Korean Job Discussion Forums

canuckistan · Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject: Removing rust from cast iron

Anyone know a good trick aside from endless scraping with steel wool?

We bought an old cast iron hunting stove that's lovely...but it's got more nooks and crannies that are really hard to jam steel wool into than you can shake a stick at. Maybe a solvent of some kind to loosen all the rust up first, make it easier?

I'd like to get it clean and then paint it with high-heat matte black paint.
It's going to be great for boiling big pots of corn outside!

tiger fancini · Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Location: Testicles for Eyes

Cilit Bang claims to be able to remove rust, grease, limescale etc....

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

tiger fancini · Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Location: Testicles for Eyes

I love this stuff! At first it was just the name that tickled (!) me, but it does actually work too Very Happy

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

Build a fire in your back yard and torch the cast iron pan for an hour or so. Just toss the thing into the fire and walk off for a bit.

DO NOT Let water get on the iron when it is hot.. It will split the iron.

After it cools down then get a bit of sand paper, or just a hand full of sand and scrape all the crap off of it. Do this until its nice and clean then oil it with cooking oil after you wipe everything off. Oil it and scrape it again everyday for about a week. This should prevent it from oxidizing again.

DO not use soap on your cast iron ever. Just a bit of water, but try to avoid that. Most people just use a iron bristled scrub brush scrape all the food and crap off and then oil it.

Remember keep water off your cast iron pan when it is hot, it will crack it.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Probably not do-it-yourself, but sandblasting is quick & thorough. A larger metal-working shop should be able to handle it.

drumpounder · Joined: 20 Jun 2006

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

Hobophobic · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 3:08 am Post subject:

are you really that connected to a cast iron pan?...you know you can boil, poach and scramble eggs...think potatoes...options baby...options..also, if you clean the dishes too much the flavors are lost...age that pan, it's greases, and potential...

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Reading skills, people! The OP is about a stove, not a pan.

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

I would concour with tiger fancini's suggestion of Cillit Bang. Get some steel wool as well. Cast iron stoves are the bomb!

canuckistan · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:31 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the replies! I'll give that Cilit stuff a whirl if I can find it--no doubt sandblasting would work like a charm but I'm guessing that would cost quite a bit being state-side. I gave it an initial scrape yesterday (what a mess!) but it's still got a long way to go before I get it down to the bare metal.

I disassembled it first because it was so crusty after having sat outside at a junk shop for who-knows-how-long. The nuts and bolts are sitting in pure vinegar which also removes rust but they have to be immersed in it for a while. Can't really do that with the whole stove unless I fill the bathtub with vinegar (!)

Hobophobic · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 6:07 pm Post subject:

...err..uhm...I am playing my drunk card on this one...sorry for the useless advice

seoulkitchen · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Location: Hub of Asia, my ass!

Soak it in soju, then scrub it with kimchi!

Hobophobic · Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 2:54 am Post subject:

...that sir was the problem...I did just that...hell...I am doing it right now