In article >,
JimLane > wrote:

> Katra wrote:
> > In article >,
> > "james a. finley" > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >>
> >>>at Wed, 12 Jan 2005 03:31:43 GMT in >,
> (tenplay) wrote :
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>I'm looking for a good quality skillet. The saleswoman at a local
> >>>>department store recommended Lodge iron skillets even though they don't
> >>>>sell them. That was impressive in itself. Does anyone own one? If so,
> >>>> what do you think? I see them on sale at Amazon for just $14.99.
> >>>> Thanks.
> >>>
> >>>They're OK, but get the un-preseasoned ones. The preseasoned ones go by
> >>
> >>the
> >>
> >>>moniker of "Lodge Logic". The problem with a factory "seasoning" is that
> >>>you get no indication whatsoever as to how this was done. What oil did
> >>
> >>they
> >>
> >>>use (probably the cheapest possible)? What process did they use?
> >>>
> >>>Seasoning is plenty easy to do at home anyway. Just smear the whole thing
> >>>with lard (preferably not the packaged varieties) and bake in a 350F oven
> >>>for an hour or 2. It should look dark and uniform when it emerges,
> >>
> >>probably
> >>
> >>>with a few areas of brown where the melting fat collected. Be sure to put
> >>
> >>a
> >>
> >>>drip pan under the skillet (on the lower rack).
> >>>
> >>>The inside surface can also be effectively seasoned by frying a bunch of
> >>>bacon, several large steaks, or a bunch of salt pork. I find that the
> >>>frying method actually gets more even results, at least on the inside. But
> >>>for the outside you'll want to do an oven preseasoning anyway because
> >>>there's no easy way to to that on a stovetop.
> >>>--
> >>>Alex Rast
>
> >>>(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)
> >>
> >>What is to be gained by seasoning the outside of a pan?
> >>
> >>Jim
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > Keeps it from rusting...
> >
> > Gee Jim, I thought you were the expert on cast iron?
> >
> > You sure try to give that impression! <lol>
>
>
> Perhaps you may be confusing the two different jims. I'm lowercase, he's
> up and down. But, I am not an expert by any means, just a well-seasoned
> user (pun intended).

Oh! Sorry! :-)
>
> I have some seasoned inside and out, others inside only. Depended on my
> mood when I was doing them and what was available. I plan on re-doing
> the inside only pans as I am not always as diligent as I should be in
> drying the outsides.
>
> By "what was available," I mean I did some way back when a friend that
> owned a restaurant allowed me to use his deep-fat fryers to season the
> pans I had at the time (some of the inside-outside pans), others in an
> oven (likewise) and some on the stove top (inside only). One of my
> inside only pans has a wooden handle and I'm not comfortable with
> removing that, so inside only it will remain.

I've never had a cast iron skillet with a wood handle...
All mine are cast in one piece!

I can see why that'd be nice tho'. ;-) No need for a hot pan holder.

>
>
> jim
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

In article >,
JimLane > wrote:

> Katra wrote:
> > In article >,
> > "james a. finley" > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>"Alex Rast" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >>
> >>>at Wed, 12 Jan 2005 03:31:43 GMT in >,
> (tenplay) wrote :
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>I'm looking for a good quality skillet. The saleswoman at a local
> >>>>department store recommended Lodge iron skillets even though they don't
> >>>>sell them. That was impressive in itself. Does anyone own one? If so,
> >>>> what do you think? I see them on sale at Amazon for just $14.99.
> >>>> Thanks.
> >>>
> >>>They're OK, but get the un-preseasoned ones. The preseasoned ones go by
> >>
> >>the
> >>
> >>>moniker of "Lodge Logic". The problem with a factory "seasoning" is that
> >>>you get no indication whatsoever as to how this was done. What oil did
> >>
> >>they
> >>
> >>>use (probably the cheapest possible)? What process did they use?
> >>>
> >>>Seasoning is plenty easy to do at home anyway. Just smear the whole thing
> >>>with lard (preferably not the packaged varieties) and bake in a 350F oven
> >>>for an hour or 2. It should look dark and uniform when it emerges,
> >>
> >>probably
> >>
> >>>with a few areas of brown where the melting fat collected. Be sure to put
> >>
> >>a
> >>
> >>>drip pan under the skillet (on the lower rack).
> >>>
> >>>The inside surface can also be effectively seasoned by frying a bunch of
> >>>bacon, several large steaks, or a bunch of salt pork. I find that the
> >>>frying method actually gets more even results, at least on the inside. But
> >>>for the outside you'll want to do an oven preseasoning anyway because
> >>>there's no easy way to to that on a stovetop.
> >>>--
> >>>Alex Rast
>
> >>>(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)
> >>
> >>What is to be gained by seasoning the outside of a pan?
> >>
> >>Jim
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > Keeps it from rusting...
> >
> > Gee Jim, I thought you were the expert on cast iron?
> >
> > You sure try to give that impression! <lol>
>
>
> Perhaps you may be confusing the two different jims. I'm lowercase, he's
> up and down. But, I am not an expert by any means, just a well-seasoned
> user (pun intended).

Oh! Sorry! :-)
>
> I have some seasoned inside and out, others inside only. Depended on my
> mood when I was doing them and what was available. I plan on re-doing
> the inside only pans as I am not always as diligent as I should be in
> drying the outsides.
>
> By "what was available," I mean I did some way back when a friend that
> owned a restaurant allowed me to use his deep-fat fryers to season the
> pans I had at the time (some of the inside-outside pans), others in an
> oven (likewise) and some on the stove top (inside only). One of my
> inside only pans has a wooden handle and I'm not comfortable with
> removing that, so inside only it will remain.

I've never had a cast iron skillet with a wood handle...
All mine are cast in one piece!

I can see why that'd be nice tho'. ;-) No need for a hot pan holder.

>
>
> jim
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 23:01:23 -0800, "Me" >
wrote:

>For example, I sometimes heat my skillet to 500° in the oven before searing
>steaks in it.

Hi Jim,

Why?

You can get it much hotter than that (in a fraction of the
time) on the range top.

Thanks,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 23:01:23 -0800, "Me" >
wrote:

>For example, I sometimes heat my skillet to 500° in the oven before searing
>steaks in it.

Hi Jim,

Why?

You can get it much hotter than that (in a fraction of the
time) on the range top.

Thanks,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

On 2005-01-13, Witchy Way > wrote:
> walmart sells them in a 3 pk for $16 (unseasoned). QVC sells the pre
> seasoned for much more

I would be careful of anything Walmart sells. They are very good at luring
vendors into low price death spiral, often forcing a change to an inferior
product.

nb

On 2005-01-13, Witchy Way > wrote:
> walmart sells them in a 3 pk for $16 (unseasoned). QVC sells the pre
> seasoned for much more

I would be careful of anything Walmart sells. They are very good at luring
vendors into low price death spiral, often forcing a change to an inferior
product.

nb

"Katra" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "james a. finley" > wrote:
>
> > "Alex Rast" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > at Wed, 12 Jan 2005 03:31:43 GMT in
>,
> > > (tenplay) wrote :
> > >
> > > >I'm looking for a good quality skillet. The saleswoman at a local
> > > >department store recommended Lodge iron skillets even though they
don't
> > > >sell them. That was impressive in itself. Does anyone own one? If
so,
> > > > what do you think? I see them on sale at Amazon for just $14.99.
> > > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > They're OK, but get the un-preseasoned ones. The preseasoned ones go
by
> > the
> > > moniker of "Lodge Logic". The problem with a factory "seasoning" is
that
> > > you get no indication whatsoever as to how this was done. What oil did
> > they
> > > use (probably the cheapest possible)? What process did they use?
> > >
> > > Seasoning is plenty easy to do at home anyway. Just smear the whole
thing
> > > with lard (preferably not the packaged varieties) and bake in a 350F
oven
> > > for an hour or 2. It should look dark and uniform when it emerges,
> > probably
> > > with a few areas of brown where the melting fat collected. Be sure to
put
> > a
> > > drip pan under the skillet (on the lower rack).
> > >
> > > The inside surface can also be effectively seasoned by frying a bunch
of
> > > bacon, several large steaks, or a bunch of salt pork. I find that the
> > > frying method actually gets more even results, at least on the inside.
But
> > > for the outside you'll want to do an oven preseasoning anyway because
> > > there's no easy way to to that on a stovetop.
> > > --
> > > Alex Rast
> > >
> > > (remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)
> >
> > What is to be gained by seasoning the outside of a pan?
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
>
> Keeps it from rusting...
>
> Gee Jim, I thought you were the expert on cast iron?
>
> You sure try to give that impression! <lol>
> --
> K.
>
> Sprout the MungBean to reply
>
> "I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
> see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

Not an expert, just observant.

I have never had a pan rust on the outside.

Jim

"james a. finley" wrote:
>
> "Arri London" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > tenplay wrote:
> > >
> > > I'm looking for a good quality skillet. The saleswoman at a local
> > > department store recommended Lodge iron skillets even though they don't
> > > sell them. That was impressive in itself. Does anyone own one? If so,
> > > what do you think? I see them on sale at Amazon for just $14.99.
> Thanks.
> >
> > We have a couple but they really aren't any better than the cheap
> > Chinese or Korean cast iron frying pans we also have. One of the Lodge
> > pans just doesn't heat evenly and didn't from when it was new.
> > Whatever sort you buy check that the metal is thick enough, the bottom
> > is flat and the handle well secured.
>
> The handle should be an intregal part of the casting. An attached plastic or
> wood handle would prevent the pan's use in the oven.

The handles sometimes seem welded on afterward...that's what it looks
like on one of Lodge pans. We never use them in the oven anyway, so the
one with the wood-covered iron handle isn't a drawback.
Do cast iron frying pans really come with plastic handles??

>
> I bought a brandless set of cast iron skillets at a sporting goods store
> about 30 years ago. They have been used daily since , and I have no
> complaints about heating evenly, flatness, etc. They were made in Taiwan.
>
> Jim

Katra wrote:
> In article >,

> I've never had a cast iron skillet with a wood handle...
> All mine are cast in one piece!
>
> I can see why that'd be nice tho'. ;-) No need for a hot pan holder.



I use it for pancakes, tortillas, quesadillas, and so on. Cast iron
comal to be precise. Not any recognizable brand.


jim

"Douglas J. Renze" > wrote:
> I agree...it will last a lifetime. Mine is more than 65 years old. Out
> of curiosity, though -- I know mine isn't Lodge, but I can't see ANY
> manufacturing stamps on it. How can I tell who DID make it? You've got
> me curious now...

I've also got a really old "no name" skillet that I got from my father, who
may have gotten it from his mother. All it says on the bottom is "11-3/4
inch skillet". On the top, where the handle meets the pan, there is a number
10. My guess is that any skillet with those size numbers on it would be at
least 40-50 years old, but I'm not certain.

Most of the more well know names (Griswold, Wagner, Vollrath, Martin, etc.)
had very distinctive logos cast into the bottom of the pan. Griswold's have
a "cross" logo, and there were many variations of it over the years. I know
there are books dedicated to identifying the manufacturer and period that a
piece were made, and there are several resources on the web (which escape me
right now). If you do an eBay search for "cast iron" skillet, you get a ton
of listings, many will have pictures of the bottoms with logos. A decent
source of cast iron cookware, too.

Here's an example of a Griswold logo:
http://www.griswoldcastiron.com/imag...nt_logo_sm.gif

In addition to the above skillet, I've got a Martin, a Vollrath, and two
WIRCO.

And I have one skillet that is "display only" that I believe was made by
Griswold, but it has no name on it. It's an "odorless skillet" and it has
that term, along with a patent date of October 17, 1893, and the pattern
number 869 on it. I've been told that pattern number is an indication it was
made by Griswold. I say it's "display only", because it's made to be used on
a wood stove over one of those removable burner plates. I looked up the
original patent on the Patent Office web site, and it's pretty interesting.
I don't think the "odorless" concept really worked, but in any case wood
stoves disappeared.

In article et>,
"Douglas J. Renze" > wrote:

> On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 00:16:45 -0800, Denise~* wrote:
>
> > Katra wrote:
> >
> >> I would not buy one on a bet... They weigh a damned TON and are rough as
> >> sandpaper,
> >
> > Actually, when I did purchase some Lodge years ago, I amazingly got them
> > to a state of where they worked quite nicely. I just kept on forgetting
> > them on the stove when I would dry & reseason. I kept burning the nice
> > seasoning off & filling the house with smoke. After one too many times
> > of doing this, DH got mad at me & threw them out.
> >
> >> but then I've been spoilt by antique Griswolds. ;-)
> >
> > I can relate. The pans I inherited are a mix of Griswolds & Wagners.
> > All perfectly seasoned. I also got a really cool rectangular griddle
> > that I'm not sure of the brand, but it's soo cool. Needless to say, I
> > treat these like babies.
> >
> >> Cast Iron will last a lifetime. Get the best you can afford, not the
> >> cheapest you can buy!
> >
>
> I agree...it will last a lifetime. Mine is more than 65 years old. Out
> of curiosity, though -- I know mine isn't Lodge, but I can't see ANY
> manufacturing stamps on it. How can I tell who DID make it? You've got
> me curious now...
>
> Also, as I DO need to pick up a few more pieces, where can I find the
> Griswold & Wagners that all y'all are talking about? Lodge is everywhere,
> but I know not about the rest...

Well, it's not the cheapest way, but I bought 2 of my 3 Griswold's off
of ebay. I inherited the #10 from my mom. :-)

If you watch the time the auctions end, (early morning auctions usually
have fewer bidders) and "bid snipe", (bid one minute or so before the
auction ends and bid the maximum you are willing to pay at that time),
you can often get a better deal.
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

In article et>,
"Douglas J. Renze" > wrote:

> On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 00:16:45 -0800, Denise~* wrote:
>
> > Katra wrote:
> >
> >> I would not buy one on a bet... They weigh a damned TON and are rough as
> >> sandpaper,
> >
> > Actually, when I did purchase some Lodge years ago, I amazingly got them
> > to a state of where they worked quite nicely. I just kept on forgetting
> > them on the stove when I would dry & reseason. I kept burning the nice
> > seasoning off & filling the house with smoke. After one too many times
> > of doing this, DH got mad at me & threw them out.
> >
> >> but then I've been spoilt by antique Griswolds. ;-)
> >
> > I can relate. The pans I inherited are a mix of Griswolds & Wagners.
> > All perfectly seasoned. I also got a really cool rectangular griddle
> > that I'm not sure of the brand, but it's soo cool. Needless to say, I
> > treat these like babies.
> >
> >> Cast Iron will last a lifetime. Get the best you can afford, not the
> >> cheapest you can buy!
> >
>
> I agree...it will last a lifetime. Mine is more than 65 years old. Out
> of curiosity, though -- I know mine isn't Lodge, but I can't see ANY
> manufacturing stamps on it. How can I tell who DID make it? You've got
> me curious now...
>
> Also, as I DO need to pick up a few more pieces, where can I find the
> Griswold & Wagners that all y'all are talking about? Lodge is everywhere,
> but I know not about the rest...

Well, it's not the cheapest way, but I bought 2 of my 3 Griswold's off
of ebay. I inherited the #10 from my mom. :-)

If you watch the time the auctions end, (early morning auctions usually
have fewer bidders) and "bid snipe", (bid one minute or so before the
auction ends and bid the maximum you are willing to pay at that time),
you can often get a better deal.
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

In article >,
JimLane > wrote:

> Katra wrote:
> > In article >,
>
> > I've never had a cast iron skillet with a wood handle...
> > All mine are cast in one piece!
> >
> > I can see why that'd be nice tho'. ;-) No need for a hot pan holder.
>
>
>
> I use it for pancakes, tortillas, quesadillas, and so on. Cast iron
> comal to be precise. Not any recognizable brand.
>
>
> jim

I do quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches in the foreman. ;-)
Works rilly fast and crisps the bread/tortilla well with less oil.

Sounds great for pancakes tho.
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

In article >,
JimLane > wrote:

> Katra wrote:
> > In article >,
>
> > I've never had a cast iron skillet with a wood handle...
> > All mine are cast in one piece!
> >
> > I can see why that'd be nice tho'. ;-) No need for a hot pan holder.
>
>
>
> I use it for pancakes, tortillas, quesadillas, and so on. Cast iron
> comal to be precise. Not any recognizable brand.
>
>
> jim

I do quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches in the foreman. ;-)
Works rilly fast and crisps the bread/tortilla well with less oil.

Sounds great for pancakes tho.
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

In rec.food.cooking, Kenneth > wrote:

> You can get it much hotter than that (in a fraction of the
> time) on the range top.

How hot can you get it on the range top?



--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

In rec.food.cooking, Kenneth > wrote:

> You can get it much hotter than that (in a fraction of the
> time) on the range top.

How hot can you get it on the range top?



--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

"Douglas J. Renze" > wrote in message
news
>>
>
> Amen amen amen, I tell you. I, too, was lucky enough to inherit two sets
> of cast-iron skillets, the newer of which was used daily for the 65+
> years between when my Grandparents set up housekeeping & my grandfather
> died.
>
> This is exacly the way to treat it (I oil it with a vegetable spray,
> though, but same difference). You can still ruin them after all that
> time, though, if you (A) let them soak, or (B) use soap. If you've got
> something so cooked on that it won't come off, boil some water in it. If
> you DO happen to ruin the seasoning, though, don't panic - just reseason
> it and be sure to baby it for the next few uses. My wife killed the
> seasoning on one of mine a few times before she got the hang of it, and
> it's as good as new...er...old.
>
>
>> P.S. Lodge is just fine, but I'd buy at Walmart, rather
> than ebay. Just
>> think of what the shipping would cost you.
>
> Yup. Also, if you happen to have a Cracker Barrel in your area, they have
> Lodge at an obscenely reasonable price.



All this talk of CI so I was looking at my oldest one and it is looking
bad. The outside has a coat of burned on stuff, not the bottom but the
sides. We don't camp so I can't put it in a campfire. I have heard you
should put it in a selfcleaning oven. Does this work and can it hurt the
pan? Is there another way to clean it?
>
>
> --
> Douglas J. Renze
>
>
> To reply via direct e-mail, remove "nospam" from the e-mail address.
>

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:11:09 GMT, "Phyllis Stone" >
wrote:


>All this talk of CI so I was looking at my oldest one and it is looking
>bad. The outside has a coat of burned on stuff, not the bottom but the
>sides. We don't camp so I can't put it in a campfire. I have heard you
>should put it in a selfcleaning oven. Does this work and can it hurt the
>pan? Is there another way to clean it?

I've done this twice to different pans, works beautifully.


Pan Ohco



The Earth is degenerating these days. Bribery and corruption abound.
Children no longer mind their parents, every man wants to write a
Book, and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching.
--Assyrian stone tablet, c. 2800 B.C.

On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:11:09 GMT, "Phyllis Stone" >
wrote:


>All this talk of CI so I was looking at my oldest one and it is looking
>bad. The outside has a coat of burned on stuff, not the bottom but the
>sides. We don't camp so I can't put it in a campfire. I have heard you
>should put it in a selfcleaning oven. Does this work and can it hurt the
>pan? Is there another way to clean it?

I've done this twice to different pans, works beautifully.


Pan Ohco



The Earth is degenerating these days. Bribery and corruption abound.
Children no longer mind their parents, every man wants to write a
Book, and it is evident that the end of the world is fast approaching.
--Assyrian stone tablet, c. 2800 B.C.

On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 19:31:43 -0800, tenplay
> scribbled some thoughts:


>I'm looking for a good quality skillet. The saleswoman at a local
>department store recommended Lodge iron skillets even though they don't
>sell them. That was impressive in itself. Does anyone own one? If so,
> what do you think? I see them on sale at Amazon for just $14.99. Thanks.


Check the camping section at Wal-Mart. Check at garage
sales as some people may not appreciate the value of cast
iron skillets. Check at hardware stores they may sell some.
Also check at general stores as opposed to department
stores.

--

Sincerely, | NOTE: Best viewed in a fixed pitch font
| (©) (©)
Andrew H. Carter | ------ooo--(_)--ooo------
d(-_-)b | /// \\\

Lodge is a good name, but I have other's as well. Cast iron is cast iron.
I found a few of mine at garage sales at not real cost to myself and have
been using them for years.


"tenplay" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking for a good quality skillet. The saleswoman at a local
> department store recommended Lodge iron skillets even though they don't
> sell them. That was impressive in itself. Does anyone own one? If so,
> what do you think? I see them on sale at Amazon for just $14.99. Thanks.

>"Phyllis Stone" wrote:
>
>All this talk of CI so I was looking at my oldest one and it is
>looking bad. The outside has a coat of burned on stuff, not the bottom
>but the sides. We don't camp so I can't put it in a campfire. I have
>heard you should put it in a selfcleaning oven. Does this work and can
>it hurt the pan? Is there another way to clean it?

Over heating cast iron is not a good idea... cast iron engines crack/warp from
over heating all the time. Removing years of baked on food is easy... place
cookware in heavy plastic trash bag, add a few ounces of ordinary household
ammonia and seal bag. Do this outdoors. Do not breathe fumes. Do NOT ever add
bleach to ammonia. After 48 hours clean cookware with ordinary dish liquid,
baked on crud will slide right off.




---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

>"Phyllis Stone" wrote:
>
>All this talk of CI so I was looking at my oldest one and it is
>looking bad. The outside has a coat of burned on stuff, not the bottom
>but the sides. We don't camp so I can't put it in a campfire. I have
>heard you should put it in a selfcleaning oven. Does this work and can
>it hurt the pan? Is there another way to clean it?

Over heating cast iron is not a good idea... cast iron engines crack/warp from
over heating all the time. Removing years of baked on food is easy... place
cookware in heavy plastic trash bag, add a few ounces of ordinary household
ammonia and seal bag. Do this outdoors. Do not breathe fumes. Do NOT ever add
bleach to ammonia. After 48 hours clean cookware with ordinary dish liquid,
baked on crud will slide right off.




---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

"MOMPEAGRAM" > wrote in message
....
> Cast iron is cast iron.

Ah, no. There are many books written about cast iron explaing the different
alloys, casting processes, heat treating, stress relieving and a few dozen
other attributes.

"MOMPEAGRAM" > wrote in message
....
> Cast iron is cast iron.

Ah, no. There are many books written about cast iron explaing the different
alloys, casting processes, heat treating, stress relieving and a few dozen
other attributes.