How soon after de-rusting to season

When the rusted skillet comes out of the vinegar/water bath, I scrub, and off comes the rust. So far so good ....

What I am unsure about is how soon thereafter to apply the oil to begin the seasoning process. If I don't do it right away, it will start rusting. But shouldn't we also give it a little time for all the water/vinegar to evaporate off of it?

My thought is to hit it with paper towels immediately after the vinegar is washed off, and then wait a while to apply the oil. How long to wait I have no idea. I just can't imagine that paper towels will get all of the water off of every nook and cranny.

Thanks for any comments.
 
If you don’t think the paper towels will get all the moisture off your skillet, put it on your stove over medium heat for a minute or so and then apply the oil. This will keep the cast iron from rusting until you are ready to start the seasoning process.
 
I dry mine the best I can, then put them in the oven bare. I start at 200 degrees and increase heat in 75 degree increments- every 10 minutes, until I reach 425. (this obviously drys any moisture left). I then wipe on Crisco, wipe it back off, and back into the oven at 485 for 10 minutes. Depending on what I see, either another coat, or just wipe with clean rag and back in the oven. Turn off oven and leave until oven is cool. This is how I like doing mine, but I realize there are many different ways to achieve desired results.
 
Depends on the humidity. Here in Florida as I dry mine they flash rust. Literally before my eyes as I'm drying. I tried drying them in the oven and it was much heavier rust. So now I dry with a oiled rag and although it takes a few minutes longer, I've had no more issue with rust. I let them sit until I get several pieces ready for the oven and begin my seasoning process.
 
I rinse in as cold of water as I can get, then dry with blue towels until very very dry, then set them on paper bags in the cool basement, have left them
Up to a week with no flash rust, may not work in summer, but works great during Michigan winter
 
Back with my flash rust struggles ...

Tonight I put a de-gunked but flash-rusted dutch oven cover back in the vinegar/water tank. I scrubbed it clean, dried it with t-shirt and paper towels, and put it in the 200 degree over with door ajar. It started rusting again after 5 minutes!

So I took it out, scrubbed it again, dried and went ahead and put a light coat of crisco on it (butter flavored cause that's all I had).

I would like to thank that hand drying plus heat would stop the flash-rusting, but no dice.

I am in the Dallas area and humidity is only 23%, which is low for this area.
 
I think you're making too much of the flash rust. It's just something that happens, not something to be overcome. If you read the seasoning article on the site, it notes that it will come off with the seasoning oil as you wipe it off. Don't sweat it.
 
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