Lead.

F

FRosenquist

Member
I bought what I think is a nice old Wagner 8. In the process of cleaning, I found what look like small drops of lead on the cooking surface of the pan. When I hit it with a wire brush it just sort of smears.

Is there any way to remove these deposits and make it a useable pan, or is it just going to be a disappointing wall decoration?

I'm not giving it away if there is any chance it can harm someone.
 
Lead testers can be purchased at paint stores. While not too pricey per test, you have to buy multi-packs, unless you can get a single from somewhere. It might also be a slag inclusion, which, while very likely aluminum, could be other things. Extended electrolysis treatment might remove whatever it is, if it's just on the surface. But, yeah, you might have a wallhanger.
 
I heated the Hell out of the pan on a turkey fryer. After about five minutes on the jet blast i scraped at it and it was still pretty solid. So now I'm thinking aluminum.
I stuck it in the lye bath for a few days and now, after I scrape at it with a wire brush, it looks to be gone,
It's in the electrolysis tub now so I'll take a look in a day or so and see where it takes me.
I think I'm going to buy a bunch of lead testers no matter what. Since I intend to give these pans away as useable kitchen ware, and since I have no idea who had it and how/if they abused it, it would be best to be as safe as possible.
Thanks all for the input.

I appreciate it.
 
Old unmarked Wagner, or made using a Wagner pan as a pattern. Depends on whether those are utensil marks on the cooking surface or casting flaws. Recasts usually have gate marks across the bottom, but I have some that don't.
 
that's rust pitting. it was in pretty brutal shape when i rescued it. pretty good, for a buck. I'm giving it to my sister-in-law, so it'll be used quite a bit.
 
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