Iron ore

JasonL

Member
What area did early iron ore come from and was it a different quality then what is used today? And did most manufacturers use the same ore?
 
Early foundries sprang up wherever sufficient resources existed or were discovered. If the resources played out quickly, it would often mean an end to the operations reliant upon them. Plentiful resources supported larger, more long term manufacturers, such as those in PA, OH, and AL. Iron ore must have the elemental iron smelted out and have additions made to it in order to be used for cast iron, so one would tend to think that modern furnaces should actually be better at producing a superior pig iron.
 
Ya know, you would think with all of our modern machinery, robots doing all the work, etc etc, we could turn out a skillet/pot of equal to, or greater quality that the old companies did, for the same $20+ or so that Lodge charges.

Comparatively speaking, Griswold, Wagner, and even old Lodge were working with primitive tools compared to what we have now.

Why is there no company making great quality finished skillets outside of the few boutique companies that are still hand pouring? Finex, Borough Furnace, etc.

Is it just a money thing, is the market so small that it wouldn't be profitable?
 
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