Stubborn Pans

K

KFSchmidt

Member
I tried the search function, and didn't really know where to start. I think many people have had this issue, but all describe it differently.

I have several pans that have gone through multiple rounds of oven cleaner for a few days then a stainless brush. They all seem to have really stubborn spots that don't want to come out. I've brushed pretty aggressively on them, but it doesn't seem to do much.

Is there anything else I can try?
 
KFSchmidt said:
I tried the search function, and didn't really know where to start. I think many people have had this issue, but all describe it differently.

I have several pans that have gone through multiple rounds of oven cleaner for a few days then a stainless brush. They all seem to have really stubborn spots that don't want to come out. I've brushed pretty aggressively on them, but it doesn't seem to do much.

Is there anything else I can try?
Click to expand...
I just dealt with one of those today... a #12 unmarked Wagner that I'm cleaning for a friend. I managed to get the stubborn carbonized seasoning off by *very* carefully scraping just the carbon with a dull screwdriver, scraping only in the same direction as the machining (this was on the inside of the skillet). Got the carbon, but some black stain remains. Seasoning and use will take care of that, I figure.
 
I often come across skillets that someone has set up against a bread bag or some piece of Styrofoam. The lye won't take it off but when I put the pan in the oven and get it hot it just wipes off with a paper towel. Have you tried getting it hot? I also use the old Ecko metal spatulas to scrape some stuff off.
 
Lye, which includes oven cleaner spray, only works on build-up that has grease remaining in it. Lye won't budge crud that has been on a pan so long that it is only carbon, and those patches always seem to be virtually welded on. All that's left to do on them is either electrolysis or manually removing them in some way that won't mar the iron. I have a 1" blade putty knife I've rounded the sharp corners off of with a file. If the leading edge is kept flat against the surface, which on sidewalls means working in the horizontal, those carbon warts can usually be taken off without a problem.
 
I find that impossible to scrub off carbon on quite a few pans, in many cases it is confined to one edge of the pan away from the handle, which makes me think it was burned on during use over/next to a campfire. I use a flexible stainless steel spatula on the flat areas, and a common teaspoon out of the drawer, or a very rounded butter knife for the inside corners. Be persistent, but if you tire of scraping and scrubbing it will season over just fine and you'll forget it's there.
 
With a little stubborn spot like that, I'd probably be mad enough to drag out the electro tank and set it up out back even if it was 10 below and there was a foot of snow on the ground. Hot water takes time to cool off.
 
Ty, I'm by no means a physics expert but doesn't hot water cool down faster than cold water? Maybe an old wives tale but I thought I'd throw it out there.
 
Yes, but ….hot water does cool more quickly than cold water. Equal amount scenario:

Pan A - 92°. Time to drop 30° to 62° = 17 minutes. From 62° to 32° = 20 minutes. Total 37 min.

Pan B - 62°. Time to drop 30° to 32° = 20 minutes. Total 20 minutes

The hotter the water is the longer it will take to cool; but the rate of the drop in temperature will be faster per average degree of drop.

Although seemingly off subject, this may help those who decide to do a e-bath outside in freezing weather. Adding a couple of quarts of boiling water every 15 minutes will buy more time.

Hilditch
 
W. Hilditch said:
Yes, but ….hot water does cool more quickly than cold water. Equal amount scenario:

Pan A - 92°. Time to drop 30° to 62° = 17 minutes. From 62° to 32° = 20 minutes. Total 37 min.

Pan B - 62°. Time to drop 30° to 32° = 20 minutes. Total 20 minutes

The hotter the water is the longer it will take to cool; but the rate of the drop in temperature will be faster per average degree of drop.

Although seemingly off subject, this may help those who decide to do a e-bath outside in freezing weather. Adding a couple of quarts of boiling water every 15 minutes will buy more time.

Hilditch
Click to expand...

Less oxygen in the water
 
W. Hilditch said:
Yes, but ….hot water does cool more quickly than cold water. Equal amount scenario:

Pan A - 92°. Time to drop 30° to 62° = 17 minutes. From 62° to 32° = 20 minutes. Total 37 min.

Pan B - 62°. Time to drop 30° to 32° = 20 minutes. Total 20 minutes

The hotter the water is the longer it will take to cool; but the rate of the drop in temperature will be faster per average degree of drop.

Although seemingly off subject, this may help those who decide to do a e-bath outside in freezing weather. Adding a couple of quarts of boiling water every 15 minutes will buy more time.

Hilditch
Click to expand...

I wouldn't advocate doing a complete de-gunking/rust removal job in really cold weather but for a couple of carbon deposits on an otherwise clean pan, that water's not going to freeze in the couple of hours it'll take to get the deposits off.
 
Thanks guys for the insight. Kevin, I think he was referring to hot water. Just a thought, couldn't you do an eTank with a lye and soda mix? The reason I ask is because when I was working in an auto machine shop, we used caustic soda in the hot tank.
 
Does the e-tank take stubborn carbon off for other forum members? I've never noticed it doing much on carbon that the lye bath didn't touch. At least not in the time frame that it takes to deal with the rust.
 
I run into the heavy carbon build-up issue all the time. I've used the tank to get most of it off. The remaining patches (usually around the heat rings, notches, pour spouts, etc) I've used a variety of techniques:
  • Small paint spatula (very light touch)
  • rubbing alcohol
  • baking soda/peroxide mix
  • course salt/dish soap/potatoe
Usually some combination of them seems to get the last bumps. As someone mentioned above, stains sometimes remain, but they even out and disappear with seasoning.
 
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