What is this lemon squeezer made of?

[SpurgeonH]

A week or two ago, I bought a "cast iron" lemon squeezer. I had a weak moment and thought it looked cool.

Anyway, I finally had a chance to put it in the lye bucket a couple of days ago. I took it out tonight to check on it. I thought it was either painted or japaned(?) but this is what it looks like after washing it and scrubbing with steel wool ...

On the outside it is a grayish green ... like maybe there is another coat of something on it ...

On the inside you can see what is underneath the greenish color ...

What the heck am I dealing with here? Was it plated and then painted? Should I be treating it like a plated piece? I was thinking about putting it in the e-tank next. Good idea?

Whatever I do, I need to be careful, because this thing is the boss!! How do I know it's the boss? It says so right on the front... Ha!

 

[Doug D.]

More likely tinned.

 

[DonnaM]

Does that mean a layer of tin over the CI?

 

[W. Hilditch]

Spurgeon, It looks like cast iron to me. Probably painted. The silver whatever does not look like the thin even tinning on my copper skillets. To me it looks more like solder which may contain lead. If its malleable, you may want to have it checked out. You can scrape it with a screwdriver corner in a thick spot. The e-tank won’t hurt anything, but it may not take off paint or the silver whatever.

Donna, yes. Like silver plating or chrome over steel.

Hilditch

 

[SpurgeonH]

I put the lemon squeezer in the e-bucket for a couple of days, but I don't think my bucket is working. When I checked it yesterday, the charger was humming as usual, but the meter showed zero. I guess it is time to change out the water and scrub the rebar with a stainless steel brush.

Anyway, I also had it in the lye for a few more days. The silver is definitely a layer of some type of metal. I'm not sure if you can see it very well in these pictures, but I used a knife and was able to lift it up in a couple of small spots. I'm going to fix my e-bucket and try again. I'm hoping I can remove the rest of the silver.

I'm also thinking about taking it to a couple of the silver platers I sell chemicals to. Maybe they will have a better idea.

 

[Tony Gilliam]

It sounds and looks like it could be plated and painted. I'm guessing the end question is how to make it usable? If so then a very mild blast with a walnut media should remove the paint but leave the plating, although somewhat less brilliant than original, but useable.
I know this is not a preferred method. I would exhaust the preferred methods first. IMHO
Tony