Finally got my cast iron back. From my re-season.

[boomchakabowwow]

I bought my pans from a hoarder. His wife told him, “it’s me or the pans”. I lent a very sympathetic ear and he sold me the pans cheap. I did error and buy two pans similar sized. A #8 and a 9. The 8 is a small logo Griswold. The #9 is an unmarked pan with a heatring. He called it a “user”. Which is what I wanted. If I remember, I paid $30 for both.

the #8 was grittier and after using it repeatedly, it just didn’t perform that great. I got medieval on it and sanded it down with 220 grit wet/dry paper. BIG MISTAKE! It was so difficult to season. Very similar to the trials and tribulations of seasoning carbon steel. It’s was so smooth the seasoning was fragile. I just quit worrying and simply used them for the occasional pork or beef sear. I did strip the 9 with a lighter Hand

well, without ant formal seasoning sessions. None of that wiping and heating stuff, my pans are back. Both are naturally slick. The #9 survived a tomato sauce. Neither pan is jet-black. really a super dark brown. Tortilla toasters. Protein searing. I’m done. No more steel pan purchases EVER. I have all I need. I could get by with only one of the cast pans.

but I love both - and I seasoned them the hard way. Just cooking with them. There were sticky messes along the way.

 

[esoo]

When I think about the seasoning on any cast iron, I think of my grandmother: cook with fat. She would never do anything else other than wash a pan.

We over think this too much.

 

[McMan]

Those look great! It's getting hard to find cheap Griswolds.

 

[btbyrd]

Seasoning people who never actually cook with their cast iron : pans
Polishing people who never actually cut with their unicorns : knives

 

[DutchCook]

Seasoning people who never actually cook with their cast iron : pans
Polishing people who never actually cut with their unicorns : knives

Some people think it is a waste to use their best knives and pans, because they will get scratches and spots. They treat them like museum pieces.
I say that it is a waste not to use them. They are purpose built. Meant to be used. If a knife (or pan) is never used, it will never get any character and just be a boring piece of steel.
To anyone: Dont do this to your tools.. Use them!