"Bob Myers" > wrote
Today they're rusty in
> spots, and just in general don't look like something I want to be
> cooking with. I'm wondering if anyone has pointers on restoring
> old cast iron to service. I've been thinking that coarse steel wool
> or even sandblasting could get the accumlated rust and crud off,
> and then treating it like new, unseasoned cast iron would be the way
> to go. Any thoughts on this?
>
> Yes, I know I could go out and just buy new - but since this stuff's
> sort of at "family heirloom" status, I'd sure like to restore it and use
> it.
>
No need to apologize, there are people who would fight you for those pots. I
prefer mine old because they are smoother, I just bought a pot with a handle
thingy from the thrift store for 5 bucks! Whoo!
One method is to put the pans in a HOT oven and bake the hell out of them,
then steel wool all the crust off the inside. The outsides usually remain
pretty lump, from what I have seen.