Polishing Cast Iron Skillet

[JES]

So I’ve had this Wal-Mart special skillet for about 20 years or so and it’s never cooked very well. From what I’ve learned the surface finish on the newer skillets have a more rough o finish to help the “seasoning” process, as compared to the really old stuff that is ultra smooth. I watched a couple of YouTube videos of people using grinders with a flexible disc. I figured I’d give it a try with my disc sander since I already had that.

I started with 80 grit and knocked a good bit and f the roughness down, but noticed there were still a lot of pits.



I went and got some 60 grit and that helped remove most of them, but there are still some pretty deep puta that I really don’t have the energy to chase out until they are gone.

I then progressively went from 60 to 220 grit and ended up with a really small org finish, you can’t feel anything grooves or anything, probably close to a rms 64 finish, would like a 32 but that’ll take too long and probably don’t need it.

Here it is before it went in the oven to season.



Will post a pic once it comes out of the oven tonight.

Anyone else done this to improve their cast iron?

[hot_rod_eddie]

no - hope it works for you, but I would not do that.

[Rescue1]

interested in the results. cook something on it and let us know.

can't believe you did that inside the house.

[js4242]

Yep - I did it over Christmas on two Lodge skillets. Mine turned out great. It doesn't have that black color yet, but the non-stick factor is night and day. Might redo the seasoning again when I have the time, but they are working a lot better now. I wouldn't worry about the deeper pitting. You did the hard part.

[tx_basser]

I've not found mine need improving... they clean up nice after 20+ years of use and ongoing cooking/seasoning.

[krisw]

I have taken them down with a wire cup brush on a grinder. Works great now. I have read about people doing the same thing you are with success.

[JTCowpoke]

I did that with mine several years ago. Works good.

[SamHarper]

You have inspired me. I think I'm going to do that with mine as well.

[JES]

interested in the results. cook something on it and let us know.

can't believe you did that inside the house.

Wife was pretty surprised as well when she got home from work, forgiveness vs permission!

[muzzlebrake]

I always just threw a few slices of bacon in it and then threw the skillet on a big bon fire and leave it till the next day. Fish cooker propane burner works too. Burn it til it glows orange. After that scrape it out and grease it good and NEVER wash it in soapy water. Rinse it out is ok as long as you dry it out on the stove burner. I have some hand me down cast iron that is near a hundred years old and has never been washed. They cook the best fried chicken, taters and okra you ever ate. Must be that old bacon grease.

[TallTexan]

How did it turn out?

[Junkers88]

How did it turn out?

X2. I curious as well. For all of my newer stuff I just took the factory finish off with steel wool, smeared them in bacon grease and stuck them in the over for a few hours on 400 or so. I'd not thought about the bon fire idea mentioned above but the concept is the same. MY grandparents and great grandparents never washed their cast iron either. Wipe it out with a damp towel and then back on the stove to dry. Sure wish I had all that iron now.


Richard.

[Mike]

Did you use the regular wood sanding discs or something for a metal application?

[Grizz83]

Did that to my 12" Lodge about a year ago, went all the way down to 220 grit and got it very smooth. I have had a really difficult time getting the seasoning to hold ever since. I did another 12" Lodge for my brother but stopped at 80 grit. It's considerably smoother than factory, but not as smooth as mine. His holds a seasoning much better than mine.

[AZST_bowhunter]

So this is my profession... I polish metal (mainly stainless and nickel alloys but we have done a lot of different stuff) In theory, this will not help hold seasoning. When you mechanically polish something you are microscopically smoothing something. This will cause the "wetted" surface to be very slick and have little to no adhesion, this is why the nuclear industry loves our process. Working from a 60 to a 220 will give you above a number 4 finish (which is what is required for food product), this helps keeps bacteria from sticking, this is a 150 grit. I can understand wanting to remove the pitting, but would not go above an 80 grit as it is getting to smooth. You can refinish the surface, hit it with the 60 again then a quick pass with the 80. Try to cross pattern it, do the 60 in this direction----------------- then the 80 in this direction///////////////// microscopically you will have ridges (peaks and valleys) for the oil to sit in and allow for seasoning.. Good luck!!

Grizz was spot on with stopping at 80