Lye bath for an enameled skillet . . .

[Bryce King]

Bought two CI skillets from a lady at a church that I pastor today.  One of them is a Favorite Piqua Ware Miami #8 with the blue enamel.  Some of the enamel has worn off.

It is in very nice shape otherwise.  A bit of rust and some gunk buildup in the logos on the bottom.  I could just use the barkeepers friend to go over the inside and maybe the bottom but I prefer to use the lye bath for a day or two.  Will the lye hurt the blue enamel?

There is a bit of rust on it from hanging in her basement for "years" as she says but I would think that even if I did not clean the gunk out of the logos all it would need is a good scrubbing with the BKF and a stainless scrubby and some seasoning and it would be fine.

Will post some pix of this one and the other one which is a #9 with some numbers on the bottom and something that looks like shadow or ghost writing.  Need to get them outdoors to get some really good light to take the pix.

[Jeff Seago]

Bryce I am glad that you posted this because I was going to post something along these lines.  I had a very bad expierience with lye and enamel because I thought you could do it (and maybe you can??) but I ruined a blue enameled #8 Griswold skillet and lid  >:(  I put it in the lye for a day and it ate all the shiny enamel right off the piece.  Now it is just a powder blue color.

[Will Person]

Jeff,  I bought a #6 Griz DO just like your skillet.   All faded like that.   I had a felling they put it in lye and ruined it.   Now,  I have used oven cleaner on some enameled skillets,  just didn't leave it on long.   It was fine.


Will 8-)

[Bryce King]

Thanks Jeff and Will.  It was my wife, you know the one who is resisting the use of the CI cookware cause it is too heavy and bit different to clean, who suggested that I check out if I should put the blue enamel in the lye bath.  Good thing I took her advice.   ;D

[Bryce King]

Since the lye bath is not good for this type of skillet I wonder if electrolysis would work to get the baked on gunk that is on the outside?  The gunk is not really bad as far as amount goes.  Just in the areas where there are words and around the outside edge of the bottom of the pan and some on the sides.

It is cooking ready.  Nice smooth interior with no pitting. Do want to put a few coats of extra seasoning on it before use.  

Any suggestions other than plain old elbow grease?

[C. Perry Rapier]

Bryce, are you talking about for cleaning out the inside cooking surface? If so, and you want to smooth it out some, or clean it, I'd use a SS scrubbie to start with and then use an SOS pad, and then you can season it from there. That should do it. I have some of the Blue Favorite pieces. They are pretty all shinyed up. I made that word up.

[Bryce King]

Perry,

Talking about the outside surface.  Lots of gunk in spots.  The inside is beautifully done and in fact seasoned to a point.  Nice smooth surface.  I would like to clean up the enamel even though I think some of it has been chipped off.  

I have tried SOS pads, and a SS scrubbie as well.  Only put a dent in the buildup.  Have one more thing to try.  That is scrubbing bubbles.  Use it to clean soapy gunk build up on my vintage safety razors.  If that does not work I will just go with it as it is.  After all it is a user piece and nothing else.

That word "shinying".  Does that mean to make something shine like a mirror or does it mean what we did with trees as kids?   ;D

[Ed Allspaugh]

Give formula 409 a shot, I've had good luck with it. If you try Dawn Power Dissolver stay right with it. I have used it, and as soon as I see the grease start to lift I wash it in hot water with dish soap. Then hit it again if needed, in the same manner.  I don't like to leave the DPD on very long..

[Bryce King]

Success!  :)  The Dawn Power Remover works.  Have to use some elbow grease too but not a lot.  Easy on the elbow grease motor.

Using the SS scrubbies to clean off the grease in the lettering or the words Favorite and Miami.  Now to do the bottom edges and then maybe tomorrow the sides.

Thank you very much Mr Ed Allsbaugh for the tip.  

[Ed Allspaugh]

 You're very much welcome Bruce. ;)
 Hope you were able to get before and after pix.  Sounds as tho that skillet had some serious build up.

[Bryce King]

Success!  :)  The Dawn Power Remover works.  Have to use some elbow grease too but not a lot.  Easy on the elbow grease motor.
 Using the SS scrubbies to clean off the grease in the lettering or the words Favorite and Miami.  Now to do the bottom edges and then maybe tomorrow the sides.
 Thank you very much Mr Ed Allsbaugh for the tip.  

 You're very much welcome Bruce. ;)
 Hope you were able to get before and after pix.  Sounds as tho that skillet had some serious build up.

Ed,

Looks like you and Perry went to the same spelling school only in different classrooms!   ;D

No before pix.  Like a dummy I was too into getting the thing clean that I forgot to take the pix.  I will post some after pix and quickly describe the most serious places with the burnt on grease.

Again, thanks for the tip Ed!

[Bryce King]

Drat! Double Drat!  No make that a triple Drat!  What I thought would work out well with removing the baked/cooked on gunk from the blue enamel skillet sure worked but it dulled the finish and in fact gave it a rather rough texture.  And it did not get all the gunk off the skillet.  But what is left is more cosmetic than functional.

What is good about the skillet is the inside is in excellent shape.  The skillet sits flat and doesn't have any cracks.  So it is in the oven right now getting all heated up for the first of maybe 6 coats of seasoning before it gets the bacon test.

Thanks guys for all your help and with this project.  Although things did not go as planned the appearance of the pan does not really matter as I wanted it as a user anyway.  Thank goodness the cooking surface is just fine.

If I make it to the convention and the guys who gave me the advice on cleaning it are there I will be sure to bring the skillet to show you and then maybe wack you upside the head real good!   :P :P

[Ed Allspaugh]

My apologies Bryce. This is why I very rarely post on cleaning. What worked for me usually screws someone else up.
  I used very little DPD did not leave it on long at all, and did not use a SS scrubbie. Used ever so lightly SOS pad and 0000 steel wool.
  I'm whacked anyways so a crack up side the head won't effect me to bad. Just do it after our spelling lesson.
   This WILL BE my last post in the cleaning section... Matter of fact I will not even be reading Cleaning and Restoration, so posting to this will be futile. Good Luck to all.

[Jeff Seago]

Well Bryce that stinks  :(  If I make it to the convention I will bring the blue enameled Griswold #8 and lid so that we can show everyone what NOT to do to clean them.

I am wondering if there was not something wrong with my skillet before I bought it??  I would think that enamel would hold up to s very strong base seeing as how it was designed to withstand heat.  You can throw a piece of ovenproof glass in lye but you better not throw in an ordinary piece of glass or it will explode.

I wonder if there is any way to get the shine back on the enamel??

[Bryce King]

Jeff,

I will bring mine along if I make the convention.  As far as mine is concerned I don't really care what it looks like on the outside. The enamel was chipped along the edges anyway.  It is a user only and what counts, the inside is in great shape.  I guess we need to live and learn.

Next time I have a chance to acquire a blue enamel or any enamel piece I will pass.