My pride is The first pic. My Great grandmothers from Arkansas.
The little flat pan is actually an eye cover from a KING STOVE.

Only two pans have any history. The flat one was my grandmothers, and one of the large skillets I bought in my second semester of college when I moved to an apartment. That was January 1990, 21 years ago.

The CI was too much for the roll-out pot tray under the counter, so I made a ceiling rack from which to hang the cast. The missing skillet is a 12" that is in use. I have 2 more 8" that were too rough and are in the rehab process. I'll need more hooks.

also have two dutch ovens. One is enameled.

Love the pot rack. You bend that yourself?

Indeed.

I cook with this one at least once per day, almost always my breakfast.

Not sure if the qualifies? The Idaho house.

That's neat. Real antique?

How do you do rehab a rough iron casting?

Angle grinder?

John

i've used sand and water, putting into a redhot wood stove, coarse sandpaper, and oven cleaner in the oven. i don't recommend any of these methods. a piece of cast-iron is subject to warp and even crack at any time.

Here's a couple...

Yep. Works like a champ too. Exact same one can be seen in The Shootist.

http://www.monarchrange.com/history.html

Nice looking CI! Do you wash them in the dishwasher? Just kidding....
My favorite dutch is my grandmother's *bean pot* as dad always called it. Legs had been cut off so she could use it on top of the stove. Still lives on although I have to use a trivet under it when I could outside.

These are my kitchen pieces. I added a 2qt pot and low sided skillet on my last trip. The big cauldrons, tripods, and Dutch ovens are just coming out of storage for the summer. A couple are Griswold and Wagner like the Dutch oven in the front that will not season as black on the outside.

You all might also want to check out: http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/cast-iron-pans_topic574_page2.html

I've been away and missed this John. Sorry.

I put the pans in my gas grill on high and burned them down to bare metal and finished the clean-up with a twisted wire cup in an angle grinder. When I'm in the garage doing things, I set my 1/4 sheet Makita random orbit finish sander w/ 60 grit inside the pan. It jiggles around and bounces off the edges. I'll use progressively finer paper until it's as smoove as glass. Then season.

Might be better ways, but letting the sander sort of work independently is low labor. It should work. They are Wagners pretty cheap from a 2nd hand store, so little to lose and lots to gain. I like that ratio.

Thanks Ironbender.

Over the years I have seen some cast iron which was rusty and/or rough and passed on buying it -- I may buy the next one and try your re-hab recipe!

John

What would Iron Bender know about dealing with iron?

John-
If the piece is quality CI like Wagner, Griswold, or Erie, I would not hesitate to buy it if the price is right.

Google "cast iron electrolysis" for an easy way to remove the rust.

My focus on the two pieces I mentioned was just to smooth the cooking surface by sanding.

some of my enamel coated sauce pans

My wife had a set of Le Cruset saucepans like the blue one in back. They're terrific.

I got myself a 5 qt. Lodge enameled DO for Christmas last year - also very nice.

Everything except the dutch ovens.