Does cast iron have a coating from the manufacturer?
I have an old Wagner Ware cast iron skillet (marked as model 1056T; measures about 7 inches inside bottom). This was given to me by my grandmother.
Where the handle meets the pan, you can see a marked difference in material. It looks like the pan used to have some sort of coating that has now come off.
I have another one (bought at a thrift shop) that has no markings except "No. 10 12 7/16" on the bottom. It also looks like it had a black coating and a more silver color is showing through on the round ridge on the bottom outside and on the rim edge of the pan.
I keep these seasoned, but neither behaves as well as the Lodge pan I bought new a few years ago.
So I'm wondering if they originally would have had some sort of coating. I thought not, but they just look so odd.
Best Answer
It depends. Traditionally cast-iron did not come pre-seasoned.
Lodge, as you know, specializes in pre-seasoned and enameled cast-iron pans. Lodge pans work great, but there isn't anything exceedingly special about their seasoning; it's simply vegetable oil (soy) baked onto the pan. You should be able to achieve a similar seasoning quality at home using the methods described here:
What's the best way to season a cast iron skillet?
Wagner skillets do not come pre-seasoned from the manufacturer. However, they did typically come with some coating in place to prevent rusting. This coating, while safe, is not intended to be a "seasoning". It wears off over time, and it's role is subsequently filled by proper seasoning.
Update
Based on your photos, that looks to be the coating I described above.
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Quick Answer about "Does cast iron have a coating from the manufacturer?"
All new cast iron pots and skillets have a protective coating on them which must be removed. American companies use a special food-safe wax; imports are covered with a water-soluble shellac. In either case, scrub the item with a scouring pad, using soap and the hottest tap water you can stand.Does cast iron cookware have a coating?
Cast iron is often called the original nonstick pan. And it makes sense. Well-seasoned cast-iron skillets have a naturally formed coating that is created when fats are heated to a certain point that causes them to reorganize into something resembling a plastic coating and bond to the metal.What is the coating on new cast iron?
If it is not pre-seasoned, a new cast iron skillet or dutch oven typically comes from the manufacturer with a protective coating of wax or shellac; otherwise it would rust. This needs to be removed before the cookware is used. An initial scouring with hot soapy water will usually remove the protective coating.Is my cast iron coated?
Coated cast iron has better non-stick qualities than natural, but it's not a 100% non-stick surface. Most coated cast iron tableware or cookware is two-toned with white enamel or porcelain on the inside, and another color on the outside.Does cast iron have a black coating?
The black residue on a cast iron skillet isn't harmful; it's just a part of cooking with a cast iron pan. A black seasoned coating shouldn't rub off easily or affect the food, as it should form a useful non-stick surface for cooking. If residue starts to build up, however, this can affect your cooking.More answers regarding does cast iron have a coating from the manufacturer?
Answer 2
Some Wagner pans were coated with nickel and later with chrome.
In the early days, the Wagners installed nickel baths in their foundry to make cash registers and calculators they had patented. Before many of these were produced, they sold these patents to the Osgood Cash Register Company, a front for that National Cash Register Company (NCR).
In 1892, they still had the nickel baths, so they put them to use by This can be found on pg 7 of David Smith & Chuck Wafford's "The Book of Wagner & Griswald" (cast Iron collectors know this as `the Red book'). There are color pictures of a brass Wagner Calculator on pg 114.
I'm sure the pans looked pretty when new, but the coating wears off (especially where the pans are handled). There was a later line of Chrome plated pans called Silverlite.
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Images: Milan, Ave Calvar Martinez, Erik Mclean, ready made