On http://www.panman.com/cleaning.html says:

I DO NOT recommend the following methods of cleaning:

Self Cleaning Oven - Although not as great a risk as throwing it in a
fire, the intense heat of a self cleaning can warp a skillet. There is
also a risk of warping the piece.

I recall that this was suggested, and think it is an excellent idea.
Hmm - warping?

I have some old pans and skillets, Griswold and Wagner and 2 without
any name at all, as well as 2 new Lodge skillets that I'd like to
clean up. I guess the answer is, if you are worried, don't do it. But
Lordy, it's a lot of scrubbing if I don't use the oven.

After cleaning, I'm going to use either lard or food grade coconut oil.
Any comments?
Dee

On 22 Jan 2007 17:49:45 -0800, "Dee Dee" > wrote:

>On http://www.panman.com/cleaning.html says:
>
>I DO NOT recommend the following methods of cleaning:
>
>Self Cleaning Oven - Although not as great a risk as throwing it in a
>fire, the intense heat of a self cleaning can warp a skillet. There is
>also a risk of warping the piece.

No decent cast iron pan is going to warp from a few hours in an 850 deg. F oven,
Dee. If they did, you wouldn't be able to use them near the broiler element,
either. Have you ever seen a manufacturer's warning against that?

>After cleaning, I'm going to use either lard or food grade coconut oil.
>Any comments?

Dunno about the coconut oil, but I wouldn't use lard or any other oil that I
wouldn't use on my butcher block, and for essentially the same reasons. I use
plain old Crisco on my Griswolds.

-- Larry

"Dee Dee" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> On http://www.panman.com/cleaning.html says:
>
> I DO NOT recommend the following methods of cleaning:
>
> Self Cleaning Oven - Although not as great a risk as throwing it in a
> fire, the intense heat of a self cleaning can warp a skillet. There is
> also a risk of warping the piece.
>
> I recall that this was suggested, and think it is an excellent idea.
> Hmm - warping?
>
> I have some old pans and skillets, Griswold and Wagner and 2 without
> any name at all, as well as 2 new Lodge skillets that I'd like to
> clean up. I guess the answer is, if you are worried, don't do it. But
> Lordy, it's a lot of scrubbing if I don't use the oven.
>
> After cleaning, I'm going to use either lard or food grade coconut oil.
> Any comments?
> Dee

I throw them in my wood burning stove, when it is full of red hot coals.
Take it out in the morning, clean it up, and season.

In article .com>,
says...
> On http://www.panman.com/cleaning.html says:
>
> I DO NOT recommend the following methods of cleaning:
>
> Self Cleaning Oven - Although not as great a risk as throwing it in a
> fire, the intense heat of a self cleaning can warp a skillet. There is
> also a risk of warping the piece.
>
> I recall that this was suggested, and think it is an excellent idea.
> Hmm - warping?
>
> I have some old pans and skillets, Griswold and Wagner and 2 without
> any name at all, as well as 2 new Lodge skillets that I'd like to
> clean up. I guess the answer is, if you are worried, don't do it. But
> Lordy, it's a lot of scrubbing if I don't use the oven.
>
> After cleaning, I'm going to use either lard or food grade coconut oil.
> Any comments?
> Dee
>
>

I do not believe a self cleaning oven cycle will harm cast iron
(although I have never tried it). It is not really all that intense,
800-900 degrees F I believe. It's a gradual heat up, cool down so
warping should not occur.


--
Peter Aitken

pltrgyst wrote:
> On 22 Jan 2007 17:49:45 -0800, "Dee Dee" > wrote:
>
> Dunno about the coconut oil, but I wouldn't use lard or any other oil that I
> wouldn't use on my butcher block, and for essentially the same reasons. I use
> plain old Crisco on my Griswolds.

> -- Larry

I will have to buy some Crisco for just the seasoning. I think that is
what everyone uses.

Here are some horrific pictures of one (or two?) of the worse
(inherited) Griswolds. I may have posted these before.

http://www.tinypic.com/44947ef.jpg
http://www.tinypic.com/3ygpgld.jpg
http://www.tinypic.com/33a83fk.jpg
http://www.tinypic.com/42l7la8.jpg
http://www.tinypic.com/29x65hv.jpg

Somehow they seem unsalvageable to me.

The two Lodge I bought look more on the silver-colored side and
certainly not smooth on the bottom. I've noticed this about every
Lodge cast-iron skillet in the shops. Mine I've bought in the past
were and are smooth. I don't like this rough bottom. What gives?

Thanks for everyone's replies.
Dee

>
> Here are some horrific pictures of one (or two?) of the worse
> (inherited) Griswolds. I may have posted these before.
>
> http://www.tinypic.com/44947ef.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/3ygpgld.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/33a83fk.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/42l7la8.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/29x65hv.jpg
>
> Somehow they seem unsalvageable to me.
>

Angle grinder with grinding stone follow by a wire brush attachment or sand
blasting would make it pretty. Looks like rust, should dry it first than put
a light coating of grease before putting it in storage. That's what I would
do for my tools but for cookware, YMMV.

Also if its stored in an unheated and damp area like a basement, corrosion
could be problem.

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:44:41 -0800, "# Fred #" > wrote:

>> Somehow they seem unsalvageable to me.
>
>Angle grinder with grinding stone follow by a wire brush attachment or sand
>blasting would make it pretty. Looks like rust, should dry it first than put
>a light coating of grease before putting it in storage....

Exactly. I'd think the grinder with wire brush should get it all. Might need
some naval jelly to help out. But that rust definitely has to come off first.

-- Larry

pltrgyst wrote:
> On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:44:41 -0800, "# Fred #" > wrote:
>
>>> Somehow they seem unsalvageable to me.
>> Angle grinder with grinding stone follow by a wire brush attachment or sand
>> blasting would make it pretty. Looks like rust, should dry it first than put
>> a light coating of grease before putting it in storage....
>
> Exactly. I'd think the grinder with wire brush should get it all. Might need
> some naval jelly to help out. But that rust definitely has to come off first.
>
> -- Larry
Yup. As for the Lodge question and non-smooth surface. It's
just they cheap/fast way that they make 'em. Go to garage
sales or look on the i-net for Griswolds. Basically
indestructible. a little pricey but worth it as far as I'm
concerned.

I've used 'em in fires, on stoves, in ovens, pretty much
everywhere. Great utensils to have. Don't *ever* use soap on
them. Hot water and scrape. Dry immediately. Dishwasher?
NEVER <shudder>. Some folks lightly re-oil after cleaning,
some don't. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. ;-)

As for seasoning, the solid Crisco is all that my
Grandmother and Mother ever used, so same here.

--
Steve

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:45:06 -0500, Steve Calvin > wrote:

>I've used 'em in fires, on stoves, in ovens, pretty much
>everywhere. Great utensils to have. Don't *ever* use soap on
>them. Hot water and scrape....

A tablespoon or two of coarse salt works wonders when something has crusted on.
Then a hot rinse, pop into the warm oven to dry.

-- Larry

On Jan 23, 6:45 pm, Steve Calvin > wrote:
> pltrgyst wrote:
> > On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:44:41 -0800, "# Fred #" > wrote:
>
> > -- LarryYup. As for the Lodge question and non-smooth surface. It's
> just they cheap/fast way that they make 'em.

I'm wondering how cooking eggs over-easy with a rough surface is going
to work out. I had junked some previously purchased griddle/skillets
(not many, but a few) because of this rough surface. I thought they
were inferior grades that I had bought, after pulling out the other
skillets and seeing their smooth surfaces. Now, I guess it's the norm.

One of my griddles that was round and flat which I bought for tortillas
and ended up using for heating larger bought-tortillas was so rough
that not all of the tortilla would lay flat on it; but perhaps in this
case, of tortilla heating use, it was a plus - not so, eggs, I would
think. Yukky to clean.
Dee

"Dee Dee" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> pltrgyst wrote:
>> On 22 Jan 2007 17:49:45 -0800, "Dee Dee" > wrote:
>>
>> Dunno about the coconut oil, but I wouldn't use lard or any other oil
>> that I
>> wouldn't use on my butcher block, and for essentially the same
>> reasons. I use
>> plain old Crisco on my Griswolds.
>
>> -- Larry
>
> I will have to buy some Crisco for just the seasoning. I think that is
> what everyone uses.
>
> Here are some horrific pictures of one (or two?) of the worse
> (inherited) Griswolds. I may have posted these before.
>
> http://www.tinypic.com/44947ef.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/3ygpgld.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/33a83fk.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/42l7la8.jpg
> http://www.tinypic.com/29x65hv.jpg
>
> Somehow they seem unsalvageable to me.
>
> The two Lodge I bought look more on the silver-colored side and
> certainly not smooth on the bottom. I've noticed this about every
> Lodge cast-iron skillet in the shops. Mine I've bought in the past
> were and are smooth. I don't like this rough bottom. What gives?
>
> Thanks for everyone's replies.
> Dee
>
They used to machine them, now they don't. You can sand them smooth by
hand or machine in not too much time. As for the rusty ones, they can
certainly be salvaged in a number of ways. Sandblasting would work well
and is inexpensive. Chemicals such as acid will do it (check auto parts
stores). A wire brush in a drill or angle grinder.

Those aren't bad at all. the wire brush would take that right off.
Maybe follow up with some sanding. Not a tool oriented person, are you?
Got any friends that are?

del

On Jan 24, 11:19 pm, "Del Cecchi" >
wrote:
> Those aren't bad at all. the wire brush would take that right off.
> Maybe follow up with some sanding. Not a tool oriented person, are you?
> Got any friends that are?
>
>
Dear Del,
DH is the friend :-)) I've been reading these words of wisdom to him.
Thanks a lot.
Dee

Dee Dee wrote:
>
> On Jan 24, 11:19 pm, "Del Cecchi" >
> wrote:
>
>>Those aren't bad at all. the wire brush would take that right off.
>>Maybe follow up with some sanding. Not a tool oriented person, are you?
>>Got any friends that are?
>>
>>
>
> Dear Del,
> DH is the friend :-)) I've been reading these words of wisdom to him.
> Thanks a lot.
> Dee
>

I bet a random orbital sander with like 80 grit paper would smooth the
as cast surface of the lodge nicely. Of course it would take out the
"lodge logic" coating as well so you would have to do the classic
seasoning of the cast iron ritual.

--
Del Cecchi
"This post is my own and doesn’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions,
strategies or opinions.”

> > Dee I bet a random orbital sander with like 80 grit paper would smooth the
> as cast surface of the lodge nicely. Of course it would take out the
> "lodge logic" coating as well so you would have to do the classic
> seasoning of the cast iron ritual.
>
> --
> Del Cecchi

Thanks for the added information. DH is looking online right now re
orbital sanders. [In fact, he just found your posting :-)) ]

As for the Lodge logic coating, the new ones I just bought - a 12 inch
for the large burner on the new range, and a 10-1/4" for the second
largest burner in the ring-of-three -- I did not buy the 'already
seasoned' ones. There's something still a little mystifying to me
about the seasoning ingredients or process. Until then, unseasoned is
good enough.
After they go into the oven-cleaner, they will all need my personal
touch with the seasoning anyway.
Dee