When is pan just too far gone... long in the tooth?

[Christian Andersen]

So, I’m not new to Cast Iron, but I am new to actually going out and hunting it down, collecting, etc.

Today I left my inner city jungle, and went out to the rural towns.  It was a crummy day without any finds, until my last stop.
I came across an Erie Series 3, #12 skillet.  Considering that 95% of my finds are newer Lodge, or Taiwan’s finest 1960’s pans,
I thought I was going to hyperventilate when finding this pan.

So, the pan unfortunately has quite a lot of micro pitting on both sides, and inner sidewalls.   Although it is not a spinner, it does have a slight wobble.
I realize that this stuff takes it out of the ‘collectible’ category, but... can enough seasoning fill in this pitting to make it worthy of cooking with?  Hopefully my pics come through.

This place also had a no name gate marked rectangular griddle.  This thing did not appear warped, but it had some serious build up, that I ASSUME could come off in many lye baths, but almost seemed like a physical change in the iron?
This gate marked griddle was $65.00
Not to mention a pretty decent BSR #12, @ $65.00.

Anyway, I put them back, took some pics.   
Can someone just let me know about seasoning filling in the pit marks, any worthiness time take this on, or just bite lip, and move on?

(I have to get home and re-size pics, sorry.

Thanks!

[Christian Andersen]

Anyway, I was trying to show the road rash stuff on the gate marked griddle, but the image size is maybe too small.

[Dwayne Henson]

Its the seasoning that makes cast iron a joy to use. Some swear by frying potatoes to help fill in "flaws"

[Cheryl Watson]

Christian, to attach up to four pictures to each post, click the down arrow next to "Attachments" and a new box will appear .  Repeat, until 4 Choose File Boxes show.  :)  Click choose file in each box to upload the picture you want to load.

I added them for you.. on your first post. :)

[Russell Ware]

I would say that skillet is too far gone. The pitting on the cooking surface will be very difficult to clean completely. If the rust is not completely removed, it will continue to grow even under whatever buildup you put on top of it. It may even cause the seasoning to flake off from those areas. You cannot rely on seasoning to smooth out that kind of surface. Burning food to fill in the gaps is not a recommended way to properly season cast iron. Not even my daily users have burnt on buildup that would fill that surface. I would move on to another skillet. Too much time spent on limited usefulness.

[Christian Andersen]

Thank you Cheryl for the tip on the down arrow for more attachments, I see it.
and Thank you Russell for you opinions on this pan being too far gone.  As I said I didn't actually buy the pan, but good to know for the future.
It is such a shame to hold a pan in your hand, that is 120 -ish years old.. to think of all the places it has been, all people who cooked whatever in it, and then to realize that it really isn't able to to do much anymore.
(Maybe only us CI freaks would understand that lament)  :'( :'(

[Russell Ware]

It is such a shame to hold a pan in your hand, that is 120 -ish years old..

I know what you mean. I have come across many skillets like the one you found. I usually think of the Hindenburg going down in flames. Oh the humanity!

[Duke Gilleland]

Its the seasoning that makes cast iron a joy to use. Some swear by frying potatoes to help fill in "flaws"

Dwayne can relate... A lady gave a skillet to me on a Thursday and bet I could not restore it to frying condition. One of them old "maybe" Blacklocks. When I got it out of electro Sat night, found a good many 1/2 BB shaped pits in the cooking surface :o  Two coats of seasoning and I fried bacon and eggs in it for the family Sunday morning. Months later at a big local sale a man asked me about it when he picked it up. I told him I was told it was found in the Palo Duro Canyon in Col. Goodnight's dugout! Said he loved the tale and we both had a good laugh! [smiley=horse.gif] ;D