Rescuing a pitted Cast Iron heirloom

[dreamwalker]

I recently cleaned up some old family cast iron pans that had decades of burnt grease on them. After using an electrolysis tank and some manual scraping to clear the carbon, I found one pan has a very pitted bottom. The inside is smooth and works great, but the bottom is rough and uneven. I thought about sanding it down to make it look better, but I worry about making the metal too thin and ruining the pan. Since this is an heirloom, I plan to just keep using it as it is. Does anyone have tips for seasoning a rough surface like this? Should I be worried about the pits affecting how it heats up on the stove?

 

[shenshan5]

Try applying several thin layers of seasoning to fill in the smaller gaps and protect the metal from rust.

 

[iconic matz]

I recently cleaned up some old family cast iron pans that had decades of burnt grease on them. After using an electrolysis tank and some manual scraping to clear the carbon, I found one pan has a very pitted bottom. The inside is smooth and works great, but the bottom is rough and uneven. I thought about sanding it down to make it look better, but I worry about making the metal too thin and ruining the pan. Since this is an heirloom, I plan to just keep using it as it is. Does anyone have tips for seasoning a rough surface like this? Should I be worried about the pits affecting how it heats up on the stove?

Just avoid using this pan on glass cooktops because the rough bottom might scratch the surface.

 

[sweetsands]

@dreamwalker Always keep the bottom dry after cleaning to prevent moisture from sitting in the deep pits.

 

[the plankton]

Stick to gas burners or outdoor grills where the uneven texture won't matter as much.