Lodge Skillet Needs Some Help

[crazytown3]

I *think* it's just built up seasoning. It's not the metal itself though. t's come to this point over probably 10 years of cooking, and I haven't really been that kind to it. I think it's mostly just built up oil and crap that's carbonized over time.

[treesmacker]

Like Polarbear777 said, if it is seasoning you want to get that off and then put very thin coat back on. And like jfmorris did, I received a 2 qt Lodge dutch camp oven from my son that was totally abused and rusted. I cleaned it just with wire brushes and the grill cleaners shown in the link below (I really like these cleaners - they work very well, wet or dry). Here's the link, followed by pics of the refurbed dutch oven...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PJ5G1WL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jfmorris]

I cannot tell you what to do - wait for the CI master Spinaker. I can say, if you want to do it RIGHT, search the forum's for Spinaker 's electrolysis method of reconditioning cast iron. If I can find a cheap manually operated battery charger, versus an automatic like I have, I'll be trying that method soon.

I've been working on two Lodge 10" skillets myself, yesterday and today. My soon to be son in law got them from his grandmother years ago, and he abused them badly. Washing with soap, putting in dishwashers, letting sit in water. Both were rusted, and he would just steel wool the heck out of them every time. I've determined one of them was made in the 90's, the other was probably made in the 70's by Lodge, before Lodge put their branding on their skillets, and before they removed the raised ring on the bottom.

Anyway, I took sand paper to the better looking one, and then steel wool and some barkeepers friend, and got it pretty smooth, and ready for seasoning. The horribly abused one from the 70's I ended up taking a wire cup/wheel on a hand drill, and was able to get the inside smooth, but the outside is pretty crusty looking. I think Spinaker 's electrolysis method might be required for that one.

Regardless, I did a first re-seasoning run last night in the oven at 500 - bad move. It smoked and stunk the house up. Wife was sick in bed, and was NOT happy! Today I got the Weber kettle going with a full chimney of charcoal, cracked the lid, and got it up around 550F, and did the second seasoning run with the better Lodge upside down on top of a Hover grill in the dome of the kettle. One more run in the kettle tomorrow, and I'll turn that one lose to them.

[Sweaty Paul]

+1

[Polarbear777]

Is the metal like that or is it seasoning? If seasoning or from a cook, it must have pooled then hardened. May be able to heat and scrape with a spatula then wipe clean and if smooth and add a layer of seasoning. You probably don’t have to strip the pan.

Seasoning layers have to be very thin. Basically season the pan when warm, coat everything, then wipe it with dry paper towels until you think it’s all gone. The remaining microscopic layer is all you need to then heat in the oven to create a seasoning layer.

[HawkerXP]

You need to talk to Spinaker he be the CI man.

[crazytown3]

For the cast iron experts here, I have this Lodge skillet that needs some help. I know it's hard to tell from a picture, but the cooking surface has become very rough and 'chunky'.

I'm thinking of stripping it down clean and re-seasoning. But maybe it just needs something simple though?