A second series Erie No. 9 with possible repairs?

[AHartman]

Hi, I'm a new member, although I've been accumulating cast iron here and there for years now. I live in Canada, and recently found a couple of nice made in Canada Findlay and GSW skillets in a thrift store here, which have been sitting in the lye bath to clean. Those are great everyday users. The same day I also picked up a super crusty, gunked-up skillet that called out to me because the handle/pan joint was beautifully made, and I could faintly see what looked like a very old-fashioned number 9 and the edge of a heat ring. (It was so crusty that it was actually hard to tell). I figured it was worth $15 Canadian to see what it was.

After about a week in a chilly, slow lye bath (it's hovering around freezing here), I was able to make out a faint "Erie" logo, still under layers of seasoning, a nice outer heat ring, and no pattern number, so I figure it's a second series Erie #9 from the late 1880s. Score! However, I was also able to see some odd possible repairs that I haven't seen before. It almost looks like the outer wall was welded and then ground down, and there's a sidewall crack that looks to be about 1 1/2" long. The ground areas are a slightly different colour than the bare grey cast iron, more brassy, although it didn't really show up in the photos. Anyone have any thoughts or advice as to what the deal with this might be? Judging by the layers of grease that were hiding these (possible) repairs when I found it, it was used a lot after the fact.

I appreciate any input! Thanks!

 

[Doug D.]

Brazing with brass would have been the material of choice for a repair. I would expect the "ERIE" to be more defined. Is it totally cleaned of build-up in the photo?

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Welcome to the forum. So you are another one from the Glaciated North and need to deal with the COLD.

Not sure where you have your lot tank set up warm inside / cold outside. So my fix to the Glaciated North temps here in Northern VT, (12 below last night) is to combine my eTank with my Lye tank. Need to keep it running 24 /7. In fact I just took a GSW skillet out and have an early pit bottom pot swimming all night long. My setup is in an unheated 1890s barn. Well the snow can get to be to much, so the barn works.

I have to agree with Doug D. Brazing would have been the choice for repair back when it was most likely repaired. Today we use nickel rod. In the right hands you can have a nice repair.

If the skillet does not leak water, season it and use it. One of my go to skillets is an 1860 - 80 #11 thing walled skillet with a hair line crack on one side, and has not let me down yet.

 

[AHartman]

Brazing with brass would have been the material of choice for a repair. I would expect the "ERIE" to be more defined. Is it totally cleaned of build-up in the photo?

It's not cleaned completely - I decided to put it back in the lye bath once the temperature rises a little later this week. (I have to keep it outside.) The "Erie" logo does look pretty faint compared to the number, for sure - it's definitely there but hard to see.. Thanks for the info about the brazing - it does look brassy. I'll test out its watertightness and if it's ok, i'll gladly season and use it (mostly for baking or frying eggs, no deep oil frying). Thanks!

 

[AHartman]

Welcome to the forum. So you are another one from the Glaciated North and need to deal with the COLD.

Not sure where you have your lot tank set up warm inside / cold outside. So my fix to the Glaciated North temps here in Northern VT, (12 below last night) is to combine my eTank with my Lye tank. Need to keep it running 24 /7. In fact I just took a GSW skillet out and have an early pit bottom pot swimming all night long. My setup is in an unheated 1890s barn. Well the snow can get to be to much, so the barn works.

I have to agree with Doug D. Brazing would have been the choice for repair back when it was most likely repaired. Today we use nickel rod. In the right hands you can have a nice repair.

If the skillet does not leak water, season it and use it. One of my go to skillets is an 1860 - 80 #11 thing walled skillet with a hair line crack on one side, and has not let me down yet.

Thanks Jeffrey - unfortunately I have to have my lye bath outside on my city apartment balcony, and I have yet to try electrolysis. I don't have a manual battery charger... yet. So far I've done ok with just the lye bath/vinegar/seasoning but it would be a fun science project to set up a tank. So I was worried about the lye bath freezing and possibly causing cracks - or just not working well because of the cold. I'll have another go at the Erie skillet once we get a mild spell. There's still a lot of layers of black seasoning on the cooking surface and the back.

Good to know about your cracked skillet being ok to use.

Also cool that your GSW skillet made its way to Vermont!

 

[Norman Martin]

I am a new member , Its super cool ! I love the history , if these old pieces could speak . I know nothing, but your piece looks to have been well used and has served lots of meals. probably has fed lots of children. fix er up . best wishes

 

[Jeffrey R.]

I just have to say, all this new technology (spell Check) is making me look bad, It changes words on me. Lye and Lot are not the same thing, I am sure you can figure this one (thing walled skillet) for "thin walled skillet".

AHartman, When you are ready, you can do the eTank with Lye outside, just need to keep the snow out, but let it vent, and get yourself an old SS syrup barrel, they do have small ones or you can have a large one cut down. 2 years ago we hit 32 below and my eTank was working fine. It was me that went back inside the house. Safety First. In the mean time you have to do what you can with what you have, Best of Luck.

 

[D_Madden]

given the lightness of the 'erie' markings and the roughness of the casting I would suspect this one of being a recast. where someone used an actual erie 9 as their pattern... they were skilled at casting and finishing but their quality control might have been a step below the griswold foundry.

 

[AHartman]

given the lightness of the 'erie' markings and the roughness of the casting I would suspect this one of being a recast. where someone used an actual erie 9 as their pattern... they were skilled at casting and finishing but their quality control might have been a step below the griswold foundry.

I guess it's possible that it's a recast - although this skillet might still clean up a fair bit with more time in the lye bath, and the quality of the handle and the thinness/smoothness of the sides (aside from the brazed repairs) makes me think it might be original. It's also been well-used and someone took the time to repair it, possibly many years ago, so it must have been valuable enough for someone to do that?
There are a few mysteries when it comes to Canadian cast iron (like a few Chown & Cunningham models that are pretty much exact Piqua Ware skillets - https://castironcanada.com/?page_id=49 - and that might be because of some actual business relationship between the Canadian and American companies) but I'd think there'd be some attempt to really hide the original logo? Maybe I'll never know - though it's a really cool old skillet in any case, definitely has a story.

 

[D_Madden]

I guess it's possible that it's a recast - although this skillet might still clean up a fair bit with more time in the lye bath, and the quality of the handle and the thinness/smoothness of the sides (aside from the brazed repairs) makes me think it might be original. It's also been well-used and someone took the time to repair it, possibly many years ago, so it must have been valuable enough for someone to do that?
There are a few mysteries when it comes to Canadian cast iron (like a few Chown & Cunningham models that are pretty much exact Piqua Ware skillets - https://castironcanada.com/?page_id=49 - and that might be because of some actual business relationship between the Canadian and American companies) but I'd think there'd be some attempt to really hide the original logo? Maybe I'll never know - though it's a really cool old skillet in any case, definitely has a story.

maybe its my old eyes.. but I'm not seeing any brazed repairs on this one... I see a rough section on the outside sidewall that looks like casting flaws to me... brass would be obvious on iron. for example, here is a lodge 4in1 with a brazed handle.

https://imgur.com/a/7QNps1g