A Few Questions For The Seasoned Veterans (See what I did there?)

C

Chuck P

New member
I started trying to collect cast iron about 6 months ago. The first rusty, cruddy pans I bought I cleaned in the self cleaning oven. It worked great but I have since read that temps of 1,000F can damage cast iron. Plus, it's 95 degrees outside and my AC is already struggling to keep my house cool.

Next I set up an electrolysis system with a 40 amp battery charger and just a few days ago I set up a lye bath.

The electrolysis is amazing the first day I hook up a new skillet. 90% of the rust and crud comes off in about 8 hours. But that last 10% or 5% or 1% is driving me crazy.

The lye bath seems to be helping but it's as slow as molasses. I just pulled out a skillet after 4 or 5 days and I think it looks better.

Here are my questions:

1) Am I just being impatient? Should I etank for way more than just 8-16 hours? Should I lye for more than 4 or 5 days?

2) Does it matter which one I do first? Is one better for rust and the other better for crud?

3) Should I break down and resort to steel wool, sandpaper, wire brushes? So far I've never touched a pan with any tools like that because I'm afraid that I'll leave tool marks or swirl marks that will diminish the beauty or value of the skillet. Am I worrying too much about this?

Thanks for taking the time to read and I appreciate any advice.
 
I don't like to admit I am "well seasoned" but I am old enough to remember every kitchen sink having a stainless steel scrubber handy. If your pans are old enough they have probably already been scrubbed with steel wool, a chore boy or even a hand held wire brush. If you have a piece of cast iron handy that you don't much care for then you can try the different methods of cleaning on that piece and you will learn how rough you can be without causing damage.
 
are you scrapping the stuff of the pan from the lye tank? are you just pulling it out looking at it? some of that stuff just sitting there. after a day I take a small one inch wide scraper and just lightly scrap it off. not hard enough to scratch the pan just hard enough to push off the gunk. what concentration of lye using and are you sure is 100% lye.
 
Yesterday I pulled 3 pieces out after 4 days in the lye, brought them in the house and scrubbed them. There wasn't much stuff on them to start with because they had already been through electrolysis, but the little stubborn bits of crud seemed improved but were still there.

Edit: 5 gallons of water + 1 pound 100% lye. I added the lye to the water but I never stirred it. Should I stir?
 
From reading here, not from personal experience, but lye will do nothing for rust. It's great for stripping crud and old seasoning, but it will not touch rust.

E-tank will do it all, rust and crud included, albeit one piece at a time.

I was also hesitant to use a wire brush until I experimented on a Taiwan imported dutch oven. A fine bristled, stainless steel brush is now a go to tool for me...and it's made a world of difference. I use electro only (lye may be in my future, but I haven't done it yet), and adding in the steel brush after electro has done it's thing has made a huge difference for me. Make sure the brush is stainless steel, as bronze and copper brushes will impart color to your CI.

I don't truly bear down on the brush with strong pressure, but I give it a solid scrub...I'm not shying away from it. Try it, I think you'll be happy.
 
I'll agree with everything DougH said. Also some 0000 steel wool works well for the final cleaning / polishing step before seasoning. I use the steel wool under cold running water, kinda like wet sanding.
 
if it's all clumped up on the bottom and it might not work as well. as far as the type a lye you bought are you sure it's 100% lye. I got my stuff from Tractor Supply. its by Roebic 100% lye. when I was looking for lye like draincleaners a lot of things have lye in it but they weren't 100% lye. you should do the lye bath first then the electrolysis. lye will get most of the goo and crud off then you can give it a little scrubn and put in the electrolysis to get the rust off plus will keep your electrolysis tank cleaner.
 
When I say I pull the pan out for a peek I don't just look at a spot. I have inside tools and outside tools. I know my tool box is really dirty but here is a picture of my outside tools. The big brush is handy for clearing the whole bottom of the pan quickly. The number 3 Gris is clean of gunk but needs a vinegar scrub.
http://i.imgur.com/mas6I4Y.jpg
 
Here's an example. This pan has had 16 hours @ 40 amps and 4 days in lye. It's 99% bare dull gray iron but at about 10 o'clock there's a little patch of old seasoning. I guess steel wool is probably the answer.

Image

Edit: Now that I see the picture super magnified there are already a million little tool marks on the cooking surface.
 
Looks nice, you're right a little steel wool would help with the finish. If you want to get really anal, you can use a toothpick or a bamboo skewer to clean out the markings. :-D
 
some regular steel wool followed up by some 0000 steel wool and by the time you see youseason it you won't even see them scratches
 
Chuck P said:
Now that I see the picture super magnified there are already a million little tool marks on the cooking surface.
Click to expand...

Occasionally I find a pieces that is in such good condition that I don't even want to use a stainless steel scrubbing pad on it, then I just use a non-scratch sponge. But, yes, most of the time someones already taken to the surface with metal scouring pads and knives to cut up their steaks etc.
Use the lye bath FIRST, some pieces will come out completely clean, and you won't need to send them to the e-tank at all. You can also try adding another half pound of lye to your bath anytime things seem slow, or you have a very stubborn piece.
Good luck.
 
If anybody is still interested, I gave that #6 Gris SBL one more day in the lye, scrubbed it, dried it off, then went to work on it with some 0000 steel wool. Holy cow!

Before

Image

After

Image

I don't know if you can really tell from the pic but it looks chrome plated it's so silvery and shiny.
 
DougH said:
From reading here, not from personal experience, but lye will do nothing for rust. It's great for stripping crud and old seasoning, but it will not touch rust.

E-tank will do it all, rust and crud included, albeit one piece at a time.
Click to expand...

I can do as many pieces at once as will fit in my stainless steel e tank, so long as they don't touch one another or the side of the tank. I hang the pans from a stainless steel pipe that soans the top of my tank using stainless steel wire. Works great!
 
CharlieK said:
DougH said:
From reading here, not from personal experience, but lye will do nothing for rust. It's great for stripping crud and old seasoning, but it will not touch rust.

E-tank will do it all, rust and crud included, albeit one piece at a time.
Click to expand...

I can do as many pieces at once as will fit in my stainless steel e tank, so long as they don't touch one another or the side of the tank. I hang the pans from a stainless steel pipe that soans the top of my tank using stainless steel wire. Works great!
Click to expand...
Fair point...and I've considered ways to do multiple pieces at once in my new e-tank setup since it will be larger than my old one. But generally speaking, people usually do one at a time, while lye tanks are as many pieces as you can submerge.
 
DougH said:
Fair point...and I've considered ways to do multiple pieces at once in my new e-tank setup since it will be larger than my old one. But generally speaking, people usually do one at a time, while lye tanks are as many pieces as you can submerge.
Click to expand...

I'm on vacation so I'm hamstrung as far as being able to post pix of my e tank setup but I'll get some up when I get home to my laptop. Although I can clean more than one piece at a time, I just don't have the spare time to gather lots of iron like a lot of folks here on the forum. Probably will have to wait for retirement for that!
 
I will put most pieces in lye for a few days. If it's just rusted I don't bother with lye but instead soak in vinegar a couple times, 30 minutes between scrubbing. Both seams to help keep the etank a little cleaner. Then everything into etank, usually for 12 hours. That's timing it to switch before work and then after I get home.

I've redone a few pieces that had dark spots remaining. Since they were users, I just went on to seasoning. After seasoned you don't notice those little spots.
 
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