Your tip about rinsing with cold water to prevent flash rust saved my beautiful #8 BSR Dutch oven from the trash. I had been working on it for two days. After I stripped off old seasoning in my self cleaning oven there was a LOT of rust that had been hiding underneath flaking sticky seasoning. (My bad: I seasoned it when I bought it but not correctly, cooked acid foods in it, scrubbed it with Brillo, oiled it when it was cold, etc.) Anyway, I tried everything I knew to get rid of rust: wire brush, salt scrub, vinegar and baking soda, vinegar/water soak. Surface was down to bare metal, very smooth inside, but rust came back as soon as it was dry. Until I gave it a cold water rinse per your suggestion. It's cooling off now from its first oven seasoning. I'm so glad I kept searching and found your channel. Happy collecting! And I'm sure your daughter will love her Grisowld #3. Great job!
That is so good to hear and I am glad you found me! I'm also glad I helped you rescue a piece of American history in the form of a skillet! lol Seriously, my tips (I learned many of them from RUclips videos myself along with good online reference sites and good old fashioned experience have allowed me to keep my collection in excellent condition. I've made a few mistakes along the way, but that's how we learn. Thanks again!
Electrolysis is easy to do and works great! Some folks here use a 12V charger hooked straight to the pan. I use a 12V battery and hook the charger to the battery. This way you have a constant 12-14 volts and the charger doesn't have to work as hard. Also you can use baking soda or arm and hammer super washing soda...either will work as an electrolyte solution in water.
Yes, for those that have room for the setup, electrolysis is the way to go. I don't restore much cast iron these days, so the lye bath followed by a vinegar soak work best for me.
I just recently setup an etank after a couple of years of elbow grease cleaning and I cant believe how well it works!!! its amazing and may have cost 60$ to put together.. even after all the trial and error. Cant recommend it more.
Thanks for your comments. I just don't have the time to actually set one up. The cost is very reasonable and isn't the issue. I just don't want to mess with the wires, etc. Seems confusing to me and I am far from being an electrician! lol
I've had them when they've been worse crowd on them than that and what I do to remove all that is I have a patio fireplace that I build a nice fire and put it in and it burns all that crud off all the residue just brushes off and then you can rinse them off and start seasoning works great
You can do one of two things. 1) You can dump the used lye solution one gallon at a time down the drain but this method is kind of slow. or 2) You can dump it outside in the grass without damaging it. I have to dismantled a lye bath I have and will probably use a combination of both methods. Warning: Don't do this with a vinegar bath because it will kill the grass! just gradually pour it down the drain.
Now that was one of the best vedios I've seen on lye and vinegar soaks. I'm setting up a electrolysis tank but I'm going to use lye a lot first. I don't plan to use mechanical means though. I would like for you to talk about prices and what selling methods work best. Thanks!
Thank you Wayne! Since I made this video, I've tweaked my methods just a bit. I still use lye, then my vinegar soak with scrubbings in between. Then depending on how bad the skillet is, it goes back into lye some more and back to vinegar and so it goes until all the crud is gone. Patience is needed, but even if you do electrolysis, lye is the crucial first step in softening the old crud/seasoning so your e-tank knocks the job out in 12-24 hours. I would have an etank, but there is no good place for one at the moment, so my set up will have to do. Stay tuned for my next video and see the results this method has done on a #6-#7-#8 Griswold vintage skillets! I might combine it with how to buy cast iron on line and what to look for. I think that will be right up your alley. Stay tuned! 😉
I realize this is an older video but is there a reason ya don't want to use electrolysis? Does it do something negative that I'm unaware of? That was an 8 hour job using electrolysis and I only have a 6 amp DC supply. It can clean 4 pieces in about the same time as it takes to clean 1. If its rusty I'll do a pre scrub with 50% vinegar and water mix before I put in electrolysis. I don't thing its necessary but it keeps my electrolysis solution cleaner longer.
I don't have the space or room at home to set up an e-tank while allowing proper ventilation (actual space requirement along with the weather allowing proper ventilation of the tank). I also don't process that many pieces of cast iron to warrant the work to set it up. People that use it swear by it, so there there is nothing dangerous to the iron itself of doing e-tank. If it works for you, then by all means keep doing what you are doing. My vinegar bath and lye tank work for me so I will continue to use them. A little bit of patience goes a long way. That said, you still need to clean out your e-tank including your anodes which I would prefer not dealing with. Batteries also need to be replaced as well, but you already know this! lol Your tip certainly will help you in not having to clean it out more often by using the vinegar bath. Industry guidelines suggest a soak in the lye bath first to soften the old seasoning and crud BEFORE you use your e-tank. I would think that might also keep your e-tank cleaner.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 You know with the low amperage the e-tank doesn't give off any fumes. My wife and I are empty nesters so I have the tank in a bathtub that we no longer use. I can pull the shower curtain and make it all go away. I'm using a 18 gallon tote as a tank with sheets of stainless steel on each side. With the low amperage you can use stainless, it's much easier to clean. I use an old battery charger for a power supply but it has to be a manual charger. I had most of the parts in my shop so I just assembled it with what I had. That black crud will be hanging on the piece like black plastic, it brushes off by hand. Steven of Cast Iron Cookware channel was pushing 40 amps in his stainless steel tank without fumes. Personally I'm not sure that I want to try that but it can be done. I think you'd like it. I'm certainly not an expert but if I can help in any way let me know.
It's not fumes you need to worry about per say with electrolysis...you won't smell anything. It's hydrogen generation which always occurs with electrolysis as part of the chemistry. It's a very flammable gas obviously and can asphyxiate you so making sure you have some sort of ventilation is important even if it's just a bathroom exhaust fan. Unless you want some fireworks, keep ignition sources away :)
@@patrickcasper7487 I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer, the hydrogen generation was what I was calling fumes which you are correct they aren't. My exact new setup consists of a lye tank where the pieces wait their turn for the 25 gallon e-tank which is nothing more than a tote that holds 20 gallons of sodium carbonate. The tote is lined with stainless steel sheets held in place by a SS bolt and wingnut. I have two sets of anodes so one can be used while the other is being cleaned and the wingnut makes for a simple changeout. The anodes are connected on the outside of the tote. I use two copper pipes to suspend the pieces each with its own battery charger. Currently I have a bunt pan in the tank with both chargers connecter to it. Larger pieces benefit from more amperage. I set the chargers over the central heat & air vent with the fan turned on the unit to keep them cool, this also helps with the ventilation. They operate at 78 to 80 degrees. With this setup I've had numerous sparks from the negative leads right over the tank with no problem. I clean and season for two businesses so it isn't uncommon for them to run 24-7. I'm starting to think I've turned this hobby into a job. lol
I hope this video helps! This one was a doosey to do and it was a long process with some improvising along the way. I did have to speed up some of the video segments because it just went soooo long but the voice overs should help with any of the finer detailed instructions. I am glad you liked the way the pan came out! I think she will like it too. Thanks for watching! :-)
Don’t use her destructive methods. No sanding, wire Wheels, no fire/heat cleaning and no sandblasting. Do a lot more research before cleaning a vintage piece. Thanks.
Hi, thank you for this thorough video. I have been researching how to get the cruddy mess off my cast iron skillet. Inside it is prestine, but outside I was neglectful and let grease accumulate. So, i live in the city and from watching videos I think my best plan is to use the easy off. Several vlogs have recommended it. However, you went a step further and explained the importance of neutralizing the lye with a vinegar bath. My question is as follows: What is the ratio of vinegar to water? My skillet is a small lodge pan. Thank you in advance for your kind consideration.
Correct. This is the best and safest ratio, although when used, one still needs to babysit the pans while soaking so no lasting damage is done by soaking too long!
Good job! I like the dusty, rusty, and crusty projects. Your D.I.L. is a lucky girl. You are giving her a dose of "castironitis" which will most likely be with her for the rest of her life.
Thank you Larry! I worked like a dog on this pan - it was soooo stubborn! I figured it would be the perfect tutorial for others in the cast iron community and yes, I am afraid I've given both of my kids a dose of castironitis! They have a modern #10 Lodge I gave her last year for Christmas, an unmarked BS& R #5 skillet I restored for my son's birthday, and now this one! When I was there for Thanksgiving, both skillets were shiny black. I almost didn't recognize the BS & R because it was a golden bronze color after I was done restoring it. :-)
Yeah, I'd say that is a steal. As long as there are no major flaws, you have a very valuable piece there. I've only found the small logo #4 and it isn't a valuable as this piece is.
It’s in great shape. Only one tiny pit on the surface. I’ve already passed the fried egg test. Slides right out. Keep up the good work informing all of us about CI.
Yeah, this works pretty well when you don't want to heat up the house using your self cleaning oven! I've tried both ways and sometimes the oven is more effective with this stubborn baked on seasoning! Anyway, thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. :-)
ReLly great information and this will help me the next time I am at a flea market and pick one up! Thanks for sharing and teaching! Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
I am glad you could benefit from this info! I have a video up today of making an omelette in a slightly larger skillet like this one that was very stubborn to restore. I think you might find it interesting! Thanks for watching my friend and here's to a very Merry Christmas to you and yours as well! :-)
No, if done correctly. I no longer use a wire wheel, especially on collectible cast iron. I will occasionally use it on a skillet I will use and not for resale. I have brought back to life skillets that way, that would have otherwise joined the trash pile!
I have run into a couple of them in an antique mall, however, they were over priced in my opinion. Perhaps because they are harder to find? I don't know, but as to sauce pans, my copper bottom Revere ware serves the purpose for me.
Just picked up 2 of them (#3) one unmarked and the other LBL. One needs cleaning made bacon and egg in the Gris this am. Best I've ever had.Bought a group of three (2-#3 and a #8) for $14.00
Good luck with the restoration if you haven't done so already and you got a great price on your pans. Just to note: even if a pan looks great when I pick it up, I still strip and restore it to the base metal because you just don't know what the previous owners have done with the pan. I like starting from scratch! Thanks for watching.
What camera are you using, LLS? I wanted to show you my new town, but My iphone camera does not have enough memory! Wow, you are an expert in cast iron pans! That Griswold skillet sure came out very nice. Thanks for sharing (and bringing us around places near you), my friend. Take care.
Believe it or not Silver Saver, that is my old old Droid Maxx (Motorola) from 2014. I am going to have to replace it before long because the battery is getting weaker by the day and doesn't want to hold the charge as long as before. That said, I am glad you watched this long video because it was very tutorial in nature. I was doing it because I myself appreciate what others have done in these types of videos teaching ME about cast iron! lol It will be there for a long while helping people restore their old cast iron skillets or let's hope so! Anyway, my phone is an Android operating system, has about 32 Gig, but that is everything - apps and all. It has been a great phone and hope I find another good one when it is replaced! Glad you enjoyed the drive and seeing my area too. :-)
Just the thought of useing lye in a cooking pot makes me cringe! I would think it would get into the pore's of the cast iron. Useing the self cleaning oven method they come out like newly cast pans. No scrubbing. Just wash and season!
I removed rust using a potato and salt, copper wool, and even sand paper. You know how the surface isn't smooth when you look up close? Those little crevices still look discolored and black comes off when I wipe it off. Do you think I should get fine steel wool, wipe or soak in vinegar/water or go get a wire brush and wheel for my drill?
Yes, the cooking surface of this pan was less than I would have preferred. That said, it is very smooth and works as I tested it out. It is very non-stick and in time, the crevices will get filled in with cooking fat and maintenance seasoning. If I had had more time, I would have soaked it longer in the vinegar/water soak and/or Easy Off Oven Cleaner and scoured the pan with a "00" scouring pad purchased at Home Depot along with Dawn blue dish soap. After you are satisfied with the results, you can get your #2 round wire brush for your drill and sand away until you are satisfied the pan is smooth enough. Make sure to wipe the pan down really good with a paper towel after you're done sanding. So you should be fine if you follow most of the procedures on this video. I really had to improvise as this pan was STUBBORN!!! LOL Good luck!
Thanks for getting back to me !! I thought your pan looked AWESOME (a great gift idea for a DIL btw). That comment was about mine as it has both rust in the crevices and iron from hand sanding !! I didn't notice the smoothness of your pan so much as the great color, as I'm focused on getting rid of rust and iron residue out of the crevices. You're saying that using these procedures in some combination: lye bath, vinegar/water, Easy Off, "00" steel wool and Dawn blue, should remove the rust, and the round wire brush is basically for making it smooth AFTER the previous procedures have removed the rust. The first time I saw your video I thought you sanded it down to get rust out of those nooks and crannies too (thinking of my pan).
Burning off the crud over a fire risks permanent fire damage to the skillet if not done correctly and besides, I don't have a fire pit. This risks a permanent damage which produces a red like rust on the pan. Once that is there, it is very hard to hold seasoning. If I were going to try a different method, it would have been to use my self clean oven, but the smoke that pours out of it requires I open all of my surrounding windows to let the smoke out. I don't like doing that in this cold weather. Although this took a while, I do like the results. If I were going to sell on eBay, I would have soaked it longer, but Christmas doesn't wait as I stated in the video.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 sounds like you dont know about the wonderful cheap tool that is an orbital sander.. get the ryobi its much nicer to use than the harbor feight. the only way to destory cast iron is cracking it. warping isnt nearly an issue as people like to make it out to be. unless the end user is using a flattop ;) fuck those piles
@@ladylibertystacker2014 there were lumps of metal showing threw when i used a wire wire to take it off so be careful of buy some of these pans if they are really crusty use a small knife and see if it will remove the crust of the pan.
GolDreadLocks If that were the case for me, you have other options. 1) You could put them through a self clean oven cycle and it will remove the crud. Just make sure your windows are open to get rid of the excess smoke that will pour out of your oven! After that, you would continue the process you see on this video. If you don’t want to do that, just use the Easy Off Oven Cleaner the heavy duty one as shown in this video, but be prepared for repeated applications if the crud is baked on like mine was then continue with the steps on this video. You could also take an Avanti 4” strip disc at Home Depot and sand off the excess depending on how big your skillet is. Then improvise to get it done! Hope this helps.
**If you use soap before/after seasoning be sure to boil a few pans of water to release soap trapped inside the pans pores, then dry immediately to prevent flash rusting**
I do this only with non-collectible cast iron in the worst of shape. Anything like a Griswold or Vollrath with thin side walls is subject to heat damage due to the temperatures of a self clean oven. The worst thing is a crack or warpage at which both can occur from doing this. Proceed cautiously if you do.
#6s are not as plentiful as other sizes and the small logo is not as valuable as the large logo. That said, as long as it is in good shape, what's not to like? I have a Wagner #6 I just used today to make a panini! It's the perfect sze for that. lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014 its a great little pan for shure im happy i grabed it. i just put 3 coats of seasoning and it ready to cook ps thank you for the reply ..........keep on cooking
That is good that it had the crud just flake off! Just be careful if using a self cleaning oven. They get even hotter than that! Vintage skillets such as Griswold or Vollrath with thin walls can't take such heat and can warp or crack with temperatures like 900-1000 degrees which is what they get to. I have been guilty of doing this, but luckily, they were only Wagners! lol
Sorry about that. This particular skillet was nasty. The best way is a super long soak in a lye bath (see videos on how to set up), followed by a water rinse and scrub with a scratch resistant blue pad or brillo pad, then a quick soak in 50/50 vinegar/water bath, scrub with industrial soap & water rinse. If not all crud or rust is gone, back in lye bath for a few hours to a day, then repeat all steps until satisfied. This of course you don't have an e-tank set up. Best of luck!
Grease is one thing, but baked on old carbon is another matter all together. The more I investigate this, the more I am convinced to give electrolysis a try. This pan would have been perfect for it, once the lye bath soak softened things up a bit.
LadyLibertyStacker I'm sorry I misunderstood... in your video you were talking about her collecting teacups and other antiques. I assumed that you would want her gift to be a collectible. If I wanted to purchase her an iron skillet just to use, I would buy it from Walmart. 😏
That is a great way to strip a skillet without causing serious damage. The coals can't be more than 300-350 degrees, but the length of time should work just fine. I might try this on non-collectible cast iron, but I certainly wouldn't try this on a good bones Griswold! lol
I just did this up at the cabin! One of the big ones had a thick buildup of grease and what not. At the end of the night? As the fire bunt down to just embers I tossed it in. I got up a few hours later and it was all gone. I had to clean and re season. But that pan was my great grandmother’s!!! It is on its 4th generation.
Cast iron is porous. Any poisonous substance you use for cleaning it goes into the iron and will be given off later into the food when you cook with it. Make sure you neutralize well any caustic substance used to clean it. Otherwise use it only as a collector or decorator. .
Cast iron is not porous, that is a myth floating around in the RUclips cast iron community. The only thing that appears to be porous is the surface where the molecules spread out when the cast iron piece is heated and thus, they are able to allow the seasoning to seep in through these separations and build up a smooth layer over time. Cold cast iron is anything but porous so you can use lye to your heart's content without worry. You also neutralize any lye with vinegar and water (which my soaks do automatically) so there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I have been doing this now for a number of years and have managed to stay very healthy. Thanks for watching.
Very true. HOWEVER, on cast iron that has"Made in USA" stamped on it, that means it was made after 1960 not before. Older cast iron in good condition is always a bit more valuable to collectors!
You use a lye bath for stripping and say sandblasting ruins the value. You are correct in saying that but turn right around and sand and use a wire wheel on this same skillets. Now YOU have ruined the value of 2 very nice skillets. Yes you can use them but collector value is shot. Never never use destructive methods to clean skillets an NEVER teach that wire wheel and sanding as a way to strip vintage cast iron skillets.
A Lye bath puts Lye into the pores of the cast iron! The only way you should clean an old skillet like this in this condition is to put it into an oven that has a Cleaning feature and let it run for at least 2 hours. Once it cools down you can rinse all of the Crud off with warm water! The heat turns this stuck on Crud into powder that will just fall off the skillet if you tap it with your hand! No Scrubbing, no Elbow Grease just wash it with a small amount of your favorite dish washing soap liquid soap like Dawn or Palmolive. Then heat at 200 degrees to dry it and then you can start the Seasoning process! Some people use Oven Cleaner!! Would you eat Oven Cleaner? NO! Don't put anything on your cast Iron like Lye or Oven Cleaner!!
Please educate yourself on cast iron restoration. A lye tank is highly recommended and follows industry guidelines as a great way to strip cast iron. Cast iron is NOT porous and lye has never been proven to be toxic when used as a stripping agent. The only thing that happens with cast iron is the top layer of molecules spread out when HEATED which is what allows the seasoning oils to stick. Plus vinegar neutralizes the lye so you’re good. A self clean oven is used as a last resort and only for thicker cast which should not warp due to the heat these cycles produce. I would only use a self clean oven cycle for non collectible and thicker cast iron which would hold up to the high temperature which one cannot control during the cycle. Please see www.castironcollector.com for further details.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I disagree! And using high heat like I stated works better and is far easier than your method! I am 74 years old and have been collecting and using and cleaning and re-seasoning Cast Iron for over 45 years. You re-educate yourself!!
@@ronmartin3755 My husband put my dutch ovens into a fire. Ruined them. Just because you've done it doesn't make it right. I would never put my vintage cast iron into a self cleaning oven either.
You are a great mother in law to do this!
Your tip about rinsing with cold water to prevent flash rust saved my beautiful #8 BSR Dutch oven from the trash. I had been working on it for two days. After I stripped off old seasoning in my self cleaning oven there was a LOT of rust that had been hiding underneath flaking sticky seasoning. (My bad: I seasoned it when I bought it but not correctly, cooked acid foods in it, scrubbed it with Brillo, oiled it when it was cold, etc.) Anyway, I tried everything I knew to get rid of rust: wire brush, salt scrub, vinegar and baking soda, vinegar/water soak. Surface was down to bare metal, very smooth inside, but rust came back as soon as it was dry. Until I gave it a cold water rinse per your suggestion. It's cooling off now from its first oven seasoning. I'm so glad I kept searching and found your channel. Happy collecting! And I'm sure your daughter will love her Grisowld #3. Great job!
That is so good to hear and I am glad you found me! I'm also glad I helped you rescue a piece of American history in the form of a skillet! lol Seriously, my tips (I learned many of them from RUclips videos myself along with good online reference sites and good old fashioned experience have allowed me to keep my collection in excellent condition. I've made a few mistakes along the way, but that's how we learn. Thanks again!
@@ladylibertystacker2014 aqPlp
Electrolysis is easy to do and works great! Some folks here use a 12V charger hooked straight to the pan. I use a 12V battery and hook the charger to the battery. This way you have a constant 12-14 volts and the charger doesn't have to work as hard. Also you can use baking soda or arm and hammer super washing soda...either will work as an electrolyte solution in water.
Yes, for those that have room for the setup, electrolysis is the way to go. I don't restore much cast iron these days, so the lye bath followed by a vinegar soak work best for me.
I just recently setup an etank after a couple of years of elbow grease cleaning and I cant believe how well it works!!! its amazing and may have cost 60$ to put together.. even after all the trial and error. Cant recommend it more.
Thanks for your comments. I just don't have the time to actually set one up. The cost is very reasonable and isn't the issue. I just don't want to mess with the wires, etc. Seems confusing to me and I am far from being an electrician! lol
I've had them when they've been worse crowd on them than that and what I do to remove all that is I have a patio fireplace that I build a nice fire and put it in and it burns all that crud off all the residue just brushes off and then you can rinse them off and start seasoning works great
Just before with fire, it could damage a skillet by cracks or warping.
How do you plan ultimately to dispose of that tank of used lye?
You can do one of two things. 1) You can dump the used lye solution one gallon at a time down the drain but this method is kind of slow. or 2) You can dump it outside in the grass without damaging it. I have to dismantled a lye bath I have and will probably use a combination of both methods.
Warning: Don't do this with a vinegar bath because it will kill the grass! just gradually pour it down the drain.
@@ladylibertystacker2014agree about lye in the drain. It’s actually used to unclog it. So kind of a win-win there.
Now that was one of the best vedios I've seen on lye and vinegar soaks. I'm setting up a electrolysis tank but I'm going to use lye a lot first. I don't plan to use mechanical means though. I would like for you to talk about prices and what selling methods work best. Thanks!
Thank you Wayne! Since I made this video, I've tweaked my methods just a bit. I still use lye, then my vinegar soak with scrubbings in between. Then depending on how bad the skillet is, it goes back into lye some more and back to vinegar and so it goes until all the crud is gone. Patience is needed, but even if you do electrolysis, lye is the crucial first step in softening the old crud/seasoning so your e-tank knocks the job out in 12-24 hours. I would have an etank, but there is no good place for one at the moment, so my set up will have to do. Stay tuned for my next video and see the results this method has done on a #6-#7-#8 Griswold vintage skillets! I might combine it with how to buy cast iron on line and what to look for. I think that will be right up your alley. Stay tuned! 😉
Very helpful- I just found a Griswold and it was super cruddy. 💫
Wonderful! Glad it was helpful! 😊
I realize this is an older video but is there a reason ya don't want to use electrolysis? Does it do something negative that I'm unaware of? That was an 8 hour job using electrolysis and I only have a 6 amp DC supply. It can clean 4 pieces in about the same time as it takes to clean 1. If its rusty I'll do a pre scrub with 50% vinegar and water mix before I put in electrolysis. I don't thing its necessary but it keeps my electrolysis solution cleaner longer.
I don't have the space or room at home to set up an e-tank while allowing proper ventilation (actual space requirement along with the weather allowing proper ventilation of the tank). I also don't process that many pieces of cast iron to warrant the work to set it up. People that use it swear by it, so there there is nothing dangerous to the iron itself of doing e-tank. If it works for you, then by all means keep doing what you are doing. My vinegar bath and lye tank work for me so I will continue to use them. A little bit of patience goes a long way. That said, you still need to clean out your e-tank including your anodes which I would prefer not dealing with. Batteries also need to be replaced as well, but you already know this! lol Your tip certainly will help you in not having to clean it out more often by using the vinegar bath. Industry guidelines suggest a soak in the lye bath first to soften the old seasoning and crud BEFORE you use your e-tank. I would think that might also keep your e-tank cleaner.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 You know with the low amperage the e-tank doesn't give off any fumes. My wife and I are empty nesters so I have the tank in a bathtub that we no longer use. I can pull the shower curtain and make it all go away. I'm using a 18 gallon tote as a tank with sheets of stainless steel on each side. With the low amperage you can use stainless, it's much easier to clean. I use an old battery charger for a power supply but it has to be a manual charger. I had most of the parts in my shop so I just assembled it with what I had. That black crud will be hanging on the piece like black plastic, it brushes off by hand. Steven of Cast Iron Cookware channel was pushing 40 amps in his stainless steel tank without fumes. Personally I'm not sure that I want to try that but it can be done. I think you'd like it. I'm certainly not an expert but if I can help in any way let me know.
It's not fumes you need to worry about per say with electrolysis...you won't smell anything. It's hydrogen generation which always occurs with electrolysis as part of the chemistry. It's a very flammable gas obviously and can asphyxiate you so making sure you have some sort of ventilation is important even if it's just a bathroom exhaust fan. Unless you want some fireworks, keep ignition sources away :)
@@patrickcasper7487 I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer, the hydrogen generation was what I was calling fumes which you are correct they aren't. My exact new setup consists of a lye tank where the pieces wait their turn for the 25 gallon e-tank which is nothing more than a tote that holds 20 gallons of sodium carbonate. The tote is lined with stainless steel sheets held in place by a SS bolt and wingnut. I have two sets of anodes so one can be used while the other is being cleaned and the wingnut makes for a simple changeout. The anodes are connected on the outside of the tote. I use two copper pipes to suspend the pieces each with its own battery charger. Currently I have a bunt pan in the tank with both chargers connecter to it. Larger pieces benefit from more amperage. I set the chargers over the central heat & air vent with the fan turned on the unit to keep them cool, this also helps with the ventilation. They operate at 78 to 80 degrees. With this setup I've had numerous sparks from the negative leads right over the tank with no problem. I clean and season for two businesses so it isn't uncommon for them to run 24-7. I'm starting to think I've turned this hobby into a job. lol
Wow that looks great. My wife has some of her grandmas she wants done but I had no clue how to do it.
I hope this video helps! This one was a doosey to do and it was a long process with some improvising along the way. I did have to speed up some of the video segments because it just went soooo long but the voice overs should help with any of the finer detailed instructions. I am glad you liked the way the pan came out! I think she will like it too. Thanks for watching! :-)
Don’t use her destructive methods. No sanding, wire Wheels, no fire/heat cleaning and no sandblasting. Do a lot more research before cleaning a vintage piece. Thanks.
Safety glasses too 👍👍💯
Yep!
Hi, thank you for this thorough video. I have been researching how to get the cruddy mess off my cast iron skillet.
Inside it is prestine, but outside I was neglectful and let grease accumulate.
So, i live in the city and from watching videos I think my best plan is to use the easy off. Several vlogs have recommended it. However, you went a step further and explained the importance of neutralizing the lye with a vinegar bath.
My question is as follows:
What is the ratio of vinegar to water?
My skillet is a small lodge pan.
Thank you in advance for your kind consideration.
50/50 vinegar to water ratio. 🌞
@@old-fashionedcoughypot Thank you for your help.
Much appreciated!
Correct. This is the best and safest ratio, although when used, one still needs to babysit the pans while soaking so no lasting damage is done by soaking too long!
Great vid...couldn’t believe it you are going down Cleveland Massillon Rd I live in Copley. Love my cast iron!
17bigdawg I was wondering if anyone would recognize it! I love their area, so pretty! Thanks for watching. :-)
Good job! I like the dusty, rusty, and crusty projects. Your D.I.L. is a lucky girl. You are giving her a dose of "castironitis" which will most likely be with her for the rest of her life.
Thank you Larry! I worked like a dog on this pan - it was soooo stubborn! I figured it would be the perfect tutorial for others in the cast iron community and yes, I am afraid I've given both of my kids a dose of castironitis! They have a modern #10 Lodge I gave her last year for Christmas, an unmarked BS& R #5 skillet I restored for my son's birthday, and now this one! When I was there for Thanksgiving, both skillets were shiny black. I almost didn't recognize the BS & R because it was a golden bronze color after I was done restoring it. :-)
I found a Griswold large logo #4 at a flea market a few weeks ago for $8. What a steal.
Yeah, I'd say that is a steal. As long as there are no major flaws, you have a very valuable piece there. I've only found the small logo #4 and it isn't a valuable as this piece is.
It’s in great shape. Only one tiny pit on the surface. I’ve already passed the fried egg test. Slides right out. Keep up the good work informing all of us about CI.
@@rightsideclyde1398 Thank you and good for you!
I’m horrible with math. Can anyone help me figure out a 60 40? How do I calculate that starting with gallons?
1.2 gallons would be 60% of 2 gallons and go from there.
You did Awesome , Thanks, i have 13 Pans to do...Good Idea..
Yeah, this works pretty well when you don't want to heat up the house using your self cleaning oven! I've tried both ways and sometimes the oven is more effective with this stubborn baked on seasoning! Anyway, thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it. :-)
How'd they come out?
The pan turned out really nice.
Thank you walt, and let's hope she likes it too! I think she will, both my son and his wife are very appreciative of what they are given! :-)
ReLly great information and this will help me the next time I am at a flea market and pick one up! Thanks for sharing and teaching! Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
I am glad you could benefit from this info! I have a video up today of making an omelette in a slightly larger skillet like this one that was very stubborn to restore. I think you might find it interesting! Thanks for watching my friend and here's to a very Merry Christmas to you and yours as well! :-)
Bake it off in a bbq grill. Jack up the temperature to max put in your pan. Leave it there until it stops smoking.
Thanks for the tip.
Don’t you scratch the pan with a wire wheel? Thanks
No, if done correctly. I no longer use a wire wheel, especially on collectible cast iron. I will occasionally use it on a skillet I will use and not for resale. I have brought back to life skillets that way, that would have otherwise joined the trash pile!
I haven't ever seen any cast iron sauce pots. Seems to go from pans and griddles to dutch-ovens. Why is that?
I have run into a couple of them in an antique mall, however, they were over priced in my opinion. Perhaps because they are harder to find? I don't know, but as to sauce pans, my copper bottom Revere ware serves the purpose for me.
@@ladylibertystacker2014has to be the older serial numbers on those copper bottoms. Just sayen.
Just picked up 2 of them (#3) one unmarked and the other LBL. One needs cleaning made bacon and egg in the Gris this am. Best I've ever had.Bought a group of three (2-#3 and a #8) for $14.00
Good luck with the restoration if you haven't done so already and you got a great price on your pans. Just to note: even if a pan looks great when I pick it up, I still strip and restore it to the base metal because you just don't know what the previous owners have done with the pan. I like starting from scratch! Thanks for watching.
What camera are you using, LLS? I wanted to show you my new town, but My iphone camera does not have enough memory! Wow, you are an expert in cast iron pans! That Griswold skillet sure came out very nice. Thanks for sharing (and bringing us around places near you), my friend. Take care.
Believe it or not Silver Saver, that is my old old Droid Maxx (Motorola) from 2014. I am going to have to replace it before long because the battery is getting weaker by the day and doesn't want to hold the charge as long as before. That said, I am glad you watched this long video because it was very tutorial in nature. I was doing it because I myself appreciate what others have done in these types of videos teaching ME about cast iron! lol It will be there for a long while helping people restore their old cast iron skillets or let's hope so! Anyway, my phone is an Android operating system, has about 32 Gig, but that is everything - apps and all. It has been a great phone and hope I find another good one when it is replaced! Glad you enjoyed the drive and seeing my area too. :-)
Try self cleaning oven method.
I've done that in other videos. I have a good size cast iron play list.
Just the thought of useing lye in a cooking pot makes me cringe! I would think it would get into the pore's of the cast iron. Useing the self cleaning oven method they come out like newly cast pans. No scrubbing. Just wash and season!
I removed rust using a potato and salt, copper wool, and even sand paper. You know how the surface isn't smooth when you look up close? Those little crevices still look discolored and black comes off when I wipe it off.
Do you think I should get fine steel wool, wipe or soak in vinegar/water or go get a wire brush and wheel for my drill?
Yes, the cooking surface of this pan was less than I would have preferred. That said, it is very smooth and works as I tested it out. It is very non-stick and in time, the crevices will get filled in with cooking fat and maintenance seasoning. If I had had more time, I would have soaked it longer in the vinegar/water soak and/or Easy Off Oven Cleaner and scoured the pan with a "00" scouring pad purchased at Home Depot along with Dawn blue dish soap. After you are satisfied with the results, you can get your #2 round wire brush for your drill and sand away until you are satisfied the pan is smooth enough. Make sure to wipe the pan down really good with a paper towel after you're done sanding. So you should be fine if you follow most of the procedures on this video. I really had to improvise as this pan was STUBBORN!!! LOL Good luck!
Thanks for getting back to me !! I thought your pan looked AWESOME (a great gift idea for a DIL btw). That comment was about mine as it has both rust in the crevices and iron from hand sanding !!
I didn't notice the smoothness of your pan so much as the great color, as I'm focused on getting rid of rust and iron residue out of the crevices.
You're saying that using these procedures in some combination: lye bath, vinegar/water, Easy Off, "00" steel wool and Dawn blue, should remove the rust, and the round wire brush is basically for making it smooth AFTER the previous procedures have removed the rust.
The first time I saw your video I thought you sanded it down to get rust out of those nooks and crannies too (thinking of my pan).
Great job
Thank you!
great video, thanks LadyLiberty!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. :-)
There are videos from Australia where the guy uses molasses mix to remove rust on auto parts.
Hey, whatever works! Molasses has been used on cast iron too, I just haven't used that method.
Why not cook off the crud over fire on a grill or fire pit?
Burning off the crud over a fire risks permanent fire damage to the skillet if not done correctly and besides, I don't have a fire pit. This risks a permanent damage which produces a red like rust on the pan. Once that is there, it is very hard to hold seasoning. If I were going to try a different method, it would have been to use my self clean oven, but the smoke that pours out of it requires I open all of my surrounding windows to let the smoke out. I don't like doing that in this cold weather. Although this took a while, I do like the results. If I were going to sell on eBay, I would have soaked it longer, but Christmas doesn't wait as I stated in the video.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 sounds like you dont know about the wonderful cheap tool that is an orbital sander.. get the ryobi its much nicer to use than the harbor feight. the only way to destory cast iron is cracking it. warping isnt nearly an issue as people like to make it out to be. unless the end user is using a flattop ;) fuck those piles
LadyLibe
Even use a self cleaning oven 3 hours 4 top.
I tried this with a Wagner pan and I discovered that they used it to melt lead had to throw it away.
That's a shame. Did you do a lead test? How did you know?
@@ladylibertystacker2014 there were lumps of metal showing threw when i used a wire wire to take it off so be careful of buy some of these pans if they are really crusty use a small knife and see if it will remove the crust of the pan.
lye is illegal here what other solution do you have?
GolDreadLocks If that were the case for me, you have other options. 1) You could put them through a self clean oven cycle and it will remove the crud. Just make sure your windows are open to get rid of the excess smoke that will pour out of your oven! After that, you would continue the process you see on this video. If you don’t want to do that, just use the Easy Off Oven Cleaner the heavy duty one as shown in this video, but be prepared for repeated applications if the crud is baked on like mine was then continue with the steps on this video. You could also take an Avanti 4” strip disc at Home Depot and sand off the excess depending on how big your skillet is. Then improvise to get it done! Hope this helps.
+LadyLibertyStackethanks for the info!
GolDreadLocks You are very welcome and good luck!
**If you use soap before/after seasoning be sure to boil a few pans of water to release soap trapped inside the pans pores, then dry immediately to prevent flash rusting**
Good to know - thanks for the tip!
Leave it in your oven on clean cycle to purify it clean
I do this only with non-collectible cast iron in the worst of shape. Anything like a Griswold or Vollrath with thin side walls is subject to heat damage due to the temperatures of a self clean oven. The worst thing is a crack or warpage at which both can occur from doing this. Proceed cautiously if you do.
just got a griswold #6 small logo do you have any info ?
#6s are not as plentiful as other sizes and the small logo is not as valuable as the large logo. That said, as long as it is in good shape, what's not to like? I have a Wagner #6 I just used today to make a panini! It's the perfect sze for that. lol
@@ladylibertystacker2014 its a great little pan for shure im happy i grabed it. i just put 3 coats of seasoning and it ready to cook ps thank you for the reply ..........keep on cooking
Thanks for the video
Glad you liked it. This was a very stubborn pan to do! lol
I had one worse and put it in my grill for four hours at 700 degrees and that stuff turned to dust
That is good that it had the crud just flake off! Just be careful if using a self cleaning oven. They get even hotter than that! Vintage skillets such as Griswold or Vollrath with thin walls can't take such heat and can warp or crack with temperatures like 900-1000 degrees which is what they get to. I have been guilty of doing this, but luckily, they were only Wagners! lol
Electrolysis is the easiest way ,would be thorough in about two days. No gloves needed in that process.
Yep it is. I just didn't have the space for the correct set-up. Lye tank is 2nd best way and I am very patient! lol
Taking to long to get to cleaning cast iron skillet you have lost me
Sorry about that. This particular skillet was nasty. The best way is a super long soak in a lye bath (see videos on how to set up), followed by a water rinse and scrub with a scratch resistant blue pad or brillo pad, then a quick soak in 50/50 vinegar/water bath, scrub with industrial soap & water rinse. If not all crud or rust is gone, back in lye bath for a few hours to a day, then repeat all steps until satisfied. This of course you don't have an e-tank set up. Best of luck!
Some water in it and some Cascade and bring it up to a boil and then let it simmer will cut that grease right out of bottom of it
Grease is one thing, but baked on old carbon is another matter all together. The more I investigate this, the more I am convinced to give electrolysis a try. This pan would have been perfect for it, once the lye bath soak softened things up a bit.
Buy a couple bunches of green onions. Sautee till onions are charred. It will remove all the residue. Do it outside
Thanks for the tip! Will try that one sometime.
When you wire wheel a cast iron pan you ruin the collectibility of it🙁
I never wire wheel anything that is truly collectible. Only what I want to keep or make usable for a family member. Case closed.
LadyLibertyStacker I'm sorry I misunderstood... in your video you were talking about her collecting teacups and other antiques. I assumed that you would want her gift to be a collectible. If I wanted to purchase her an iron skillet just to use, I would buy it from Walmart. 😏
I've done worse pans by putting them in my woodstove when the fire is out and you have a bed of coals. Next day the pan will look like a new casting.
That is a great way to strip a skillet without causing serious damage. The coals can't be more than 300-350 degrees, but the length of time should work just fine. I might try this on non-collectible cast iron, but I certainly wouldn't try this on a good bones Griswold! lol
I just did this up at the cabin! One of the big ones had a thick buildup of grease and what not. At the end of the night? As the fire bunt down to just embers I tossed it in. I got up a few hours later and it was all gone. I had to clean and re season. But that pan was my great grandmother’s!!! It is on its 4th generation.
Cast iron is porous. Any poisonous substance you use for cleaning it goes into the iron and will be given off later into the food when you cook with it. Make sure you neutralize well any caustic substance used to clean it. Otherwise use it only as a collector or decorator.
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Cast iron is not porous, that is a myth floating around in the RUclips cast iron community. The only thing that appears to be porous is the surface where the molecules spread out when the cast iron piece is heated and thus, they are able to allow the seasoning to seep in through these separations and build up a smooth layer over time. Cold cast iron is anything but porous so you can use lye to your heart's content without worry. You also neutralize any lye with vinegar and water (which my soaks do automatically) so there is absolutely nothing to worry about. I have been doing this now for a number of years and have managed to stay very healthy. Thanks for watching.
Minus the minute details, but you have an unnecessarily long introduction that details your life....
If you don't like it, then you don't have to listen.
btw made in USA
Very true. HOWEVER, on cast iron that has"Made in USA" stamped on it, that means it was made after 1960 not before. Older cast iron in good condition is always a bit more valuable to collectors!
Using a wire brush is not sanding
I realize that, it was my terminology for the video. A wire brush and sanding try to accomplish the same thing, smoothing out the rough parts.
On no! The pan is ruined! You can't use mechanical tools on cast iron.
It was all good. Not to worry. I've never ruined any pan by using a wire wheel as it was done correctly.
You use a lye bath for stripping and say sandblasting ruins the value. You are correct in saying that but turn right around and sand and use a wire wheel on this same skillets. Now YOU have ruined the value of 2 very nice skillets. Yes you can use them but collector value is shot. Never never use destructive methods to clean skillets an NEVER teach that wire wheel and sanding as a way to strip vintage cast iron skillets.
Yep so noted. This video is fairly old and not what I currently teach. Incidentally, this particular skillet was a gift for personal use.
A Lye bath puts Lye into the pores of the cast iron! The only way you should clean an old skillet like this in this condition is to put it into an oven that has a Cleaning feature and let it run for at least 2 hours. Once it cools down you can rinse all of the Crud off with warm water! The heat turns this stuck on Crud into powder that will just fall off the skillet if you tap it with your hand! No Scrubbing, no Elbow Grease just wash it with a small amount of your favorite dish washing soap liquid soap like Dawn or Palmolive. Then heat at 200 degrees to dry it and then you can start the Seasoning process! Some people use Oven Cleaner!! Would you eat Oven Cleaner? NO! Don't put anything on your cast Iron like Lye or Oven Cleaner!!
Please educate yourself on cast iron restoration. A lye tank is highly recommended and follows industry guidelines as a great way to strip cast iron. Cast iron is NOT porous and lye has never been proven to be toxic when used as a stripping agent. The only thing that happens with cast iron is the top layer of molecules spread out when HEATED which is what allows the seasoning oils to stick. Plus vinegar neutralizes the lye so you’re good. A self clean oven is used as a last resort and only for thicker cast which should not warp due to the heat these cycles produce. I would only use a self clean oven cycle for non collectible and thicker cast iron which would hold up to the high temperature which one cannot control during the cycle. Please see www.castironcollector.com for further details.
@@ladylibertystacker2014 I disagree! And using high heat like I stated works better and is far easier than your method! I am 74 years old and have been collecting and using and cleaning and re-seasoning Cast Iron for over 45 years. You re-educate yourself!!
@@ronmartin3755 My husband put my dutch ovens into a fire. Ruined them. Just because you've done it doesn't make it right. I would never put my vintage cast iron into a self cleaning oven either.
You talk too much. You would get on my nerves really quick
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