An Interesting Question....

SeanD

Well-known member
I mean this with all my heart, I DO NOT mean to offend anyone at all. Just was wondering.....

Whats the deal with finding THE cheapest skillet, DO, ect. I know to save money, but what if you really, really wanted that one skillet......a rare one....why not pay a reasonable price for a rarity like that ( barring damage ). I mean, whats the chances of finding another one? My theory is that we only live once, and life can get in the way of CI hunting, but I do my best. If youre trying to complete a whole set of one brand, it would take a lifetime to find all of them on the cheap. I get the thrill of the hunt.....we all love it. I have paid quite a bit for a Wapak #14, mint. Too high? Maybe, but I have a full set now. Any replies would be great! No offense to anyone again.
 
Why over pay if you don't have to. I try not to pay large amount of money on pieces. I don't necessarily only look for very inexpensive pieces either. If I find a piece that I want, I'll pay extra and maybe even more than I should.

Rare pieces are going to demand a high price, unless you get lucky and find a Griswold #2 for under $20. Paying top dollar for easily obtainable pieces is another story.

Too many people nowadays have overpriced cast iron because they know people want it, and they will find people that don't know what the piece is worth.
 
Thanks for the reply. I love to save money too, but why limit yourself to cheap pans? I Have a #9 Erie skillet, bought off of ebay, and Id never find tht in the wild, not around here at least. I just dont have the time to go to estate sales and ll of that, auctions, ect. I vist a few antique dealers around here, but the rest I go to ebay. And NO, im not a newbie, an idiot, or a big spender.
 
I guess we all have a different perspective on buying cast iron. You don't have the time or maybe desire to run all over looking for cheap deals, so it makes perfect sense to pay for iron you like or want. Others, like me, really enjoy the hunt and are willing to wait for cheaper prices. It all depends on what you want and what works best for you. Either way, we all can still enjoy and appreciate old cast iron.
 
I, like everyone on here, LOVES old CI. Me and my wife have used CI only for 4 years so far, and we love it. I like hunting and getting old crusty CI and cleaning it up, but I will pay money for something rare.
 
Sean,

There is a saying in the retailing industry... 'some people will spend a lot of time to save money, some people will spend a lot of money to save time". No right or wrong, just preference.
 
Hey, if a child isn't going hungry and has clothes to wear, why give a rip what other people think and say about the price you pay for a piece.
 
I agree. Trust me, im not loaded by far, but CI is my only hobby(besides drinking a few beers), so I justify spending money on CI by that. I just think it would be almost impossible to find every piece I have in the wild.
 
I have a system that's been working for me when I'm shopping: unless I know exactly what I'm looking at and I know it's a great deal and it's something I really wanted already, I just take photos and go home. That gives the spendy monster in my brain time to cool off. I'll do some research, ask some questions, and go back another day if it's something I still want after the heat of the moment.

I overpaid for my first find, which was only three or four weeks ago. It was a BSR #5 that just felt so damn good in my hand. It's really pretty and makes the best omelettes. So I don't feel bad paying $25 for something I really love and use a couple times a week.

This past weekend I bought a colonial breakfast skillet marked down from $110(?!) to $60. I didn't have my shiny new BB with me, and I didn't care. I had to have this stupid, useless, magnificent artifact immediately. Some things are too good to pass up and are worth a small premium.
 
Sean D,
I say, unequivocally, "To each, their own".
Alas, there's a bit of "judgement" that seems to come from whether or not one acquires their CI in the wild. Sour grapes is all, from the vocal minority. I'd hope the bulk of us realize that, like others have said, it's an Individually Tailored Mix of time vs money vs interest vs logistics. Unique to a person and any given day. Really, it's just people being people. Each, one of a kind.
So I say shop away, it's your money, life, and happiness that YOU are in pursuit of. Besides, it's also just as fun to look around online. We all love "antiquing" at heart, right? Real vs Virtual is becoming blurrier and blurrier anyway. Nothing wrong with progress, OR the older ways, they're just different. They don't have to be at odds. A classic Stripes movie line comes to mind... "lighten' up, Francis!" lol.
Happy Hunting!! (in the Wild OR the Shooting Gallery!!)
 
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