Restoring cast iron

[Gellar]

Has anyone ever created a lye bath to restore cast iron? Do you have any tips, tactics or techniques that work? Other than being careful with the lye is there anything I should be careful with?

 

[Farmerj]

I used easy-off oven cleaner on it and baked it.

 

[huntnpack]

Spray on oven cleaner and place in a black garbage bag in the sun. Then "evaporust". That's what's worked for me.

 

[Jorgy]

my son dug a cast iron pan like that out of a fire pit when we were camping years ago. I stuck it in my oven and put it on clean. Easiest cast iron I have ever cleaned up

 

[rideold]

I've just used a wire wheel on the drill but geez, the oven cleaner sounds much easier!

 

[thomas89]

Just what this site needs, a thread we can argue about restoring and seasoning cast iron.

Half kidding.

I've restored them with the oven on self clean mode, house stunk like death but it worked really well. Never tried the lye bath cleaner method, but it sure looks easy if one has a dedicated space and the time.

 

[270.Rose]

We soaked one in vinegar for a couple of days and then just scraped off all the softened gunk, gave it a good scrub with dish soap, and reseasoned it. It came out great and being a vintage pan is perfectly smooth and non-stick again.

 

[DouglasR]

Can you sand and polish it?

 

[winmag]

Add the lye to the water, never add water to lye! Adding water to crystalized lye creates an exothermic reaction that can potentially blow up / splatter all over you.

I've got a lye tank for restoring cast iron. 1 pound of lye crystals per 5 gallons of water. You can get crystalized lye from Lowes or Home Depot; I think 2 pounds of Roebic Crystal Drain Cleaner is about $15 from Lowes. It always amazes me that an 8 year old can go buy 2 pounds of lye, but you have to be 18 to buy a can of spray paint.

I used a 20 gallon rubbermade brute trash can with 15 gallons of water and 3 pounds of lye crystals. I've probably done over 100 crusty pans and never needed to change the solution. Use rebar tie wire to hang the cast iron so you don't have to go fishing for it later. You can leave it in as long as you want since lye is a rust inhibitor. I got busy with other projects recently and left a few in there for 3 months and they were clean and fine when I took them out.

Typically I'll leave it in lye overnight. Scrub most of the seasoning off with a wire brush. Throw it back in for a day or two. Scrub. Its usually clean of seasoning then. After that either electrolysis or vinegar tank to strip the rust. Then season it and good as new.

If you're only doing a couple pans then I'd just do Easy Off oven cleaner (with the yellow cap) in a garbage bag. That stuff will burn the crap out of you so don't get it on you or breathe it. It gets cost prohibitive if you've got a lot of pans to do, which is why people do lye tanks or electrolysis. You can also strip seasoning with electrolysis but after a few really crusty pans your tank is gross and you'll want to change the solution.

 

[LousyResident]

Might be someone around with a sandblasting cabinet that work it over for you?

 

[winmag]

For the love of god don't use a sander/wire wheel or throw it in a fire.

Lye / Easy Off melts the seasoning right off. Evaporust or vinegar strips the rust easily. Not much elbow grease involved at all.

 

[perma]

Add the lye to the water, never add water to lye! Adding water to crystalized lye creates an exothermic reaction that can potentially blow up / splatter all over you.

I've got a lye tank for restoring cast iron. 1 pound of lye crystals per 5 gallons of water. You can get crystalized lye from Lowes or Home Depot; I think 2 pounds of Roebic Crystal Drain Cleaner is about $15 from Lowes. It always amazes me that an 8 year old can go buy 2 pounds of lye, but you have to be 18 to buy a can of spray paint.

I used a 20 gallon rubbermade brute trash can with 15 gallons of water and 3 pounds of lye crystals. I've probably done over 100 crusty pans and never needed to change the solution. Use rebar tie wire to hang the cast iron so you don't have to go fishing for it later. You can leave it in as long as you want since lye is a rust inhibitor. I got busy with other projects recently and left a few in there for 3 months and they were clean and fine when I took them out.

Typically I'll leave it in lye overnight. Scrub most of the seasoning off with a wire brush. Throw it back in for a day or two. Scrub. Its usually clean of seasoning then. After that either electrolysis or vinegar tank to strip the rust. Then season it and good as new.

If you're only doing a couple pans then I'd just do Easy Off oven cleaner (with the yellow cap) in a garbage bag. That stuff will burn the crap out of you so don't get it on you or breathe it. It gets cost prohibitive if you've got a lot of pans to do, which is why people do lye tanks or electrolysis. You can also strip seasoning with electrolysis but after a few really crusty pans your tank is gross and you'll want to change the solution.

I’ve seen a lot of cool YouTube videos on electrolysis for rust removal. Always wanted to try that. Seems to work well.

 

[Scott85]

The best thing to do is an electrolysis. Oven cleaner in a trash bag set in the Sun wo also work. https://www.castironcollector.com/electrolysis.php

 

[D4570]

I have used an angle grinder, VERY fast.
Use a light touch, and move fast. I used 80 grit.

 

[Gellar]

Add the lye to the water, never add water to lye! Adding water to crystalized lye creates an exothermic reaction that can potentially blow up / splatter all over you.

I've got a lye tank for restoring cast iron. 1 pound of lye crystals per 5 gallons of water. You can get crystalized lye from Lowes or Home Depot; I think 2 pounds of Roebic Crystal Drain Cleaner is about $15 from Lowes. It always amazes me that an 8 year old can go buy 2 pounds of lye, but you have to be 18 to buy a can of spray paint.

I used a 20 gallon rubbermade brute trash can with 15 gallons of water and 3 pounds of lye crystals. I've probably done over 100 crusty pans and never needed to change the solution. Use rebar tie wire to hang the cast iron so you don't have to go fishing for it later. You can leave it in as long as you want since lye is a rust inhibitor. I got busy with other projects recently and left a few in there for 3 months and they were clean and fine when I took them out.

Typically I'll leave it in lye overnight. Scrub most of the seasoning off with a wire brush. Throw it back in for a day or two. Scrub. Its usually clean of seasoning then. After that either electrolysis or vinegar tank to strip the rust. Then season it and good as new.

If you're only doing a couple pans then I'd just do Easy Off oven cleaner (with the yellow cap) in a garbage bag. That stuff will burn the crap out of you so don't get it on you or breathe it. It gets cost prohibitive if you've got a lot of pans to do, which is why people do lye tanks or electrolysis. You can also strip seasoning with electrolysis but after a few really crusty pans your tank is gross and you'll want to change the solution.

This is exactly what I was going to do. I bought 2 pounds of 100% lye yesterday. I will use a 5 gallon tote and soak in it for a few days. I don’t have any rebar tie, but tons of baling wire so that will work.

 

[Gellar]

The best thing to do is an electrolysis. Oven cleaner in a trash bag set in the Sun wo also work. https://www.castironcollector.com/electrolysis.php

I’m going to do a lye bath first and if that and elbow grease can’t get the rust off I’ll set up an electrolysis tank.

 

[winmag]

I’m going to do a lye bath first and if that and elbow grease can’t get the rust off I’ll set up an electrolysis tank.

Lye will get the seasoning and crud off but won’t touch the rust. You’ll need to soak in vinegar to get the rust off. Or spray with evaporust and wrap in a trash bag.

 

[Gellar]

Lye will get the seasoning and crud off but won’t touch the rust. You’ll need to soak in vinegar to get the rust off. Or spray with evaporust and wrap in a trash bag.

I think it’s just surface rust. It’s not pitted or anything from the rust, yet.

 

[fleabagmatt]

You're overthinking this, just throw a pork chop in there and get to cookin'! That's extra flavor you're wanting to scrub off.

 

[Gellar]

You're overthinking this, just throw a pork chop in there and get to cookin'! That's extra flavor you're wanting to scrub off.

If it was only on the outside, but it’s on the inside of the skillet.

TBH- I pulled it out of my MIL’s dishwasher and I’ve told her all I want is her cast iron skillets. When I saw it in the dishwasher I was appalled and took my inheritance early.