Let me cast you a question.

"phenotyp" (phenotyp) 10/28/2019 at 11:24 • Filed to: Cast iron, Cooking, industrial design

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I know a bunch of you are cast-iron aficionados, like me. I use mine for pretty much everything. My mom found a bunch of vintage stuff from the 20s-40s (Google says it’d easily be worth $500 apiece, based on eBay sales) for like $25 for the lot. That’s like hipster-cred shit, I know. Some people will pay a lot of money for vintage stuff. Some people will pay crazy money for new things, like the Finex above.

Who wants a handle condom?

Some people are fine with Lodge (most of mine are Lodge, and they’re... good enough, after a couple years of use). But I want better. And I know better can be done. So let’s contemplate the weight.

Personally, I’m not gonna do anything with enamel. I hate that shit.

Fuck enamel.

But, here’s the thing. If you (yes, you) were to list the things you wish you could change about a cast-iron skillet, what would you change? Because some people, like me, want more. If we’re talking about the centerpieces of the centerpiece of your home, the kitchen, and you want something that will last beyond your lifetime, what would you want?

What if you could make some cast iron that didn’t have to use the thousands-of-years-old molding rules? Like, printed sand casts, so the surface is nice and satiny like the good, old stuff, but without requiring sanding. Manufacturing methods are a wide-open field, now. Technology has to be good for something, right? I want to put it to good use, and make it all here in the US.

‘Cause I have this idea. I want the 12" (starting size; if it works, I’d like to expand) iron skillet that will hang, won’t burn my hands on either end, pours out at more ergonomic angles... I’m thinking out loud in pixels, here, because I had this thought, have this love, and did some research in the dark of this morning. I’ve got the resources, I just need input.

Lemme know.

MrDakka > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:08

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3D printed cast iron (?) skillet with   diamond heat channels so it doesn’t take an hour to heat up the damn thing and some sort of heat insulated handle.

Chariotoflove > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:09

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I have a couple of cast iron skillets, and if you ask me about cookware a kitchen absolutely must have, I put them on the short list.

But then I forget I have them for huge stretches of time and end up using my non-stick large pans as my go to for 90% of stuff.  I love the weight and physical properties of cast iron though.

HammerheadFistpunch > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:12

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My main beef with my cast iron is the handle getting hot. Thats all I got but I don’t use much cast cookware. Just 1 12"  skillet a griddle and my dutch ovens.

phenotyp > MrDakka 10/28/2019 at 12:15

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Yeah, the handle is a primary point of improvement. See the Lodge handle condom. 

benjrblant > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:16

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I’ve got quite a few cast iron pieces, a 10, 6.5 , and 3.5 " skillet from lodge, a bread loaf pan, a press, and a dutch oven/griddle micro oval from snow peak.

The lodge ones were OK after sanding them down to a decent surface, removing the crappy factory seasoning, and re-seasoning several times over. It certainly took a while to get them decent.

The Snow Peak micro oval is all around fantastic. The casting is smooth, the seasoning is superb and crazy nonstick compared to the others. I don’t understand why their design of a griddle inside the lid isn’t more common.

I like your thought of using modern design and manufacturing processes though!  I might model something up in rino.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:16

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NO HANDLE GUARDS

WE SCORCH OUR PALMS LIKE MEN

CalzoneGolem > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:21

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Some people have issues with pans that are too smooth not taking seasoning or hav ing it flake off. As an owner of Lodge and Griswold pans I don’t see a real difference with great gr andma’ s pan and the pan I got at W almart.

phenotyp > Chariotoflove 10/28/2019 at 12:25

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My skillet, griddle, and comal are the three things I use to cook pretty much everything. I’ve hated Teflon stuff since about 1995, when I started learning about it. I want to make something that works as well on an induction or electric as a gas source. Doesn’t burn your hands. Easy to use. Something you can appreciate. 

Chariotoflove > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:31

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I’ll tell you from experience, the biggest thing on a flat surface cook top is something with a solid enough base that it doesn’t warp with heat or time.

The second key thing is ease of clean up.  I go to my non-stick most of the time not because I don’t want to use enough lubrication in the pan or anything.  It’s mostly because washing after is so much easier.

Azrek > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 12:36

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I tend to stick to my non-stick pans, but I do use a Copper plated bottom pan that is pretty old. It heats up super fast so my eggs are done quick fast in a hurry.

It is more of a pain to clean if not lubed properly or if I am not paying attention. 

razorbeamteam > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 13:04

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I have one cast iron skillet (Lodge) that I primarily use for searing meat that I have cooked sous vide. Also I use it when I need something that can go from stove to oven.

What I don’t like about cast iron is that even when its clean, its dirty. I can rub it with salt and a brush with hot water for a long time and a paper towel will still turn brown when I wipe it down. My fiance refuses to use cast iron for that reason. 

facw > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/28/2019 at 13:14

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Unrelated to cast iron, but I had gotten so used to the stay cool handles on my Allclad stuff that I once forgot that stay cool handles only stay cool if you cook on the stove, not if you have the pan in the oven. Luckily my reflex arcs were apparently firing pretty well, so I do not have a handle-shaped scar on my plam.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > facw 10/28/2019 at 13:20

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A lot of handling cast pans on a stovetop isn’t just callus, but also technique and yes, reflexes.

MrDakka > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/28/2019 at 13:20

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Man up!

benjrblant > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 13:30

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I also feel like the grease pour spouts on my skillets aren’t deep enough. instead of channeling the grease to one point, it tends to pour out the whole side.

Saracen > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 13:30

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I love cast iron. I have a 12" pan, panini press, double sided griddle and a wok. I also have cast iron grates and accessories for my grill. I use cast iron for damn near everything except cooking eggs, for which i use a small ceramic coated J.A. Henckels Zwilling pan.

I have no problem with the heatup time for cast iron, my gas range seems to heat it up quite quickly.  I guess it would be nice if the handle didn’t heat up, but pot holders work just fine.  It would be nice to get a couple of old sand cast pans, just to see if they’re really any better, but I’m not willing to pay out the nose for them.  If we happen to go to a thrift store or a garage sale, I tend to see if I can find anything.

phenotyp > Chariotoflove 10/28/2019 at 13:48

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Talking to someone who has the experience. 

hedbutter > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 14:12

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Anyone have a good step by step guide for seasoning cast iron? I have an array of pans but can never seem to get them seasoned well enough that helps prevent things from  sticking (I made a frittata last week and spent more time cleaning the cast iron than I did eating)

Chariotoflove > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 14:18

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To be sure, I’m not saying I’m an authority on anything because of my experience. I’m just sharing what I have experienced in my cooking. I flatter myself to think that I’m a pretty good home cook, but I’m no expert on anything, and definitely not on anything to do with iron skillets.

66P1800inpieces > benjrblant 10/28/2019 at 15:32

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Have you used carbon steel pans? I am also looking into a new main pan and am thinking I can season carbon steel like cast, so it behaves more like teflon.

Saracen > Saracen 10/28/2019 at 15:33

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Oh, hammerhead reminded me.  Also have an enamel coated dutch oven.  

phenotyp > Chariotoflove 10/28/2019 at 20:58

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My Lodge pan cleans up just as easily as any Teflon thing. Granted, I’m pretty obsessive about maintenance of the surface. I’ve re-seasoned it a couple times, though never sanded it smooth. I’m looking to make a smooth-surfaced, more-evenly-heating pan, with handles that won’t melt silicone, that you can pour out ambidextroulsy.

...I may be a perfectionist. But, hey. If you can improve a thousand-year-old process with some new ideas, maybe it’s worth doing?

Chariotoflove > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 23:52

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God speed. 

sn4cktimes > phenotyp 10/28/2019 at 23:59

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We have a bunch of Lodge stuff and use the handle covers that are like oven mitts vs the gross feeling silicone ones. They work great. Used the same 3 for about 7 years now. We have an induction stove and they get hot FAST.

Future Heap Owner > phenotyp 10/29/2019 at 01:25

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Love cast irons. Do all my cooking on them. The one thing I’d change is better heat distribution. When I sear tofu on medium-high for ~20 minutes a side, there is a pretty sharp line where the part on the other side hardly browns at all.

phenotyp > hedbutter 10/29/2019 at 01:56

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Plenty out there. 

phenotyp > Future Heap Owner 10/29/2019 at 01:57

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That, and the handles, is what I’d like to fix. 

phenotyp > benjrblant 10/29/2019 at 01:58

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Yeah, most of the pour points are in the wrong place. 

benjrblant > 66P1800inpieces 10/29/2019 at 10:46

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Fairly certain carbon steel pans are seasoned the same way, with burnt-on oil. I think the only advantage is less flash-rust and lighter weight.

BigBlock440 > benjrblant 10/31/2019 at 11:42

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What do you use the 3.5" for aside from a spoon rest? Is there anything you can actually cook in it?

benjrblant > BigBlock440 10/31/2019 at 11:47

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It’s the ideal diameter to cook an egg for a bagel breakfast sandwich!

WiscoProud > hedbutter 10/31/2019 at 14:29

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I get mine scorching hot (max burner) then put in some vegetable oil and wipe it all over the everything. Then i turn it off and let it cool. The high heat is supposed to polymerize the oil into a coating. I do this step everytime i use it, and it cleans up real easy these days. 

Saracen > phenotyp 08/25/2020 at 14:10

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I do most of my cooking in cast iron. I love it.

The Finex is stuff is pretty damn perfect IMO. You get that mirror smooth finish like the old school sand cast stuff, a lovely handle that will protect your hand, and pour spouts from pretty much any angle. Shame about the price though.

At bare minimum the pour spouts aren’t a huge deal, and I can just wear on oven mitt or use a silicon handle sleeve, but I’d love to get that super smooth sand-cast style finish.  

phenotyp > Saracen 08/25/2020 at 15:45

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Unfortunately this project has been sitting on the back burner since January, thanks to, y’know, life and shit.

In the intervening months, I’ve sanded down my 2 Lodges, was sent 2 1930s/40s Wagners that my mom picked up for change at a thrift shop, and my pops sent me a Finex for my birthday. Not something I’d ever buy for myself, but it’s been fun cooking with it. I was really surprised by how slick the factory seasoning was, right out of the box. It’s nice having the lid for it, too. I think its main drawback (aside from the ridiculous price) is the weight— that MFer’s heavy . And the handle coil is cute, but it doesn’t really make it any more functional, you either burn your hand at the base or the tip of the handle, anyway.

I really want to get back to this, but I also have been struggling to get actual paying work since March, and can’t afford to fart around with flights of fancy at the moment.