Griswold Cast Iron Skillet Makeover

I've been doing Ebay now for 3-1/2 years and I'm still learning so much.  I recently bought a cast iron skillet that I was excited to get my hands on.  I've sold many Wagner Ware cast irons before but this is the first time I've found a Griswold.  These are the two most collectible names in Cast Iron.  It was at an estate sale and the price was right.  What wasn't right was all the caked on food and seasonings.  I wanted my pan to look great so I did some research on the internet.  I love the internet.  I can find just about anything I need, just with a click of a mouse.  I found a site that explains how to bring a cast iron pan back to it's original state to be reseasoned. 

 

The process really takes alot of patience.  First I sprayed the pan all over with oven cleaner as stated in the instructions and placed the pan in a clean garbage bag, tied the bag shut and left it outside overnight.  Being the impatient person that I am, I checked it the next morning and some of the crud came off.  I resprayed and repeated the process for another day.  Again, some more of the old caked on junk came off.  I then resprayed and repeated the process but forgot about the skillet for almost 3 days.  When I finally remembered, I took the skillet out of the bag and began to scrape the black junk off and it came off nice and easy.  (Again, patience is the key!)  I did this for about a week and a half and then washed the pan in hot water.  There was just a small area on the back side of the pan that would not come off.

The next step was to let the pan soak in a solution of very hot water and vinegar for about 30-60 minutes.  I actually left it for 2 hours and when I returned home, I used a steel wool pad to remove all the excess rust that had accumulated on the pan.  (You will see significant rust but it's really only on the surface)  I turned on my oven to 250º and placed the pan in there for 15 minutes.  After the time was up, I raised the temperature of the oven to 500º and left the pan in there for an additional 45 minutes. 

When the time was up, I turned off the oven and removed the pan, wiped it inside and out with shortening, and put it back in the oven.  I left the pan in the oven while the oven cooled and made sure to check and wipe the pan every 10-15 minutes.  This will ensure the oil is evenly distributed on the pan and doesn't pool or thicken in one area.

Voila! The pan looks great and is now ready to list on Ebay!  I am confident the pan will sell quickly.