Cast iron cookware and SHTF....

[EastenerWesterner]

Been a while since I read the thread so I don't remember if anyone said this. I have cleaned several rusted cast iron items by soaking them in used motor oil for a while, then cleaning them off with gasoline to dissolve all of the oil. Then of course, some good soap and water to clean them up. Like new!

With respect, I don’t know if I want to cook off used motor oil and gasoline any more than I want to eat off Teflon.
I don’t think the motor oil is gonna get 90 years of crud off the pan.
The seasoning is building the protective layer on. I would rather eat off natural edible oils, not petroleum.
Even though Lye is an evil thing in today’s society, it’s been a natural thing for a thousand years. Wood ash and water was the original soap recipe if I recall.
In doing the Electrolysis tank, I explained today to a friend that I was building a reverse silver/gold plating system. A tank, a stand, an old fashion battery charger, scrap anode, some wire and Washing Soda.

 

[GaRp58]

I have cleaned several rusted cast iron items by soaking them in used motor oil for a while, then cleaning them off with gasoline to dissolve all of the oil.

Motor oil has detergents in it to clean your motors "innards" and will help. But, I would not use it as the pores of the cast iron do store some left-overs maybe. If you want to clean cast iron (or a stuffed and dirty metal file) soak it in battery acid. (ONLY OVERNIGHT!) The small filings which clog up your metalfile are soft and eaten by the acid, but the hardened metal of the file itself are not affected, the cast iron is also cleaned and the sulfuric acid will be 100% removed by washing. You are re-sharpening your file with this method. After soaking, use your file brush to clean out the rest from the pan too or a brass wire brush on your drill or electric screwdriver. If you want to cure the pan again, either cook some potatos in a filled pan till they are done, rub the pan with pork lard and bake it or as sometimes seen in germany, fill the pan half full with vegetable oil, mix about a half a cup of salt in the oil and cook it OUTSIDE!!! till the oil and salt are really smoking, pour out the mixture and let cool till you can rub it down with a clean cloth with some lard or oil of your choice. Stay away from the strong smell of the salt/oil smoke tho.

 

[M0del_31]

A good vinegar soak will lift a lot of rust off iron

 

[GaRp58]

A good vinegar soak will lift a lot of rust off iron

Will try that at my next chance...

 

[Illini Warrior]

A good vinegar soak will lift a lot of rust off iron

DILUTED vinegar - not straight - given time an all vinegar soak will eat holes and eventually consume the object ...

you'll need to go directly into seasoning after cleaning off the vinegar gunk - oxidation is almost immediate ....

 

[EastenerWesterner]

We restored a 100+yr old waffle maker. They turned out better with each waffle.
Because it has the original handles, it is particularly desirable and is a high version that works on a gas stove.
This is one I don’t want to sell because I can have waffles in SHTF.

 

[M0del_31]

Picked up a Lodge 6qt dutch oven with the wire bell yesterday. Hung it over a fire and cooked some steaks this evening which turned out ok. The more appropriate foods will be chili, stews, cornbread and biscuits but for a first run through, it's hard to mess up steak.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Picked up a Lodge 6qt dutch oven with the wire bell yesterday. Hung it over a fire and cooked some steaks this evening which turned out ok. The more appropriate foods will be chili, stews, cornbread and biscuits but for a first run through, it's hard to mess up steak.

Season well before anything acidic like chili.
My theory is cornbread is a +1 for seasoning, chili is a -2. Rule of thumb from an old timer that taught me.