Calling All Old Cast Iron Lovers.......

[Opa]

The most desirable thing about really old cast iron skillets is the the many years of use has worn the interior surface incredibly smooth. I was given a couple of piece that were Griswalds but for some reason had never been used very much. They were as rough as a new skillet. I was sucessfully able to excellerate the wear rendering them as smooth as if used for generations.

I used a knotted wire wheel on a mini grinder followed up with increasingly finer emory cloth on an orbital sander. It was a slow process that took several hours before I was satisfied with the result. I then washed them out, heated them up on the stove and wiped them with lard. They now work as well as ones used by my grandmother.

 

[quercus21]

We have a 6", 10" & 11" fry pans. The 6" & 10" was a wedding gift way back when......................... The inside is smooth and the bottom, looks like the oils are passing through it. The kids are sizing up who gets which one. All our frying and roasting happens in those pans, you can't beat them.

 

[Lunachick]

I love hearing about everyone's cast iron! I'm loving mine, a couple of weeks ago I came across another piece, anyone seen one of these? I'm guessing it's for bread or scones.....

I used it for corn muffins and they came out just right.

And I found this boot scraper. Not sure if it's real old, but I liked it. Great for scraping chicken poo of my shoes before I get into the house. I'm going to put it on my back deck.

Happy Cast Iron Hunting!!

 

[baustin]

I have a 7' frying pan that was my husbands mothers and I have a big 12' one that I've used for frying chicken for the past 40 years. I have some cast iron door stops and some irons and also some pieces a shoemaker used to either make or repair shoes. I have a child's size and a woman's size. I cherish them all.

 

[CedarRidgeChicks]

Ahh Luna..what great additions!! I "had" one of the "cornbread" pans..my MIL always loved that pan for cornbread, when we moved to Ky I left it with her. I haven't seen it the last few times we have been there. We will be staying with her when we move next week while searching for property..so..hopefully I can find it. I have one with round cups that is refered to as a muffin/gem pan..so I believe you are right it is a muffin/roll/scones pan..I don't have a boot scraper..dh has a boot jack..the cast iron world is very large and interesting!!

 

[alabama49]

Well, I guess the thrift stores around here have smartened up-I was looking for a small 6" frying pan yesterday in the thrift store and the cheapest one was a griswold with a $35 price tag!! Also saw some wagner pieces in the store with $50 & up price tags on them. No getting a bargain in that store!

 

[CedarRidgeChicks]

alabama49, I must confess..I have paid that for a few pieces that I needed..(lol)..to complete certain sets..but that was at antique/estate auctions and the pieces were in A+ shape. That doesn't sound like Thrift store prices for sure. My better deals have been at yard sales..we pick up several each year at the famous Hwy 127, 600mile Yard sale..starts in Ohio and goes to Gadsden, Alabama..Won't make it this year as we will be moving to Fl the week before.

 

[sgtmom52]

This is my new cast iron kettle. It is 24" in diameter and 18" high. I will be using it to hold firewood beside my wood stove. I found it at a yard sale last week and paid $75. for it.

 

[CedarRidgeChicks]

sgtmom52..

..love it!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I have 4 cast iron pans and 1 cornbred pan with the little cast iron mini-pans - the cornbred pan, the pot, and 2 pans were passed down from my grandmother - the other two (a huge 14" monster pan and tiny 5" pan) I bought at a yardsale for a whopping 25$ for both

My dad just bought 3 pans and a pot from a flea market this weekend for like 10$ each - they are rusted a bit and real rough on the outside so he is planning to sand them all down and buff the insides up to make them nice again - thats why they were sold so cheap - cause the people thought they were un-useable. 2 of the 3 pans he bought were griswolds and one a warner I believe. - my grandmother's 2 are griswolds.

I use my cast irons for EVERYTHING. The only thing I don't do in them is sauteeing. I have hooks under my upper cabinet above my stove where 3 of my pots hang.

and going to finish adding hooks and add the rest - I love the look the kitchen looks very old fashioned.