A funny thing

[TerryLawson]

A few weeks ago I picked up 2 cast irom skillets one is a Wagner 8 and the other was a made in USA 7.
After I cleaned them both up I started to reseason the! The Wagner took the season like a champ! Turned black and shiny and slick. The other one just turned brown and blotchy!
Borh were on the grill at the same time same temp and used the same shortning! Both we taken back to clean metal and cleaned the same way (electrolysis)!
Just thought it was funny! This is the first piece of the (collectable iron) that I have gotten. Both cook fine! And for $5 and $4 I just couldn't pass them up!
Terry

[bobhenry]

I am gonna wade in here as a bit of a novice but I am willing to bet your pretty black wagner is at least 40 years older than the other skillet. I have no reason other than a good guess. I have 2 family heirlooms that I know have passed thru 3 generations plus and are wonderful, pretty black, shiney , and smooth as a babys butt. Yet I persist trying to coax a little square new wagner to age with the same grace and dignity. However, it insists on staying grey with brown areas in the bottom. It fries everything just fine with the exception of eggs. I have formed the opinion that the iron composition is just different and far more porous. You can feel the difference when you wash it. The little square one has proven to be great to bake in . Am I just all wet or what ???

[Ageless]

You may be right. My 4 in 1 is likely 50 -60 years old and even with a long soak in lye to remove gunk and a similar soak in super iron out; it cured with a slight brown patina. The newer stuff, treated the same way turned a nice shiny black.

by newer; 25-40 years old.

[Kevin & Sandy]

Yup, I don't know why, but a new pie iron was splotchy when I seasoned it and an OLD beanpot I was doing at the same time with the same Crisco came out so uniform that it looked like I spray painted it !!!

[doitright]

I have cleaned about 100 pans dos bean pots and everything else I can get my hands on. The older they are the better. I think it may have something to go with the way they mix the iron or something. All I can say is 50 years old or older is shiny smooth and black. Any newer it is hit or miss. It may be like me the older I get the better I get.
doitright

[bobhenry]

50 years ago iron and steel scrap was just that "iron and steel". How much aluminum and plastic can you remember being in your 56 chevy?

I think it is simply the difficulty of getting a clean scrap charge for the cast. A certain amout of these contaminates have to make it into the charge now days no matter how big an effort is made to prevent it.

Most of my iron cookware is well over 3 generations in the family and since I have recently learned proper care and operation I can say they are just getting better and better ( In large part thanks to the very knowledgeable folks here and at camp cook).

I still look for the old smooth interior cast iron at yard sales and flea markets. I let feel be my judge of good iron be it old or new.