Cast Iron

[Tin Falcon]

Cast Iron makes great cookware. About a year ago I bought a 10" cast iron chefs skillet Lodge brand American made. The wife said at the time what do we need that for? It is now the family's favorite pan never leaves the stove except to be cleaned. Today I bought a Lodge pro griddle.
Tin

 

[JimHs]

Lodge is today's best made. The pans are actually made in China. Be sure to keep it seasoned and it will perform like the best non-stick you have ever used.

My wife has a collection of old Wagner-Ware (now produced by American Culinary, IIRC), but now also cast in China.

Jim

 

[Bogstandard]

Can you get a good flywheel out of them?

John

 

[Tin Falcon]

Bogs: Don't think so! I have a nice piece of 3 1/2 " diameter CI bar stock set aside for those.
I have read that CI plumbing fittings such as plugs caps etc make good engine parts.
The kitchen tools are more important than the shop tools! eating is a required habit!!

 

[JimHs]

I re-read the article on the cast iron fry pans. It said most of the pans it tested were made in China, so I mis-remembered. The article said that in their testing that it worked best for them (America's Test Kitchen) to reseason on the stove top. Heat untila a drop of water evaporates immediately upon contacting the pan surface. Wipe with paper towel that has had vegitable oil applied. Use tongs if necessary.
Jim

 

[Tin Falcon]

Jim:
We have actually been cooking on cast iron a long time. well over 20 years. . There were a couple of pieces that came with our house. It is just that we have added the lodge fairly recently. You are right great non stick surface. I was helping cook for a church breakfast a while back and took a couple of my pans along. The last time I tried to cook in that kitchen I used cheap stainless stuff someone donated . Hmm what is that burnt smell!!. It is funny how people all have there favorite way of caring for the cast iron. It cleans up much quicker than Teflon coated stuff.
As far as seasoning I usually reheat on the stove top pour in a little oil then wipe with a paper towel . Very similar to above.
Tin

 

[Tin Falcon]

Guys:
My wife came across a lodge 13" round griddle at a thrift store the other day for $3.00. She figured i would be upset with her if she left it their for that price.
Tin

 

[compound driver]

Hi We had a cast iron pan bought from Target superb till the boy cracked teh base. It was left on the side for a few weeks with the intention of trying to repair it. odd part was when i picked it up and used it not thinking the leak had closed with rust and didnt leak again. Wish we had decent iron cook ware in the UK.

cheers kevin

 

[Tin Falcon]

seems like there would be someone making the stuff in the UK. I thought there were still a fair number of old business in the UK some as old as the USA.
Lodge has been around for a long time they made the cookwarte for the Lewis & Clark expedition. They even have a commemorative dutch oven they made.

 

[Hilmar]

To all,
Help, Help,
"Ones up on a time" I ordered a round piece of -Cast Iron Bushing Stock-. It is laying in between all of the other round Iron Stock!!!

--- How do I find it. How do I identify it??? What a Pain.
Hilmar

 

[Metal Mickey]

An expert will soon reply but I would look at the end grain. Cast iron is easy to see when compared to bright mild steel. Cast iron is very grainy and forms a skin on the outside whereas BMS may have some rust but not to the same level. Cast iron is also very dark compared to steel.

Well that's what I think.......I will look forward to a proper answer.......

Mike

 

[Lew Hartswick]

Now I havent tried this BUT from all I hear about the "damping" charistics of cast iron : I'd hold it by
an end and tap it with a hammer. If it goes BONGGGGGGG! it's steel , if it goes KLUNK. it's cast iron.

...lew...

 

[rake60]

There is always the spark test.

It's described very will here:
http://shopswarf.orconhosting.net.nz/spark.html

Rick