Cast iron

[BilletHead]

No problem. Do not use a skillet with a heat ring. Make sure the skillet sets flat. Other than that is potential scratches if you are not careful. 

[DADAKOTA]

If I need to be real careful I'd best not do it.

[BilletHead]

28 minutes ago, DADAKOTA said:

If I need to be real careful I'd best not do it.

           When I say careful I'm thinking don't do like you are making popcorn or slide it back and forth to see if your eggs will slide around. . 

[MOPanfisher]

And don't drop it!

[Johnsfolly]

Ok maybe everyone already knew this, but recently had the discussion on what the model number on my cast iron meant. Here's what I found on the internet (from Cast Iron Collector site) - take it with as many grains of salt as you wish .

"Regardless of what other markings or logos the major foundries incised into their products, common among nearly all vintage pieces-- whether they be skillets, dutch ovens, waffle irons, or griddles-- are size numbers.

Often, the assumption is erroneously made that the large numeral, found normally either on the top of the handle or on the bottom of a piece, indicates its diameter in inches. A measurement of both the top and the bottom rim of a pan, however, will quickly confirm that the number has no direct correlation to either dimension.

With the advent of wood-burning stoves, pans were produced to conform to the sizes of the openings in their tops known as "stove eyes". Think of a stove eye as a burner on a modern stove. (Some people still call them that.) A heavy cover piece was left in place when an eye was not directly in use, and removed-- using a special, heat-resistant lifter handle-- when maximum heat from the eye was required.

Heat rings, the rims protruding from the bottom circumference of most early cast iron pans, served multiple functions: as a "seal" of sorts between the pan and stove eye, as added stablility for less-than-perfectly flat pan bottoms, and as a device to help reduce hot spots.

Depending on the brand of stove, and the sizes of its various eyes, appropriately-sized pans would need to be purchased for use with it. Or, in some cases, the stove maker also produced pans, which they supplied for use with their units.

Even after gas-fired ranges-- and, eventually, electric stoves-- became ubiquitous, cast iron cookware continued to be manufactured in the sizes and with the designations originally established for its use on wood-burning stoves.

A 1924 Wagner Manufacturing Co. catalog gives these as the bottom diameters of their regular cast iron skillets:

#2 - 4-7/8" #3 - 5-1/2" #4 - 5-7/8" #5 - 6-3/4" #6 - 7-1/2"

#7 - 8-1/4" #8 - 8-7/8" #9 - 9-3/4" #10 - 10-1/4" #11 - 10-7/8"

#12 - 11-3/4" #13 - 12" #14 - 13"

These exact dimensions, however, were not standard across all makers. A 1918 Griswold Mfg. Co. catalog lists roughly the same dimensions for its regular skillets, with the #3 and #4 being somewhat smaller than Wagner's, and the #13 and #14 somewhat wider. And a Martin #3 skillet is the same size as a Wagner #2."

[Flysmallie]

I read all of that and all I can think of is quail season in Oklahoma when I was a kid. We would get up early and meet my uncles and cousins for quail hunting. Around 9 we would go to my Great Uncles house where he had two wood burning stoves in his garage. He would cook us eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, gravy. It was amazing. After we ate we would head back out and kill some more quail or go fishing. 

[BilletHead]

                         Yep and this is why I really don't pay attention to size comparisons. In the long run it really does not matter. I am sure there are a few but do not know anyone that cooks 24/7 with an old wood stove removing  the cover plate to nestle the proper size heat ring in the whole on the stove. I prefer the heat ring on my skillets because with the heat ring heat related warpage is lessoned in old skillets. Wagner for some reason in larger sizes will belly out in their line of flat bottomed skillets. I did on Saturday check out an Erie 9 with heat ring I had been eyeballing for three months on display. High and far off on a wall I finally asked for the guy to take it down for me to handle. It is real old and even with the Heat ring and all I could see a slight belly. I took it over to the glass countertop and set it down carefully and gave it a spin. And spin it did. This gave it maybe two playing card wobble. It is not much and would make a good cooker but I passed. I did buy a pie logo Wagner #3 . There is a Piqua #3 and a unmarked Vollrath #7 I need to check out closer next time I am up there. I have a #5,7 and 8 Piqua and it would be nice to have the three. 

   I ran the pie logo Wagner and a #4 three notch lodge through the e-tank. until this morning. They came out and I hit them with the SOS and then washed with soap and water. Dried and just finished up the seasoning process. they are cooling down now. May post pics later if anyone wants to see the finished deal.

[Johnsfolly]

First restoration project,, a Wagner #3. Should be ready to cook with now.

[BilletHead]

2 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

First restoration project,, a Wagner #3. Should be ready to cook with now.

                 Looks good John! Well done.

[Johnsfolly]

Second project was rust covered deep #8 Wagner skillet. Does have a slight belly and some pitting.