Smoothing out a new Lodge

I've seen a couple of those videos about sanding them smooth. Might be fun to try, but I like my new Lodge skillets the way they are. They work fine for any recipe I start on the stove and transfer to the oven, and/or for stuff I cook in a pan on the grill. My favorite skillet for bacon is also a new Lodge. But, when it's time to fry an egg, I prefer the smooth surface of old cast iron.
 
Not knocking the newer Lodge stuff, but there's plenty of older, milled cast iron out there at bargain prices to be spending my time trying to smooth out a new one. I will say the fellow needs to bump his seasoning temp up about 100 degrees. 350 doesn't even get close to the smoke point of Crisco.
 
If you want a new Lodge stripped, run it through the oven cleaning cycle. What to lose?

If you want it smoother, sand it to your desired finish. Then season it and use it. Done.

I think the video is the hard way and made a real mess in the shop.

Hilditch
 
I've seen this done on some other non-related sites where others have done the same with great results. It would be a labor of love for me to do one and I wouldn't do a size 8. I would do a larger size that I didn't want to wait to find and use like a 12-14 and wouldn't mind if I accidentally warped it doing two big steaks.

Enjoy it's just food, and the way you want to prepare it.

Steve,
 
Steve, I did my 14 SK 10 years ago out of curiosity. Can't say it cooks any different or that the food tastes any better. It's still the seasoning that counts.

Hilditch
 
C'mon..some of ya'll are missing the point and being too serious. :icon_scratchchin: First, it is about fun and experimenting and it is an inexpensive new mfg Lodge and not something I would do often. Second, I already have a good mix of a collection of old iron that I rotate around their use, including a number of old Lodges, and, of course, I would not do this on any old vintage iron. Third, it is not about "which is better, old or new iron".:)
 
EC Price
Thank you, I totally agree. I have a modern Lodge long griddle that has/had the sand pebble finish. I'm about half way through sanding it smooth. Yes, I have other, much older, griddles I can use "as is", but I found some satisfaction making this one into something I will use.

Jack
 
There is definitely tons-o-fun to be had in experimenting. At least that's what I keep telling my wife but she's not buying it.
 
Hilditch I bought a old girlfriend a SK number 14 or so that she wanted to do chicken in. And way back then we didn't have any other CI. It was fine for what we used it for but now that I'm older and wiser I would definitely smooth out the bottom if we were still together. I do know from working metal it's a lot of work and changing sanding grits to get the look we're talking about. But the end result would worth it for many years to come.

I think it would be some trial and error of finding the best easiest method to do by hand but I would definitely wear a dust mask. Would also be willing to try a valve grinding compound in a slurry of some sort? Maybe I'm over thinking it:-D

Steve,
 
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