My mom has had an old CI griddle in her back patio for years. I'm guessing at least 5 years. I thought it was always junk. But now I know that CI can be renovated. Heres my shot at fixing up the old griddle.
I scrubbed it with salt. Got some of the rust off. Still had a bunch of rust, so I used oven cleaner. Sprayed both sides and put it in a bag overnight. The next day I rinsed it and scrubbed it down with 000 steel wool and managed to get everything off...even the paint! Took a lot of work but well worth it.
(http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/SmoothSmoke/DSCN5944.jpg)
(http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/SmoothSmoke/DSCN5946.jpg)
(http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/SmoothSmoke/DSCN5947.jpg)
(http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/SmoothSmoke/DSCN5954.jpg)
(http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/SmoothSmoke/DSCN5958.jpg)
(http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/SmoothSmoke/DSCN5963.jpg)
Now I'm wanting more junk!!
That turned out great, looks like new! 8)
Really nice job on that Smooth! Share some action shots when you break it in.
What a beauty. Nice work!
That took some elbow grease! Very nice.
Looks Good, nice work! 8)
Took a lot of work guys. I dont know how my parents managed to get paint on it. I'm thinking bacon and eggs and hash browns for the first meal. Still want to season it some more with flaxseed.
Wow, oven cleaner, I would not have guessed that was a good idea. Rstoring CI is a real pain when it has gone bad, and your restore looks wonderful.
My grandmother always told me not to use soap or any cleaner om my cast iron as it absorbs what you put on it. With that in mind you might just want to cook it by its self say in the oven and just let it burn off and re-season it after.
I thought the oven cleaner would be a no-go. But Griswold recommends it for tough jobs. I've seasoned it already now. I'm going to reseason once I buy some flaxseed oil.
http://www.gcica.org/clean-iron.html
Nice work! It does look brand new!
Wow that looks awesome. There are a couple of pieces left in this house....they look new, but are sticky/tacky. Kind of odd.
Quote from: SmoothSmoke on January 26, 2013, 08:07:24 AM
I thought the oven cleaner would be a no-go. But Griswold recommends it for tough jobs. I've seasoned it already now. I'm going to reseason once I buy some flaxseed oil.
http://www.gcica.org/clean-iron.html
Yeah smooth, i also looked around after your OP and lots of reputable places recommend it. Mit never occured to me that it was aerosol lye....
That turned out real sweet !!!
Wagner is one of the collectibles, too........
You may have a real keeper there & definetly a killer cooking piece !!!!
There's collector's websites for these things, Wagnerware, etc.
Quote from: Cookingmama on January 26, 2013, 08:27:51 AM
Wow that looks awesome. There are a couple of pieces left in this house....they look new, but are sticky/tacky. Kind of odd.
They've been seasoned with the wrong kind of oil, or not long enough.....
I'm sorry, I don't remember exactly which oil causes that, but heating it & re-seasoning with lard, bacon grease, even PAM, will fix the tackiness....
Good job! Looks brand new!
Great job
Here's an interesting article on seasoning
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
Thanks Hogsy,
That cast iron article is the best!
AJ
I saw a skillet/griddle like that made by Wagner for Montgomery Wards sell for $160. I think your efforts will be well worth it.
Great article, Hogsy, thanks!
i have a lodge cast iron grate that needs to be stripped and reseasoned.
looks like i need to get a hold of a car battery charger!
The nice thing about cast iron is that it is pretty durable. I like to use mine a lot.
I'll have to get some flax seed oil and give this technique a try. Might have a shot at electrolysis as well.