Discoloration and staining

[AlfredoJ]

My son found an old BSR Red Mountain #7 and is restoring it. Now that he has it down to the bare metal and is seasoning it, it seems to have a few spots that look darker than the rest of it. Will this eventually blend in as the pan gets used? This pan belonged to his partner's grandmother. I'm attaching before and after pics. He used a broiler to get most of the gunk off and then finished it up in a bag with EasyOff.

 

[Doug D.]

Black stains like that are typically indicative of areas where rust was once active. The broiler and Easy Off would have had no effect on it. There are methods collectors use to remove such stains, but they can be tedious and not necessarily cost-effective. It will blend in with the seasoning as it darkens over time and usage.

 

[AlfredoJ]

Thanks for the response. Just for grins, how would someone remove such stains? Should he have also used a vinegar/water soak, or was that stain already there?

 

[Doug D.]

You could try vinegar. Another option is described here:

Cast Iron Cleaning & Restoration - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

The Cast Iron Collector: Information for the Vintage Cookware Enthusiast. Learn how to identify, clean, restore, season and use collectible antique cast iron cookware.

www.castironcollector.com

 

[Scott J.]

The section Doug referenced above mentions using Kroil to remove rusted-in handles. I have used Kroil elsewhere for many years. It works.

 

[AlfredoJ]

The section Doug referenced above mentions using Kroil to remove rusted-in handles. I have used Kroil elsewhere for many years. It works.

It sounds like the Evapo-Rust® is the thing to use to remove the black stains caused by the rust. Are you suggesting the the Kroil will also remove the black stains?

 

[AlfredoJ]

You could try vinegar. Another option is described here:

Cast Iron Cleaning & Restoration - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

The Cast Iron Collector: Information for the Vintage Cookware Enthusiast. Learn how to identify, clean, restore, season and use collectible antique cast iron cookware.

www.castironcollector.com

Thanks for the link. My son has already seasoned it 5 times in the oven, so I assume he isn't going to go back and use the Evapo-Rust at this point. But it is good to know what that is for future pans.

 

[Scott J.]

It sounds like the Evapo-Rust® is the thing to use to remove the black stains caused by the rust. Are you suggesting the the Kroil will also remove the black stains?

No for Kroil on the black stain. I was just mentioning the Kroil for folks that may have something rusted stuck.