really rusty cast iron how to restore

[foalfan]

I put my cast iron skillet in a bonfire and it turned (and stayed) Pink!

 

[Beekissed]

Never heard of that one before!!! Anyone of you scientific folks want to explain THAT?

 

[Home Maker]

I've never heard of pink cast iron either. Hmmm..

I have used Naval Jelly for some of the rustier pieces, and also setting them on coals in the wood stove. NOTE: I don't mean using these two methods together.

 

[SKR8PN]

Never heard of that one before!!! Anyone of you scientific folks want to explain THAT?

I am not a scientific type...but I gotta ask what kinda wood in that fire?
Was there by any chance pressure treated scraps???
Just a thought.....

 

[possum]

If you soak the rusty iron in a mixture of molasses and hot water for a day or so it will come out clean! This is what the old ship builders used to use to clean out the boilers on the steam ships.

 

[foalfan]

Never heard of that one before!!! Anyone of you scientific folks want to explain THAT?

I am not a scientific type...but I gotta ask what kinda wood in that fire?
Was there by any chance pressure treated scraps???
Just a thought.....

Nope, just a regular bonfire, burning old pine logs.

 

[the_whingnut]

*****edited because spellcheck and I are not friends*****

I know the post is old but I have an answer about the " pink cast iron " its heat damage to the metal. If you burn off cast iron keep the fire small! If you get some types of cast too hot it damages the alloy bond. This doesn't happen with every piece but I see it more with newer cast iron.

I stopped burning my cast iron because of it. I now use lye and vinegar to clean cast iron.

1lb 100% lye added to 5 gals water (never add water to let sprinkle the into water) soak crusty old pans for 24 hours then remove from lye water using goggles and gloves (safety first)

scrub with steel wool.

If clean of old black crust rinse with water

To remove that soak in white vinegar ( no more than 24hrs it will start to eat the pan) I like to check it every 8 hrs.

Then scrub and rinse!

Season to taste!

Be forewarned you should do this unless you have a well ventilated area and you know how to handle lye.

I like it because I don't have to watch a fire for hours (hoping not over heat grandma's egg skillet), I can Soak a lot of cast iron at a time and you don't damage the cooking surface with heavy abrasives. The lye will not damage the pan I promise!