Cast iron cookware restoration

I recently purchased a cast iron corn stick pan that appears to have been spray varnished. How can I remove this varnish to use this cast iron pan safely?

cast-iron

Best Answer

You have 2 options to remove varnish at home:

Mechanical removal by sanding or scraping by hand or using a rotary tool. If you are too aggressive with this you could damage the pan, but if it is done right you will get a lot off. This could be tricky because of the shape of the pan, all of the curves and few flat spots, hand sanding will probably give you the best results in the curved parts
Solvents like varnish remover dissolve varnish and lacquer chemically, allowing you to wipe it off

Personally I would do both: start with my dremel and see what I can get off with a fine grinder attachment, and see how it comes off with sandpaper and a bit of elbow grease, then I'd use a varnish remover to get off the rest. Make sure you don't do this in an enclosed space and have good ventilation when you use the solvents. Eye protection is important, you don't want to get a fragment of varnish in your eye, trust me on this.

I have left out media blasting (sandblasting or glass bead blasting) as an option because it would probably cost more than buying a new pan, but if you know anyone with a machine it would make short work of it without chemicals.

Whatever method you use make sure to season it straight after, or at least heat it and run it down with oil to prevent rust.

Pictures about "Cast iron cookware restoration"

Cast iron cookware restoration - Exterior of contemporary wooden orange door and black cast iron gates to house

Cast iron cookware restoration - Tasty sausages in frying pan on table

Cast iron cookware restoration - Pine Tree Shape Decors of an Iron Fence

Can a cast iron pan be restored?

How to Restore Cast Iron

Place pan upside-down in sink and sprinkle with baking soda. ...

Add a few squirts of dishwashing liquid. ...

Use a scrub brush to remove rust and debris. ...

Turn pan over a clean using more baking soda and a scrub pad. ...

Rinse and dry thoroughly.

How do I recondition an old cast iron pan?

Introduction: Resurfacing Cast Iron PansMany manufacturers have skipped the process of grinding and polishing the cooking surface in lieu of a lower price tag. Those who are still producing the smooth bottom pans are commanding a much higher price for their cookware.

The Easy Guide On Seasoning and Restoring Cast Iron

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Erik Mclean, Erik Mclean, Milan, ROMAN ODINTSOV