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Lodge Skillet CI

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bigguy136
bigguy136 Posts: 1,362
edited April 2012 in EggHead Forum
I was at my local Mills Fleet Farm and they have Lodge brand CI pans. They are very thick but also a little rough on the inside. Were the original CI pans the same way and thru years of use, they became smooth or were they made smooth?

Big Lake, Minnesota

2X Large BGE, 1 Mini Max, Stokers, Adjustable Rig

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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    the older pans were ground mirror smooth.  not sure about dutch ovens.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
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    I have an electric sander and a new lodge pan. As soon as I can get to lowes, I'll be attempting to sand the darn thing smooth like my old school Wagner.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    well, in a pan you are cooking stuff that would benefit from a smooth surface.  CI generally gets filled with liquids of one sort or another. not sure the benefit.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    edited April 2012
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    I have an electric sander and a new lodge pan. As soon as I can get to lowes, I'll be attempting to sand the darn thing smooth like my old school Wagner.
    Please let us know how that goes. I thought about it, but just figures I wouldn't be able to do that with anything less than an angle grinder. 
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
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  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
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    Well, it sticks much worse than my Wagner. It could have something to do with the 100+ year seasoning difference. Maybe I'll cook with it a bit more before I start grinding metal off it.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,771
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    I have an electric sander and a new lodge pan. As soon as I can get to lowes, I'll be attempting to sand the darn thing smooth like my old school Wagner.
    been wanting to do that for a while with one of the lodge pans, its one of those preseasoned ones, what a mess those can become compared to one you season yourself.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • bigguy136
    bigguy136 Posts: 1,362
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    I have an electric sander and a new lodge pan. As soon as I can get to lowes, I'll be attempting to sand the darn thing smooth like my old school Wagner.
    I did some reading of someone taking 4+ hours to sand. I think I will put it in my mill and machine first then sand.

    Big Lake, Minnesota

    2X Large BGE, 1 Mini Max, Stokers, Adjustable Rig

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  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
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    The pre seasoned stuff sucks. Even bacon sticks pretty bad in it.

    I reconnoitered all my father in laws ci yesterday. He has a pan with a lid and legs that I can't identify. It has only one marking on it. 13in on the lid and pan. It has a single line in the bottom. As I understand it, that line is mostly on very old cast iron. Does anyone know more about that line? I believe it comes from the casting process.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
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  • bigguy136
    bigguy136 Posts: 1,362
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    Just wondering about turning on my lathe. I can do Ø14" swing so i would have to cut the long handle short. I could braze the handle back on but not sure if it would be needed at all. Those who use the skillets, could you get by without the long handle if it was just a nub?

    Big Lake, Minnesota

    2X Large BGE, 1 Mini Max, Stokers, Adjustable Rig

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  • nyzzi
    nyzzi Posts: 2
    edited April 2012
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    My first skillet was a wedding gift that has the rough finish as all new CI does these days. I used it a lot and it's filled it quite well after a few years of use. I saw one in the store and was shocked at the difference between what mine was new and what it is now. With that said I'd just start using it and it will start to fill in. But I'd much rather just try and find a vintage skillet instead of trying to grind down a new one. It'd probably cost you less to buy a vintage one ($25) and not have to dump any money it tools to grind down a new one. Not to mention you'll get a better quality product with a vintage skillet.

    Bugguy - if your skillet is heavy it really helps to have a longer handle so you can easily grab with two hands if you needed. I don't like short handles on my skillets.
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
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    The pre seasoned stuff sucks. Even bacon sticks pretty bad in it.

    I reconnoitered all my father in laws ci yesterday. He has a pan with a lid and legs that I can't identify. It has only one marking on it. 13in on the lid and pan. It has a single line in the bottom. As I understand it, that line is mostly on very old cast iron. Does anyone know more about that line? I believe it comes from the casting process.




    The molten iron was poured into the cast from the bottom.  This left what is called a gate mark....a long, thin, line on the back of the piece.  You will see ground edges on pans after this era from pouring the iron at the sides of the cast. 

    A gate marked skillet is definitely pre 1900s.  May even be 1850-1900. 

    I admire your determination to polish a turd so-to-speak with machining a lodge.  Don't waste your time or money.  Find some cheap old iron.  There is plenty out there, if you look in the right places.

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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