Lodge Customer Service/New piece question

JeffreyL

Member
First off I would like to tell of my experience with Lodge customer service. I received a brand new 7QT DO from my wife for christmas. Upon un-boxing it, I noticed a few really decent sized pits in the bottom of the cooking surface. I read their warranty which states this stuff is part of the casting process and does not affect cooking. But I decided to contact them anyway, with the intent of accepting whatever they told me, as I think they would have filled in over time, but it would have taken a while. Customer service responded with exactly what the warranty states, but if I would like I could send pictures and they would forward them to QC for me. So I did, they responded in less than a day with a prepaid call tag to return it. Well after about a week I received a brand new DO. Extremely pleased, and their communication was very prompt and personable!

Which leads me to my next question, I have two brand new lodge pieces, the DO and a 12" skillet. Should i just wash them in soap and water and give them a round of seasoning? or run them through the e-tank and strip them and season myself. The factory seasoning seems kinda flaky, and it's already flaking on the edges of the DO where the lid rubbed against it during shipping
 
You don't need to reseason. Clean them up like you would if you had just cooked on them. Be a little more generous with the oil at first, and cook on them. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast my 2016 Smokey Mountains forest fire relief skillet became nonstick.
 
i'm wondering about the fact that its flaking off and in one portion looks like they got a little extra on there and its kinda hanging off and ready to peel
 
I've had good luck with a couple of their preseasoned pieces but every preseason application is probably not equal. Chipping out of the box is scary and you don't sound comfortable. I'd strip it.

Hilditch
 
I'm not sure I'd be so quick to strip it. The coat of seasoning Lodge bakes on is much thicker than anything we can get DIY'ing at home. It might be a nice base layer to work off of.

I have never stripped a Lodge, but I did strip a Bobby Flay brand dutch oven I used to have. When I got the thick coat of seasoning off, the texture of the bare metal was much more course than I was expecting. reminiscent of 80 grit sandpaper. That being said, it was very challenging to season being such a course texture. Even with 5 coat of seasoning on the layers we simply to thin to cover the gritty surface. The Lodge casting process could result in much smoother pieces that are easier to manually season, but I would try to look into it before stripping. Perhaps (and probably) it was just really poor casting on the Bobby Flay brand. If you do decide to strip let us know how it goes!
 
Jeffrey, IMO I wouldn't strip it. If the flaking is only in a few spots, it might be where the vegetable oil they sprayed on had formed a droplet and it is that little droplet coming off. The Great Smokie Mountain skillet I just bought from them had a couple of spots like that and also had some thick spots in some of the groves. If you feel the seasoning has flaked off to the bare iron, I would just season over it.

Also, I will second your positive experience with their customer service. I called them one time and they were extremely nice and helpful.
 
heres the pictures of the flaking seasoning. It is down to bare iron. The lid around the rim doesnt seem to be flaking anymore, just has a few bare spots where it rubbed, then bottom portion around the rim near the handles is where its more bubbly and flaky
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IMG_0541.JPG
 
heres the pictures of the flaking seasoning. It is down to bare iron. The lid around the rim doesnt seem to be flaking anymore, just has a few bare spots where it rubbed, then bottom portion around the rim near the handles is where its more bubbly and flaky
View attachment 4232
View attachment 4233
View attachment 4234

It's definitely not as bad as I had pictured in my head but I would still strip it and start over. I've stripped a Lodge wok, re-seasoned it and was very happy with the results. But I also really like doing that kind of stuff so it wasn't "work" for me.
 
I'd say it's a coin flip. None of those areas pictured are cooking surfaces. If there is evidence of flaking on the interior of the pot, I would probably go ahead and start over. Or you could just dab some oil on those spots, bake it dry, and then just use it.
 
i think i will try to get the loose stuff off and season it. If it doesnt work im not out much time, and can always then go ahead and strip it, but if it works i guess i saved myself the e-tank time. Cooking surface looks great
 
Those spots are definitely where the oil was dripping as the pan went into the oven. If you've never watched the Lodge video about there production process, it's interesting. You can find it on YouTube and their website.

They hang the bare pans from hooks and they move down the line through an oil spray and then into the oven. The dripping spots, as shown in your pictures, tend to be on the edges where the oil is dripping off.

I would do as Doug suggested, oil those spots and bake it.
 
If that is all there is and the inside surface is fine I retract my reseason thought. If a chip bothers me I just dab some lard in the chips, bake at 480° and proceed to use it as it will be just fine.

Hilditch
 
thanks for the info guys, ill go ahead and season it next week as i have my newly aquired Victor 722C almost ready to season
 
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