BSR Iron recipe of iron

Steven C

Member
I will start by saying this is only a opinion ,,,, does anyone else feel for that time period of BSR production of the iron was superior? For me it takes a quick season and works black quickly and cleans easy from skillet gravy after searing meat to next day making omelet without thinking about adding a ton of oil-fat.

It is very seldom I ever wash with water and they perform in my opinion at the top of the class.

This isn't a post of a TM Marked is better than a no TM marked or Red Mountain to century. For all I know mine came over on the mayflower or the previous picked it up new in 1972,

As a user I have waved the BSR flag in the past especially for new members with them because I've used them with great success.

I'm just wondering what some of the other members feel about how high the quality in these ver, the high end TM ones.

In my opinion these are a Cadillac found for pennies on the dollar, as a new collector user don't pass them by. But like all CI learn it, look for a older one. and enjoy your new found treasure.
 
Steven, I don't know whether the iron was superior (although Birmingham exists because of the red iron ore in Red Mountain), but iron was plentiful and produced locally. And ... everybody knows, locally produced beer is fresher and therefore better. Uh ... Did I say "beer"? I meant "iron ore".
 
Mike that would be extremely difficult for me to narrow down. The BSR has a long time line. From what I gather mine are RM but when they were made on a close ball park is ???? It would be nice to say this Mark was 19xx - 197xxxx? About all I can say you would be happier with one pre : made in US : but hey if you need a 10 or 12 size and you found it for $10 don't pass it by.
 
I have seen an advertisement somewhere on here that said "BSR" use's 100% pig iron". I have mostly red mountain series along with some century series. I was working out of town and carried a post 1960 "made in USA" #5 BSR skillet to cook on a Coleman 1-burner propane stove. It was polished very smooth from the factory and was freshly cleaned and seasoned. This pan is heavy but the best non stick cast iron skillet I own. It is now my #5 user. I have a #10 3-notch Lodge and a square unmarked Wagner that are also my users, both very smooth, but I have to use a little more oil and move the food a little more to prevent sticking. I'm no expert and can't tell you why, but my theory is that the iron ore BSR used must have been a superior grade.
 
I'm not sure the grade of iron necessarily correlates with its performance of the qualities mentioned.

Some modern startups trying to reproduce the qualities of vintage skillets have done a fair amount of experimentation on what processes result in the best seasoning adhesion. More than one has concluded that the ultra-smooth surfaces have adhesion difficulties, a result that doesn't seem out of line with some of the experiences I've read about here.

Their solution was to do a micro-etching of the surface - it still appears smooth to you and I, but on a much smaller scale the surface has a hint more texture, and that created much better seasoning adhesion.

Obviously BSR wasn't dipping their pans in an acid bath or we would have heard about it, but it could be their finishing process coincidentally produced similar results.

But that's just as speculative as anything else on this thread.
 
Eric you a correct these are pure speculative thoughts. I've had two here I have been using three years or better and at times I notice things while using them that get me thinking. When I first started using them they would sucking up a lot of oil while cooking. I never gave it much thought I just added what it needed. Afterward most times I just wipe them out and they always felt wet slick for lack of better words. Almost like you couldn't wipe them dry. Pre heat in the oven and they bleed oil. Never any sticking with scrambled eggs or other things that can be somewhat troublesome at times.

I also have some other makers I use that work great but seem to be just slightly under that threshold so to speak. But hey this could just my imagination and not a true observation. I just wondering what some of the other members noticed if anything.
 
BSR produced and offered up to three finishes at various times: natural, "A" polished, and "AA" extra or double polished. Up until WWII, they advertised the use of pure pig iron. From 1942-45 they, as were any producer of cast iron goods, forced to turn to scrap, as the best iron went to the war effort.

I'm not sure I understand what is being described as the iron "sucking up" or "bleeding" oil. The iron isn't porous, so I am left to wonder if it's a result of a "just wipe it out until next time" philosophy. It kind of sounds like it. Once oil is polymerized, it will not liquefy under heat.

WIRCO made the mistake of thinking that, if ductile wrought iron was good for stoves, it should be good for skillets, too.
 
Cast iron isn't pure iron but an iron alloy, alloyed with carbon (2.1% - 4%) which is even more carbon than in steel (.07% - 2%), while wrought iron has minimal carbon content, less than .08%. The materials perform quite differently.
 
WIRCO is short for the Wrought Iron Range Company of Saint Louis, Missouri. They made their skillets as an accessory to their cook stove. They made great stoves and not so good cookware, most of the pans cracked.
 
Back
Top