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Author Topic: Weird Skillet?  (Read 7027 times)

Offline Dave Sommers

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Weird Skillet?
« on: January 26, 2015, 11:49:07 PM »
I saw a skillet today that was marked ?WAI? Something before and after the wai ... it also had a three leaf clover with a diamond in the middle of the clover. Any ideas who made it? I think it had a wooden handle.

Dave
« Last Edit: January 26, 2015, 11:50:03 PM by dsombiker »
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Offline Roger Barfield

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2015, 12:32:12 AM »
Might be Swain
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As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Offline James Wilson

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2015, 12:53:55 AM »
If you don't like the look of it Dave, send it south to me ;)

Definitely a Swain with the clover leaf/diamond
« Last Edit: January 27, 2015, 02:35:44 PM by james »
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Offline Dave Sommers

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2015, 09:02:51 AM »
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Might be Swain

That's what I thought it might be too although the "S" and "n" very hard to see and nothing popped up on ebay so I figured I must have it wrong. I'll have to go back today and see what kind of shape it is in and if it is able to be saved. I know there was some rust on it.
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Offline James Wilson

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2015, 02:46:01 PM »
A Swain with a wood handle?
I have not seen one such as that but then again they are a bit scarce on the ground, least-ways down this way.
Do you reckon you can snap some images and post them here on site Dave?
I have edited my post with an image of the Swain marque taken from the base of my 12 inch Swain pan. It will confirm Rogers and your suspicion.
Cheers.

Quote
Quote
Might be Swain

That's what I thought it might be too although the "S" and "n" very hard to see and nothing popped up on ebay so I figured I must have it wrong. I'll have to go back today and see what kind of shape it is in and if it is able to be saved. I know there was some rust on it.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2015, 04:41:54 PM by james »
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Offline Dave Sommers

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2015, 03:02:33 PM »
Yep .. that's what it looked like ... I'm not sure if it has a wooden handle 'cuz I was concentrating on the Griswold 2 burner stove that the pan was sitting under. ;D I'll try to go back to the store after work today ... I do know it was pretty dirty however. I'm wondering how hard it is to clean off rust and grime. I'm new to cleaning so I'm not really sure.
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Offline James Wilson

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2015, 04:40:47 PM »
Depending on whether you are wanting pristine, down to a user. Any rust would need to be quite extensive before cast can be deemed to be beyond recovery Dave. The rust you see is often 2-3 times the original material volume so often looks worse that it actually is... but sometimes it is worse and there lies part of the fun and discovery of this compulsion   8-) :) .
Having said that, from my perspective, if it is of interest, historical or curiosity value, I will do my best to resurrect cast.
There is plenty of information and knowledge here or over on COCIA to help you along.
Basically, caustic, electrolysis and some enthusiastic application is all that is required.
Ask away for assistance and it will come your way in waves ;)
Quote
Yep .. that's what it looked like ... I'm not sure if it has a wooden handle 'cuz I was concentrating on the Griswold 2 burner stove that the pan was sitting under. ;D I'll try to go back to the store after work today ... I do know it was pretty dirty however. I'm wondering how hard it is to clean off rust and grime. I'm new to cleaning so I'm not really sure.

This is the topside of my old Swain pan
« Last Edit: January 27, 2015, 04:48:59 PM by james »
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Offline Daniel Guest

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2016, 12:45:39 PM »
Hi James, really nice example, do you still have the Swain Skillet? Please let me know if so! So hard to find them in the UK! Thanks, Dan
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Offline James Wilson

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2016, 03:49:59 PM »
Quote
Hi James, really nice example, do you still have the Swain Skillet? Please let me know if so! So hard to find them in the UK! Thanks, Dan
Hi Dan. I received your PM.
Swain is certainly scarce and even harder to find here; I have not seen another. Following on it seems that information on Mr Mathew Swain is also thin on the ground.
If you have anything that you would care to share about this man and his endeavours I would be pleased to hear of it. Send PM and I will reply and we can go from there.
While researching Swain, even on Ebay UK (and Ireland?) searches I've seen bugger-all Swain fry pans. There have been a few Potjie style cookers and some Gypsy pans but Swain skillets? Naff all.
I have an unnamed Gypsy pan with the 'birds beak' pourer. It is of the same thin casting as the Swain, there are three very small domed feet on the base. I have cooked with it a few times but for the most part it serves as our table condiment tray :)

« Last Edit: January 29, 2016, 02:48:51 AM by james »
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Offline Daniel Guest

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2016, 04:44:56 AM »
Hi James,

Cheers for the response. Thought I'd respond on here too- I now have a few photo's of my recently purchased Swain frying pan. It doesn't have the flat handle like yours- and is in pretty terrible condition. Any tips on getting this cleaned? Seems the iron has some surface rust, or it could just be worn down.

I'd love to have one with the handle like yours, these longer handles (is there a specific name for these) aren't quite to my taste, and I prefer the one-piece castings. Ah well the hunt goes on... you're one lucky guy! Haha.

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Offline Mark Zizzi

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2016, 09:06:04 PM »
Hi Daniel,
 That's a pretty cool skillet, I like it. Yeah it has a little rust showing and needs work, but certainly looks salvageable. Can you get lye (sodium hydroxide) in the UK? If it were mine, like James said,  I'd soak it in a lye bath first to remove the crud buildup, then a round of electrolysis to deal with the rust. Lot's of scrubbing with soap and a stainless steel scrubbie as you go, and watch it go from ugly duckling to a swan again. If you can't get lye, some members here skip the lye and just do electrolysis, it will clean both crud and rust, just takes a little longer I think...and scrub as you go to monitor progress. Some even use a lye solution as their electrolyte, but I don't..I prefer to do it separately.  Can you remove the handle? Looks like a screw there but not sure. If you can, take it off first and clean separately..if you can't get it off you'll have to suspend it so the handle stays just above water. Everything you need to know can be found in the Cleaning and Restoration board on this forum..if you still have questions, just ask!  Good luck with it and let us see the "after" pics.  8-)
« Last Edit: February 02, 2016, 09:25:19 PM by mark21221 »
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Offline Daniel Guest

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2016, 06:30:16 PM »
Hi Mark,

Thanks for the advice, I'm not sure about Lye in the UK but I'll look into this. Not too sure I have the equipment needed for electrolysis but I'll take this to the cleaning and restoration board to see what I need to buy in! I'll definitely post up the results, for better or worse! Cheers, Dan
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Offline Frank Dimos

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2016, 05:32:25 PM »
Look for drain cleaners--some of them are 100% lye and will be marked as such.
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Offline Daniel Guest

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Re: Weird Skillet?
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2016, 06:42:10 AM »
Will do -cheers for the advice Frank!
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