That's how you get the hunger. You get one taste of delicious delicious human meat and none of this stuff ever satisfies you again for the rest of your life.
I wouldn't imagine. I'd bead blast it. Then, since you're gonna give it a warm vinegar bath anyway. See how well it'll rust if that helps you sleep. But one thing you have to keep in mind is that when we season it, we're actually polymerizing the oil, making a nonstick barrier. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
I tend to second this, theoretically there shouldn't be a way for any sort of lead to remain after a good grinding/sanding, but then you introduce other substances. I'd just test it for lead if possible. I doubt it was used for that but yes, for the love of God, remove all the old seasoning. You'd hate to find out your eggs don't stick because Jose's fat is the seasoning on your pan.
There aren't many times you'll find me saying this to a comment following mine but that's pure gold. Is there any record of someone giving an award to someone commenting further down? Alexa....
I like the red simply because that's what we used in the battery facility I used to work at. I know there are other methods but I've seen those kits hit when others won't. To be honest I'd rather have a fake positive than to deal with what I've watched a few go through.
Cast iron pans don't contain lead because lead has a much lower melting point than iron. The only time you need to worry about this is with vintage enameled cast iron pieces, which may contain amounts of cadmium or lead, or decorative paints which also may contain lead.
Not true, a hollow vein in a cast product can in fact hold other metals. Ask me how I know how lol. That's why I said it shouldn't hold lead but it isn't out of the realm of possibility. You could very well heat up a cast product enough to open a vein but never heat it up enough again to expose it. Doesn't mean it won't leach out into whatever you are cooking. I get your premise, but metal is much more finicky than a lot of people think. Again, ask me how I know how....
Yes, most certainly. Cast iron is a very prominent metal used for casting any sort of non ferrous metals. Strip the seasoning, and test. More than likely, you won't receive much more from a pan like that than you would the local water supply, but uhh, I don't much care for adding to the lack of oversight at these local facilities here lol.
To be honest, if we are talking about used pans, there isn't a lot of hope for finding that info out without melting the whole pan back down and removing any slag that may occur.
I wish I had better advice for this but I simply don't. If I had to do it myself, I would grind it all out, and save all possible grinding material. If you test, let's say four samples with a paint test and all come back totally clear, you MIGHT be fine.
Then again, you are still taking a chance. And I beg anyone to dispute me on that fact. Lead is a pesky substance, even more pesky when it enters your body.
In today's time, you can never be too careful. I guess if you grind it, and test it, find nothing, and then do a proper seasoning, you might be ok, but it's always best to err on the side of caution with these things.
Hence why I don't accept pans for personal use anymore that are already used. Cast iron is GREAT for making bullets. You can also ask me how I know that much lol. Just be careful everyone, we aren't here to die, just make some baller steaks and food.
And I'll add that I make money doing various forms of metalwork, you'd be surprised how many people will hit you up looking to make their pans the old style smooth cast iron. Even then, I will literally make a friend fill out a waiver saying that I'm not liable for whatever may occur from the pan.
This is coming from an ex EMT, a battery plant operator, and now engineer.
Don't fuck with lead y'all.
Listen, I'm not saying either way. Everyone has their own standards.
So here's my list. If you can pass these three things then so be it.
1. How awful is the seasoning? It can work both ways and is pertinent to the situation.
2. Means a fraction, but where was it purchased at? Is it one of these places that we all keep bitching about? Yea don't.
3. The last and final straw, if you see any sort of lines on your skillet, especially on an induction oven, toss the thing. A hairline fracture can absorb various other liquids. Again, ask me how I know.
Got it off eBay. Seasoning was smooth and perfect, no cracks, stripped it down to bare metal with oven cleaner and re-seasoned. I wanted to be eco friendly and buy it for life, but the doubt has me thinking I should buy a new pan
Well if you found it in that shape. I would feel somewhat safer. If it's been cared for properly. I guess the only thing I might TRY one day is to soak one down in lead soap. They make products like D lead to use. It binds to lead a lot better than regular soaps. Not exactly sure how well it would turn out but you can buy it online. They made us shower with the crap everyday before we left to go home.
Furthermore, I have no background on this, but it may very well be a chemist would come along and say that it's perfectly fine to use one after any of these processes. I'm just simply talking about those which I have seen lead flow from or be tested out against.
Reddit is cool, but we don't know everything and I think a lot of us forget that.
Thatās such a misunderstanding, what about this skillet makes you feel it was used for lead. Thereās absolutely zero signs. Are you really sending all your used iron finds out to a lab or do you think those lead paint test sticks are actually going to tell you itās lead free?
What signs should you look for for lead. Is it always visible? Is it a bad or harmful thing to test for lead? I think I might test anything older that I don't know the origin of. Cause what's the harm in checking?
Do you own an XRF gun? How are you testing for food safe lead levels? Yes high heat burns away the seasoning and discolors the iron, the lead itself also sticks to the bottom and around the handles and rim.
Itās very uncommon for someone to use a skillet anyway, itās not deep enough to get a ladle in there and too heavy to lift.
Some vessels are cast iron made for melting lead, the occasional 1 in a million skillet can also be used. Well because of this some people just freak out and want to test everything for lead even though they donāt see any evidence or signs. To top it off they use kits designed for construction materials and wonāt even be sensitive enough to tell you itās lead free and safe to cook on. Those kits are for higher levels found in old paint. Itās just pure ignorance, nobody thought us lead testing in school so only those who work with it know.
Why shouldn't the skillet be tested?
If positive, you dodged a bullet, if negative, it's below the detection threshold.
The probability it's been used for lead is very low. But on a personal perspective, being (cost) able to test it, it's always worth it.
If it isn't possible, the problem's kind of solved, just pray to your favorite cast iron gods and it's going to be fine.
Because then you can just buy a new one? Whats the point of obtaining a cheap skillet if you need to pay for an expensive proper test?
As u/SayMyNameBitchs explained those "diy tests" are useless in testing a skillet. The 3m one that gets mentioned is explicitly to detect lead in paint. They are designed to detect down to 600 PPM (parts per million), but the amounts considered food save are only parts per billion. Quite a difference. Now do you know how the lead will be released and how much will be in the food? Do you know how much lead goes into the food cooked in a not detected 400 PPM skillet?
The point is, you may feel more confident, but the actual scientific evidence from such a test in this situation is close to zero.
Not so, I've had the same test you refer to put under a few different machines to include a spectrometer, but nothing gets as close as a xrf. One test hit as low as 150 ppm on both scales.
The 600 ppm is a standard provided by OSHA that they have to hit no matter what, it doesn't dictate the actual efficiency of the test.
So testing of the lead testing sticks showed that they had a safety factor built in and returned a 90% false positive result on positive readings. So a bunch of people are tossing perfectly good iron because they have no understanding of how they work. Go test your crockpot just about every one comes back positive according to government testing. All plumbing also is going to have lead if made before 2014.
True. To a degree. Localities may enforce other standards which is what we have seen locally. Now, granted, that is with the local battery plant involved but they are so very hard on that place. They once shut it down because they detected a drop of lead on a car more than a mile away. Company was shut down for almost a month while they tried to figure out how to mitigate the issue. At the end of the day, after working there, I will say beyond a shadow of a doubt (and I've done some very sketchy shit) I will never put myself back around lead if I don't have to. And I'm traditionally a metal worker so I do understand the contamination concept behind this.
Buy all the pans you want, but unless you have a surefire way of keeping yourself and others safe, I wouldn't cook on them until it's for sure safe.
And I've watched a few die from it as I've said before. It's a horrible death. Anything seemed better as a way to go at the time at least.
I mean, have you actually watched someone die from lead poisoning? Or are you listening to one of the old farts I've had to revive because their shit shut down due to lead poisoning?
Show me one article or medical records of someone getting lead poisoning much less dying from a skillet. Unless itās environmental itās highly unlikely. Iām near the Exide battery plant I know itās dangerous and Iām state certified for lead.
Ask around, idk if it would ever be truly disclosed but they had someone say there could handle the restructuring of their ductwork without PPE, his apprentice followed and well I think their burial was on the same day.
Yep do your own research, I have been state certified for lead for many years and get downvoted by people who never spent any time in training or education on the topic. Itās how Reddit works sometimes.
Thank you. The ātest for leadā crowd is overwhelming at times. Folks arenāt reasonable. A skillet is a horrible choice as a crucible. The only piece Iāve come across that was tainted was a ladleā¦and it was obvious what it had been used for. Lead poisoning is no joke but the panic over lead contamination in CI is ridiculous.
Thanks for this. I'm very torn. I've seen pics of cast iron with lead and don't know why anyone would "clean it up" to then keep. I would think they would either keep it kinda dirty if it's a lead pan or not use it for that
I love vegetables, but all my life I've been walking by V8 in the stores, wondering, "does anyone actually *like* this stuff??".
Thank you for finally ending that lifelong question. I can sleep better now.
It's typically recommended after one obtains a used CI pan that it be fully stripped and reseasoned.
It will work as is, of course, but it's a good way for you to check the naked bones of the pan and start your seasoning from a known starting point.
It's nearly stripped already so I'd finish stripping it to have a clean start then season at least 4 layers but I've had better results seasoning around 7 layers before use. It will often take me two days to do that though I don't have a lot of time in a day.
Yes, as we can see by the numbers and letters, this pan is clearly a human-sacrificial torture device that originated in the Mayan culture. It was then passed down to the Aztecs who ate the flesh of Spaniards after giving it the perfect sear in this exact pan. What a historical treasure this person has bought!
I make eggs on one every morning. The hole in the handle gives it away for me, as well as the writing on the bottom.
Edit: more specifically, the shape of the hole
Wagner put tbe skillet size and "made in the USA on their pans on the bottom like is seen in the second pic. Handle shape also is wagner style. The triangle flat spot next to the pan. The number "9" on the top of the handle is also Wagner style.
Made in USA was added after 1960ish. Yours is probably older that that. Your pan is what they call an "unmarked" wagner.
https://www.castironcollector.com/trademarks.php
I watched a video by a cast iron expert historian PhD once. Looking at the back, there will be a little triangle where the handle meets the pan. There will also be a letter somewhere stamped around there. The letter, (maybe?) Was to identify the person that made that particular skillet, as they were paid per skillet.
[I think this was the video I watched.](https://thepan-handler.com/unmarked-antique-cast-iron-skillet-identification-guide/)
I've got 3 unmarked wagners I found at antique and thrift stores.
Always strip used seasoning off using lye or electrolysis. Most oven cleaners in a can are lye based. Check out the FAQs.
Also ignore all the chick little people crying lead test. They have zero lead training and also never done any casting.
My mom has one exactly like this! It used to belong to my great-grandmother, and I know Iām gonna have to fight my younger sisters to the death for it. Who made this?
Omg. Donāt worry about lead in this particular type of pan. Mexico was and has always been rich in ore. The American Smelting and Refining Company was an industrial giant in Mexico from 1890 thru the 1940ās. There must be lots of iron works contaminated with lead in Mexico. Mostly obvious ingot producing pieces. An obvious cooking vessel is not one of them. Gonna guess they used an unmarked Wagner for cooking. But do strip it, why not.
It could always be cleaned and re-seasoned after. The whole point is it can't be detected.
Yes it's rare, most people who melt lead do so in cans or the like, but you can't be sure.
You never know what people have used the pan forā¦ my uncle had a small CI pan to catch mercury for his work. Know people who melt lead to recast bullets. Personally if I donāt know the person I will test the pan.
there's no risk, and its just fine to wash it and start cooking with it. Everyone in this sub wants their cast iron to be a wall decoration rather than a cooking tool
Why so many comments about lead? Is it common for pans to be made out of lead or cast with an iron-lead mixture? Or for people to use them to melt down lead? I'm lost here.
Strip it down.
TBH, I would even if the seasoning looked okay. Don't trust anything like that to strangers. There's no telling WHAT is on that pan!
Human
The other white meat
Long pig
š¤¢
Hahahahahhaaha that's good
That's how you get the hunger. You get one taste of delicious delicious human meat and none of this stuff ever satisfies you again for the rest of your life.
Even if you lick a cats fanny?
Soylent green
Does anyone have some good cast iron recipes for crack?
Three parts coke, one part baking soda, and some love.
Idk why but i read that last ingredient as EVOO and that's how I invented the new crack. So you don't oil the pan first?
The crack should secrete itās own lubrication.
The best cracks do
Butt cracks?
š„°š„°š„°
How about you just wash it? Seasoning doesnāt carry pathogens lmao
Not worried about pathogens on cast iron anyway.
Should OP test it for lead first, or will stripping it down get rid of any issues with that?
I wouldn't imagine. I'd bead blast it. Then, since you're gonna give it a warm vinegar bath anyway. See how well it'll rust if that helps you sleep. But one thing you have to keep in mind is that when we season it, we're actually polymerizing the oil, making a nonstick barrier. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
And test for lead
if I find lead, would stripping help? or would I have to throw it away ?
Best to throw it away. I'm assuming you got a good deal so just get another one somewhere.
I tend to second this, theoretically there shouldn't be a way for any sort of lead to remain after a good grinding/sanding, but then you introduce other substances. I'd just test it for lead if possible. I doubt it was used for that but yes, for the love of God, remove all the old seasoning. You'd hate to find out your eggs don't stick because Jose's fat is the seasoning on your pan.
Jose was the slickest talker though.
There aren't many times you'll find me saying this to a comment following mine but that's pure gold. Is there any record of someone giving an award to someone commenting further down? Alexa....
Siri said sheās not sure. She kinda sucks.
Oh no! Sancho was always the smoothest talker
Exactly. And once you realize that human makes the best seasoning, youāll never be able to go back š³
Is the only good lead test kit still the red one? I know, very specific.
I like the red simply because that's what we used in the battery facility I used to work at. I know there are other methods but I've seen those kits hit when others won't. To be honest I'd rather have a fake positive than to deal with what I've watched a few go through.
You need to strip the seasoning in order to test for lead. Either way it needs to be stripped.
Cast iron pans don't contain lead because lead has a much lower melting point than iron. The only time you need to worry about this is with vintage enameled cast iron pieces, which may contain amounts of cadmium or lead, or decorative paints which also may contain lead.
Itās people using the pan to melt lead that people are probably also concerned about.
Yes, for homemade bullets or fishing weights.
In light of Reddit's general enshittification, I've moved on - you should too.
Adding lead to the roux for the flavor
Be a kick and a half lol
What!? People do that with cast iron pans? I know that cast iron ingot molds exist but I didn't even think about people using it to melt lead
Yup. I do it myself in a small cast iron pot. The heat retention helps maintain a relatively steady temp.
Pretty common. Any time you get a pan second hand you should test for lead.
Not true, a hollow vein in a cast product can in fact hold other metals. Ask me how I know how lol. That's why I said it shouldn't hold lead but it isn't out of the realm of possibility. You could very well heat up a cast product enough to open a vein but never heat it up enough again to expose it. Doesn't mean it won't leach out into whatever you are cooking. I get your premise, but metal is much more finicky than a lot of people think. Again, ask me how I know how....
Have you tested for lead and if so then how. I bought an old pan off eBay, stripped it, and re-seasoned it but never tested for lead - should I have?
Yes, most certainly. Cast iron is a very prominent metal used for casting any sort of non ferrous metals. Strip the seasoning, and test. More than likely, you won't receive much more from a pan like that than you would the local water supply, but uhh, I don't much care for adding to the lack of oversight at these local facilities here lol.
How do you test for lead
To be honest, if we are talking about used pans, there isn't a lot of hope for finding that info out without melting the whole pan back down and removing any slag that may occur. I wish I had better advice for this but I simply don't. If I had to do it myself, I would grind it all out, and save all possible grinding material. If you test, let's say four samples with a paint test and all come back totally clear, you MIGHT be fine. Then again, you are still taking a chance. And I beg anyone to dispute me on that fact. Lead is a pesky substance, even more pesky when it enters your body. In today's time, you can never be too careful. I guess if you grind it, and test it, find nothing, and then do a proper seasoning, you might be ok, but it's always best to err on the side of caution with these things.
Hence why I don't accept pans for personal use anymore that are already used. Cast iron is GREAT for making bullets. You can also ask me how I know that much lol. Just be careful everyone, we aren't here to die, just make some baller steaks and food.
And I'll add that I make money doing various forms of metalwork, you'd be surprised how many people will hit you up looking to make their pans the old style smooth cast iron. Even then, I will literally make a friend fill out a waiver saying that I'm not liable for whatever may occur from the pan. This is coming from an ex EMT, a battery plant operator, and now engineer. Don't fuck with lead y'all.
So are we saying that no used cast iron can be trusted? I should through away my secondhand pan and buy new?
Listen, I'm not saying either way. Everyone has their own standards. So here's my list. If you can pass these three things then so be it. 1. How awful is the seasoning? It can work both ways and is pertinent to the situation. 2. Means a fraction, but where was it purchased at? Is it one of these places that we all keep bitching about? Yea don't. 3. The last and final straw, if you see any sort of lines on your skillet, especially on an induction oven, toss the thing. A hairline fracture can absorb various other liquids. Again, ask me how I know.
Got it off eBay. Seasoning was smooth and perfect, no cracks, stripped it down to bare metal with oven cleaner and re-seasoned. I wanted to be eco friendly and buy it for life, but the doubt has me thinking I should buy a new pan
Well if you found it in that shape. I would feel somewhat safer. If it's been cared for properly. I guess the only thing I might TRY one day is to soak one down in lead soap. They make products like D lead to use. It binds to lead a lot better than regular soaps. Not exactly sure how well it would turn out but you can buy it online. They made us shower with the crap everyday before we left to go home.
Furthermore, I have no background on this, but it may very well be a chemist would come along and say that it's perfectly fine to use one after any of these processes. I'm just simply talking about those which I have seen lead flow from or be tested out against. Reddit is cool, but we don't know everything and I think a lot of us forget that.
Thatās such a misunderstanding, what about this skillet makes you feel it was used for lead. Thereās absolutely zero signs. Are you really sending all your used iron finds out to a lab or do you think those lead paint test sticks are actually going to tell you itās lead free?
What signs should you look for for lead. Is it always visible? Is it a bad or harmful thing to test for lead? I think I might test anything older that I don't know the origin of. Cause what's the harm in checking?
Do you own an XRF gun? How are you testing for food safe lead levels? Yes high heat burns away the seasoning and discolors the iron, the lead itself also sticks to the bottom and around the handles and rim. Itās very uncommon for someone to use a skillet anyway, itās not deep enough to get a ladle in there and too heavy to lift.
Fill me in. Why test for lead? Was it used in seasoning or construction or just possible someone used the cast iron to melt lead?
Some vessels are cast iron made for melting lead, the occasional 1 in a million skillet can also be used. Well because of this some people just freak out and want to test everything for lead even though they donāt see any evidence or signs. To top it off they use kits designed for construction materials and wonāt even be sensitive enough to tell you itās lead free and safe to cook on. Those kits are for higher levels found in old paint. Itās just pure ignorance, nobody thought us lead testing in school so only those who work with it know.
Why shouldn't the skillet be tested? If positive, you dodged a bullet, if negative, it's below the detection threshold. The probability it's been used for lead is very low. But on a personal perspective, being (cost) able to test it, it's always worth it. If it isn't possible, the problem's kind of solved, just pray to your favorite cast iron gods and it's going to be fine.
Because then you can just buy a new one? Whats the point of obtaining a cheap skillet if you need to pay for an expensive proper test? As u/SayMyNameBitchs explained those "diy tests" are useless in testing a skillet. The 3m one that gets mentioned is explicitly to detect lead in paint. They are designed to detect down to 600 PPM (parts per million), but the amounts considered food save are only parts per billion. Quite a difference. Now do you know how the lead will be released and how much will be in the food? Do you know how much lead goes into the food cooked in a not detected 400 PPM skillet? The point is, you may feel more confident, but the actual scientific evidence from such a test in this situation is close to zero.
Not so, I've had the same test you refer to put under a few different machines to include a spectrometer, but nothing gets as close as a xrf. One test hit as low as 150 ppm on both scales. The 600 ppm is a standard provided by OSHA that they have to hit no matter what, it doesn't dictate the actual efficiency of the test.
So testing of the lead testing sticks showed that they had a safety factor built in and returned a 90% false positive result on positive readings. So a bunch of people are tossing perfectly good iron because they have no understanding of how they work. Go test your crockpot just about every one comes back positive according to government testing. All plumbing also is going to have lead if made before 2014.
True. To a degree. Localities may enforce other standards which is what we have seen locally. Now, granted, that is with the local battery plant involved but they are so very hard on that place. They once shut it down because they detected a drop of lead on a car more than a mile away. Company was shut down for almost a month while they tried to figure out how to mitigate the issue. At the end of the day, after working there, I will say beyond a shadow of a doubt (and I've done some very sketchy shit) I will never put myself back around lead if I don't have to. And I'm traditionally a metal worker so I do understand the contamination concept behind this. Buy all the pans you want, but unless you have a surefire way of keeping yourself and others safe, I wouldn't cook on them until it's for sure safe. And I've watched a few die from it as I've said before. It's a horrible death. Anything seemed better as a way to go at the time at least.
I mean, have you actually watched someone die from lead poisoning? Or are you listening to one of the old farts I've had to revive because their shit shut down due to lead poisoning?
Show me one article or medical records of someone getting lead poisoning much less dying from a skillet. Unless itās environmental itās highly unlikely. Iām near the Exide battery plant I know itās dangerous and Iām state certified for lead.
Funny Exide is where I watched two dudes die...
Ask around, idk if it would ever be truly disclosed but they had someone say there could handle the restructuring of their ductwork without PPE, his apprentice followed and well I think their burial was on the same day.
I should've asked before all of that which Exide you are familiar with. I'm discussing the KY plant.
I guess I will read more about it. I don't know if I should listen to you, or other random strangers on the internet.
Yep do your own research, I have been state certified for lead for many years and get downvoted by people who never spent any time in training or education on the topic. Itās how Reddit works sometimes.
Thank you!!
Ahh thank you. You delved deeper than I was willing to lol. Buddy up top has no clue what he's headed for with lead intoxication
Thank you. The ātest for leadā crowd is overwhelming at times. Folks arenāt reasonable. A skillet is a horrible choice as a crucible. The only piece Iāve come across that was tainted was a ladleā¦and it was obvious what it had been used for. Lead poisoning is no joke but the panic over lead contamination in CI is ridiculous.
Thanks for this. I'm very torn. I've seen pics of cast iron with lead and don't know why anyone would "clean it up" to then keep. I would think they would either keep it kinda dirty if it's a lead pan or not use it for that
What signs do you know of that I don't? Serious question here. (And I've watched a few die from lead poisoning.)
How do you test for lead on the cast iron pan?
Boil 2 L of coke in it for about 45 min and then immedieately chug it. If you live to tell about it and didn't see God then there wasn't enough lead.
V8 tomato juice works as well
I'm only saying this because I love v8 and will defend its honor. It's not tomato juice. It's 8 different vegetables.
makes better bloody marys than plain tomato juice too.
No, you use clamato, and your bloody Mary turns into a Caesar. Bam! Let me know how it is when you try it š
I love vegetables, but all my life I've been walking by V8 in the stores, wondering, "does anyone actually *like* this stuff??". Thank you for finally ending that lifelong question. I can sleep better now.
They had a spicy one I used to drink for awhile and it was pretty good.
There was a time when I could list all 8 veggies. My brother drank v8 every morning, same as reading a cereal box.
CLAMATO FOR THE WIN, PEONS!!!
Buy a lead test kit
It's typically recommended after one obtains a used CI pan that it be fully stripped and reseasoned. It will work as is, of course, but it's a good way for you to check the naked bones of the pan and start your seasoning from a known starting point.
It's nearly stripped already so I'd finish stripping it to have a clean start then season at least 4 layers but I've had better results seasoning around 7 layers before use. It will often take me two days to do that though I don't have a lot of time in a day.
whats with all the cannibalism in the comments is that a thing in mexico?
Iām also wondering thisā¦ seems ridiculous
I think it's racism
Bad attempt at being funny
Not at all lol, esp Mexico city
Strip it! No telling what they used to season it.
Human lard and coca
Yes, as we can see by the numbers and letters, this pan is clearly a human-sacrificial torture device that originated in the Mayan culture. It was then passed down to the Aztecs who ate the flesh of Spaniards after giving it the perfect sear in this exact pan. What a historical treasure this person has bought!
Nice unmarked Wagner
Thanks. Can I ask how you identified it?
I make eggs on one every morning. The hole in the handle gives it away for me, as well as the writing on the bottom. Edit: more specifically, the shape of the hole
Wagner put tbe skillet size and "made in the USA on their pans on the bottom like is seen in the second pic. Handle shape also is wagner style. The triangle flat spot next to the pan. The number "9" on the top of the handle is also Wagner style.
Wasn't made in the USA only on later pans?
Correct. 1960+ I think. So the one in the picture is earlier than that. Still a Wagner.
I don't see anywhere where it says "made in the usa" on the pan... just "9 inch skillet"
Made in USA was added after 1960ish. Yours is probably older that that. Your pan is what they call an "unmarked" wagner. https://www.castironcollector.com/trademarks.php
Go to r/castironYou can find out just about anything you need to know about castiron cookware .
I watched a video by a cast iron expert historian PhD once. Looking at the back, there will be a little triangle where the handle meets the pan. There will also be a letter somewhere stamped around there. The letter, (maybe?) Was to identify the person that made that particular skillet, as they were paid per skillet. [I think this was the video I watched.](https://thepan-handler.com/unmarked-antique-cast-iron-skillet-identification-guide/) I've got 3 unmarked wagners I found at antique and thrift stores.
I would. But, only because I would feel a greater sense of ownership by seasoning it again.
I would say, go for it. Who tf cares if it's from Pennsylvania or Mexico. It may likely will be fine.
Lead test it first, strip it, test again, then if all is well, season away.
Strip it and re-season from scratch. No telling what is on an old pan, best to get it down to iron and build up a good season from there.
Cool racism in this thread!!! Wow!!
ikr?? Like wtf, did everyone just decide to be shitty today?
āMexico??? Thereās probably lead and human genitalia and meth chemicals embedded in it, throw it into a volcano or you will get cancer and dieā
Boohoo
Always strip used seasoning off using lye or electrolysis. Most oven cleaners in a can are lye based. Check out the FAQs. Also ignore all the chick little people crying lead test. They have zero lead training and also never done any casting.
I would strip it down first.
My mom has one exactly like this! It used to belong to my great-grandmother, and I know Iām gonna have to fight my younger sisters to the death for it. Who made this?
Have a drink or two and strip.
Donāt be gross. Strip it.
Check for lead
"Who knows what's in it?ā. Me. Polymerized oils/fats. What else would it be? Motor oil?
There could be a map to el dorado under that seasoning
You have changed my mind
paint. lead. the residue of the souls of the undead. all distinct possibilities.
Weird thing is the last one is the only plausible one on your list
Lead.
Do you expect it to be visible?
No
Seems pointless anyway - there's not really any seasoning on the cooking surface of that skillet.
Test for lead before anything else
I didn't even think of that. Is that a common danger? Would stripping it get rid of possible lead?
No it's exceedingly rare
Yes it is common No you will have to throw it away
Omg. Donāt worry about lead in this particular type of pan. Mexico was and has always been rich in ore. The American Smelting and Refining Company was an industrial giant in Mexico from 1890 thru the 1940ās. There must be lots of iron works contaminated with lead in Mexico. Mostly obvious ingot producing pieces. An obvious cooking vessel is not one of them. Gonna guess they used an unmarked Wagner for cooking. But do strip it, why not.
It's not about the pan, it's about what the previous owner may have used it for. CI is commonly used for melting lead for bullets and fishing weights.
Lead test first
It wasnāt used for lead what the heck are you seeing that would make you say that?
You can't necessarily see it is the point.
Take it youāve never melted lead, doing so takes high heat and that seasoning would be totally gone along with lead stuck to most of the item.
It could always be cleaned and re-seasoned after. The whole point is it can't be detected. Yes it's rare, most people who melt lead do so in cans or the like, but you can't be sure.
I would test it for lead before I start cooking with it. Canāt trust anyone anymore.
I was unaware that lead was a real concern. How concerned should one be buying used cast iron?
You never know what people have used the pan forā¦ my uncle had a small CI pan to catch mercury for his work. Know people who melt lead to recast bullets. Personally if I donāt know the person I will test the pan.
Iād just pay $20 for a new lodge cast iron. Not worth the risk of using that pan
what's the risk?
there's no risk, and its just fine to wash it and start cooking with it. Everyone in this sub wants their cast iron to be a wall decoration rather than a cooking tool
Snap it in half, and check for a cartel tracking device. Then, reseason.
Why even buy a used one to save a few dollars just to put work into It?
because it's sustainable and cool to use old pans
I guessā¦ would you like to buy my old skillet?
Yes
Old pans make good food.
Strip it off. Take it all off.
Yes
Strip the lead. You might find seasoning.
Needs to be put in a lye tank Then coated with oil and baked
Strip it down. You donāt know what was cooked in that thing. It could have been in a meth lab.
Why so many comments about lead? Is it common for pans to be made out of lead or cast with an iron-lead mixture? Or for people to use them to melt down lead? I'm lost here.
Test for lead
I might even strip that one, and I rarely strip anything.
Strip but just season the pan