My $3 flea market skillet cleaned up better than my $40 new one

I found this beat up cast iron pan at a flea market in Des Moines for $3. It was all rusty and crusty, looked like it sat outside for 20 years. Spent a weekend scrubbing it with vinegar and a chainmail scrubber, then seasoned it three times in the oven. Now it's smoother than the expensive Lodge I bought from Target last year. Has anyone else stumbled on a hidden gem like that where the restore job made it way better than new?

2 comments

2 Comments

keithharris10h ago

The older ones were machined smooth, not that bumpy stuff they sell now.

anna9838h ago

Wait, you found this at a flea market in Des Moines? No way. I'm from Iowa and every time I go to those places it's just old Tupperware and broken furniture. Someone must have had no idea what they were sitting on, that's wild. Three seasonings in the oven and it's already smoother than new? That's insane, I've spent way more time trying to get a good seasoning on a brand new pan and it still feels sticky.