Bakersdozen cast Iron skillet restore

[Riverrat]

I bet if we ask real nice Baker would show us a recently completed cast iron skillet restore.  She done a beautiful job  bringing these old work horses back to life

[Jen]

Would love to see that Bakers. I do a lot of cooking in cast iron.

[Bakersdozen]

Before:

After:

Flip side:


I don't know that the before picture does it justice.  The smallest pan had been given to me 20-25 years ago by a family friend.  It was pretty cruddy when it was given to me and was the most challenging.  Once I got the layers of carbon off, I was able to research it's age.  It is from the 1960's and is a Lodge.
They were very well received on Christmas day by my step-son.
Now, his birthday is on Feb. 1 and I have found some more cast iron I am considering adding to the 3 skillets.

[Some Day]

Actually the both of the smaller skillets were manufactured before 1960.  In 1960 the country of origin was required to be labeled on cast iron, like on the larger lodge skillet that has U.S.A.

I very much prefer to cook in cast iron.  The older Griswold, Wagner, Birmingham Stove & Range, Volrath etc.  are lighter in weight and are often smoother surfaced on the cooking surface than modern cast iron. 

I enjoy buying older rusty looking cast iron at yard sales and auctions and then cleaning them up and seasoning them.  There is something about making waffles in waffle iron that is over 100 years old that I find satisfying.

I guess I am easily entertained.

[Bakersdozen]

Some Day, the medium sized skillet (aka Mama Bear  ) actually is stamped Taiwan.  So it's value is minimal.  My husband found an example of Baby Bear skillet online.  There was a history given with it.  I'm sorry I can't find that website now.  It said the 3 notch was manufactured in the 1960's.  The real story behind it, for us, is the old family friend that gave it to me.  My stepson was very excited about the 12 inch skillet.  It will make it easier to cook for a family of 4.  He does a lot of the cooking.
I believe you and Riverrat have a lot in common concerning cast iron waffle makers.
I never knew there was so much interest in cast iron, and I like that.  All you see on tv is copper pans, etc.

[Riverrat]

The 3 notch lodge was started in the late 30's to early 40's some will have a raised molders mark which some believe would make them an early 3 notch.  this one doesn't appear to have the raised mark. I would place this one in the late 40's  In about 1950 lodge switch from hand making the molds to the DISA machinery to automatic mold the iron.  This is about the time SK was added to the casting which was short for skillet. Your tiawan pan is actually a very nice well cast piece very few foreign knock offs of usa iron had the cooking surface ground as these was.  There has been more than one collector fooled when they buy these and send through the spa and find the Taiwan on the bottom. Country of origin was required in the early 60's most makers of iron in the US and some foreign put the country of origin on the casting .  Some was marked on the packaging thus you will see some foreign made iron without the country of origin cast into the piece.  Some Day is correct nothing better than a waffle off a 100 year old waffle iron.  Even better is a bundt cake made in the old griswold made Frank Hayes bundt pan 

[Riverrat]

http://www.castironcollector.com/unmarked.php  good read here on unmarked cast.  Some information is a little off as new things have been reasearched and discovered

[Bakersdozen]

  Even better is a bundt cake made in the old griswold made Frank Hayes bundt pan

I guess I will tell my stepson I have a new date on his baby pan.
A cast iron bundt cake pan?  I'd love to see a picture of that.

[riverbee]

VERY COOL!!!!!

thx for the pix!!!

[neillsayers]

Nice B13, thanks