which only takes an hour or so with a hot oven and some oil. It is true that you will lose some of the non-stick properties when you involve soap, but those will come back with repeated use.
Enjoy your cast iron!
Enjoy your cast iron!
I use mild detergent on my pans the odd time too. I just make sure they are well seasoned to begin with, don't scrap them or scratch them with tools and then lightly oil and sit on a warm element.
I've used and abused my CI in almost every possible way. I've never needed to use soap on any of it, just a stiff nylon brush. I don't disagree with you, it's not the end of the world if you do use soap. I've just never found that I needed to.
Ken
Do you have a wife that will burn things on the pan then leave them on the stove for hours
Same here.
Same here. I wipe well with a nylon brush or scrubber when pan cooled down a bit but still hot.
I am sure there are many ways to do it. Mine involves no soap or detergent. Salt, coarse salt, at the most.
I don't make a habit of it.
Does anyone seen any issues with removing crud with this method: scrape any crud off with brush and water, rinse, put a bit of water in pan and back on hot element to loosen stuck on gunk, rinse.
Does anyone seen any issues with removing crud with this method: scrape any crud off with brush and water, rinse, put a bit of water in pan and back on hot element to loosen stuck on gunk, rinse.
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Do you have a wife that will burn things on the pan then leave them on the stove for hours
Nope. She can't even lift my CI. I do all the cooking here.
Ken
I often deglaze stuck on bits (like making a pan sauce) before cleaning; makes for very little scrubbing.
Lodge is the only way to go. Still made in the U.S. with the original ages old recipe. They also make excellent enameled cast iron for much much cheaper than that over priced French brand.
