Scrap yard stack

Bonnie Scott

Active member
Last Saturday I stopped by the scrap yard to see if they had cast iron. They didn't have any out for sale but I am nosey so I peeked through a window behind a closed door and saw a big stack of skillets. I asked about them but he told me he didn't have time to process them and that I would have to come back on Monday. I used my lunch half hour to go back Monday but they still weren't out so I whined about him telling me to come back and he went and got them. I got a #10 old 3 notch lodge, a #7 small logo Griswold and a #3 Wagner all of them in good condition. He had a #5 smooth bottom BSR that I didn't have enough cash to buy. I am going back today to see if it is still there.
 
Sounds like a great deal! Are you sure the smooth bottom #5 is BSR? Thought the only smooth bottoms BSR made were chicken fryers.
 
Yes it was but I was to late, it was gone. Oh well. They are rare and I probably should have gotten it instead of the Wagner.
 
I dropped into a local scrap yard today after reading this thread, had a good depressing talk. They see cookware coming, but never save it. Employees aren't allowed to keep it so they are recycled. Explained that I was looking more for documentation of old cast, left a card in case the owner wanted to contact me but I won't hold my breath.

They got even more depressing talking about cars that are brought in to be crushed from police and border services. Anything from old muscle cars to newer porsche's and everything in between - and it has to be crushed in front of the police.
 
I dropped into a local scrap yard today after reading this thread, had a good depressing talk. They see cookware coming, but never save it. Employees aren't allowed to keep it so they are recycled. Explained that I was looking more for documentation of old cast, left a card in case the owner wanted to contact me but I won't hold my breath.

They got even more depressing talking about cars that are brought in to be crushed from police and border services. Anything from old muscle cars to newer porsche's and everything in between - and it has to be crushed in front of the police.
I got that sort of talk from three local recycle yards in the metro area, but not from two small-town scrap metal yards. I wonder if the "recycling" plants get some sort of tax break that the small scrap yards don't.
 
I got that sort of talk from three local recycle yards in the metro area, but not from two small-town scrap metal yards. I wonder if the "recycling" plants get some sort of tax break that the small scrap yards don't.

I'm going to see if there's any scrap yards outside the city, never thought about that.
 
My dad has found a couple pieces for me from the scrap yard in the past, but unfortunately most of the time there is a reason it's at the recycle in the first place....

Do you find that to be the case as well?

-J
 
I visited my local scrap yard last week and found a couple more skillets. I noticed on my way in there was a sign on the front gate that read "Due to the recent prices of Iron we will no longer be buying any". I asked if that meant I wouldn't be finding CI there anymore", the owner told me people may still drop it off just to get rid of it.
 
The sign should read " Accepting all worthless Cast Iron Skillets! These can be identified by ugly logos like a spider or an indian head. There will be no extra charge for taking these for recycling." :icon_rofl:
 
Bonnie, I'm happy to see the rescue job. So much good stuff gets scrapped because ... well, people are people? (Also known as why I like animals.)
 
Bonnie, After reading this thread I thought this could be a great resource so I checked my local scrap yard and like others that have posted found that they don't resell to the public.
I thought all those CI pans getting recycled is a terrible waste and thought how can I get them before they make it to the scrap yard.
I posted a WTB ad on Craigslist, Then found about a dozen people wanting scrap iron and metal to recycle. I sent each of these "recyclers" an email stating that I would buy CI cookware for greater than scrap price. So hopefully I can get a chance at it before it goes to the scrap yard.
I didn't mean to hi-jack your thread, but thought this could help some folks. Tony
 
Tony, that #10 Lodge is my go to pan for searing steaks. There have been slim pickings at my scrap yard lately. There is someone on my local craigslist that has been running a WTB ad for a long time. Keep us updated on what turns up. Sorry to hear about your kitchen mishap it gave me a chuckle but not quite the laugh I got when Jack spelled his name wrong. :icon_rofl:
 
I was talking to a women I work with about cast iron, and she said she wished I talked to her before she through away her CI because it was rusty and she didn't know how to clean it!
 
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