> wrote:
> Thanks again for all the advice and shared experience - one more newbie
> question to trouble you with: I'm finding that whether I use a paper
> towell or a cloth towell, I'm getting lots of fibers sticking to the
> pan. Does this stop as the pan gets smoother or better seasoned?

I know what you're talking about... particularly on the outside of the pan,
which might remain rough, little bits may come off the paper towel. Don't
rub so hard! ;-) With time the inside of the pan should become satiny
smooth, as another poster mentioned.

I wouldn't worry about the water too much. I rinse my cast iron off under
hot water going over it with a plastic dobie pad. Then I dry it with a paper
towel. I often put it into my oven, an old one with a pilot light that stays
fairly warm to get rid of any last traces of moisture. If the pan has seen a
lot of use and has a decent coat of baked on oil/grease, that step really
isn't necessary. Just make sure it is completely dry before storing away
stacked with other pans.

I do have one pan that has never seen water, but that is a French carbon
steel omelette pan that has only had buter and eggs in it. I always just
wipe it out with a paper towel after use and hang it up.

I would make one note as to how completely one drys a cast iron pan before
putting it away... it might depend on climate. At my parent's house in
Florida, it seemed everything rusted, including the front of the
refrigerator which was enameled. Even canned goods would start to rust if
kept around a long time.