Metalic odor

R.A. Young

New member
I have been cleaning my cast iron pans with easy off oven cleaner for the crud and a bath of 50/50 vinegar for rust. that combination along with elbow grease has been doing a great job. I have noticed that some of the pans have a distinct metallic odor and some don't. Should that smell go away after seasoning? They have been stripped down to bare grey metal. I wasn't going to season them because from what I have read most people like to put their own seasoning on them. I want to sell some of my cleaned pieces on eBay unseasoned but I am concerned the buyer will be bothered by the metallic odor. I am new to cast iron and am having a ball with it. I just want to do things properly.
 
That's just the smell of iron. Highly reactive metals like aluminum, copper, and iron all have their own unique smell. If you've got a keen enough nose and spend enough time around them you become familiar with the subtle smell of each.
 
You should put at least a minimal coat of some kind of seasoning on them just to keep rust from returning. One coat of Crisco or the like will strip off in a heartbeat if that's what the next owner wants. The easiest is USP mineral oil. It doesn't need baking on and can be removed with a good washing with Dawn.
 
The easiest is USP mineral oil.

Yep, started using mineral oil based on what you posted on the main site, love it for display and for sale pieces. Ended up having too many pans in rotation, and none were used enough so I stripped them all again.
 
Thank you Doug. I have been applying a thin coat of "High Heat, Canola Oil" made by Spectrum to each piece after it has been cleaned and dried. Is that a good enough oil? I think I have some pretty good pans such as Erie #11 and Griswold #12 and I wouldn't want to ruin them.
 
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