Cast iron pan restoration

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
I found a griswold #8 pan in my dads shop. It was mixed in with a few junk Taiwan and Korean pans he picked up a long time ago. I think he wanted to use them to melt lead and never used them.
Anyway I asked if I could have it and try to bring it back to life and he said have at it.
It appear to be a later model, 1940s or 50s, not as desirable but better than anything being mass produced today.
Here’s what I’m working with.
45532
45533
 

took

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Great job seeking to salvage that pan. The "Small Block Logo" (SBL) Griswold pans started around 1940 and went until 1957. In 1957 Griswold was bought by Randall Corp and they closed the foundry in Erie, PA. After that all Griswold cookware was produced by Wagner in Ohio.

Nice pan! I am sure it will turn out great. Keep posting pics of your progress.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Step one was to scrape all the loose rust off. A paint scraper and wire brush took care of that. After getting most of it off I could see exactly what kind of condition the pan was in. A few pitted areas but overall still smooth and salvageable. Next step was to rinse it out with hot water and a scotch brite pad followed by some steel wool.
The current step I’m on is soaking in a vinegar solution to dissolve what’s left of the rust.
45535
45536
 

Hoss

Eight Pointer
Good find! Now season it with bacon grease in the oven. These pans were lightweight and well made a lot more work to produce a good finish went into them. I have quiet a few Griswalds, wagners, ideals and a crazy Charlie Martin pan, logo is upside down. I also collect cast iron picture pumps. We can collect some strange stuff.
 

Haleh

Spike
Are you sure there hasn't been lead melted in this pan? That first picture looks suspicious.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Are you sure there hasn't been lead melted in this pan? That first picture looks suspicious.
Pretty sure and according to dad he never did. This pan was face up in the back corner of the building and just so happened to be under a leak in the roof a few years back. Everything you see in the first pick is built up rust and whatever else had settled in the pan. No lead residue.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Are you sure there hasn't been lead melted in this pan?


does look nasty,,,,,but heck, lead poisoning is just a sign of old age,,,,the symptoms in adults,,,,

  • High blood pressure
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Difficulties with memory or concentration
  • Headache
  • Abdominal pain
  • Mood disorders
  • Reduced sperm count and abnormal sperm
don't look that much different from getting old!!


when I was doing a LOT of shooting, the unit would test us every month for lead poisoning,,,,finger prick to check,,,every month,,,,

they'd never tell us where we were at on the scale,,,,

must of been human research,,,
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Did this piece that has been in family for many years! Was left to rust and frozen up tight in pack house with leaky roof! All done by electrolysis
That’s legit! I stripped many plastic stuffer gears. How do you go about seasoning that?
 

jbaldwin

Six Pointer
475 for 30 min and while hot a very thin coat of crisco and 45 mins between each coat for 3 total. I will use grape seed oil on some pans as you can spray light coats on and stays thin.
 

MtnMan

Ten Pointer
I have a bunch of cast iron cookware people have given me over the years that they were going to throw away . I need to get started cleaning them up . Where can I get Bar Keeper's Friend ?
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
I have a bunch of cast iron cookware people have given me over the years that they were going to throw away . I need to get started cleaning them up . Where can I get Bar Keeper's Friend ?

I've bought it in Home Depot or Lowes. Can't remember which one.
 

BamaBuckSkinner

Button Buck
Good job on that old piece of cast iron. An old friend got me in to restoring cast iron 2 years ago. I lost count after 300 pieces, some mine and others for family and friends i’ve restored. Look into making you an electrolis tank on the rusted stuff and use a lye soak tub for the pan/pots with crud build up. Takes away about 90% of all that scrubbing and using a wire brush. Just use rubber gloves and goggles/safety glasses when using lye though to keep from getting a chemical burn.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Good job on that old piece of cast iron. An old friend got me in to restoring cast iron 2 years ago. I lost count after 300 pieces, some mine and others for family and friends i’ve restored. Look into making you an electrolis tank on the rusted stuff and use a lye soak tub for the pan/pots with crud build up. Takes away about 90% of all that scrubbing and using a wire brush. Just use rubber gloves and goggles/safety glasses when using lye though to keep from getting a chemical burn.
I’ve got stuff I use at work much stronger than lye. Wouldn’t take any time to clean it off.
 

NC-Ratler

Four Pointer
Lye soak works well and usually takes several days - plumbers 100% lye

Electrolysis method with battery charger - super fast and super clean - great to have set up for cleaning anything rusty from tools and more.

Stay away from wire wheels, heavy grit sand paper, etc - you don't want to dig or scratch into the metal in any ways and the above methods clean off the rust and build up without causing damage. Some are worth a lot of money and only going up in value.
 
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