Dremel-Is It Ethical?

[wchandler]

 :PWe all clean and season our iron to make it look better. I also have a Dremel that has many small brushes and wheels that can be used to get in between small places such the edge of a rimmed skillet or kettle. Question: Is it ethical to use a small diamond tip Dremel bit to clean out lettering on cast iron. Example: I have a WAPAK 804 Rimmed Pot (Looks to be made from a Griswold pattern ). The lettering is not all that good and I could really enhance the "look" by going through the lettering with the diamond bit. I know it takes a steady hand, but is this an etchical practice?? Asking this question gives me time to think that it might not be. Any thoughts? :)
                                                                                           Bill

[Chris Stairs]

William,
     I won't comment on if this is ethical, but I will say that this type of thing will only decrease the value of an item.

[Jeff Seago]

I agree with Chris.  As far as the value of your piece goes any alterations to its current condition must be noted when selling the piece and can easily be spotted by a collector.  IMO you are better off just leaving it alone.  Sometimes logos are just hard to read??

[Will Person]

Bill,  we as collectors already know that Wapak was not the best marked stuff.   Making the mark better than new I would frown about.   No disrespect,   but some Wapak stuff is crude.   I do collect it,  so don't think I am bashing Wapak.


Will 8-)

[hangman0327]

Please read disclaimer: I am but a mere mortal, a newbie, a student of classic culinary cast iron!

IMHO, If one was simply cleaning out the crud I would think that was legit, but if the cleaning led to "improving or altering" that would be a deal breaker. ;)

Please read disclaimer:I am but a mere mortal, a newbie ,a student of classic culinary cast iron!

p.s. although it may or may not be a good idea ,it is only unethical if you don't disclose it

[C. Perry Rapier]

Well, I got a dremel, and they are very handy, and using a dremel to get in them grooves and crooks and crannies, I think its a good idea, and I don't think its unethical at all, in fact, I think that using the word "unethical" is improperly characterizing the whole thing. If I read it correctly, Mark is only talking about getting out junk that has accumulated over time and wasn't there to start with.

So I say go for it. And if a piece is rough, and I want to smooth it out, I'll use sandpaper on it, and then some good emery cloth, and it looks better. I don't see anything wrong with that.

[Dwayne Henson]

If one is for example cleaning some sharp edges in the handle hole, I'd have no problem. But one of the things that enhance value is the clarity of the logo. I have no problem with removing crud, but Perry what William seems to be asking is more than just removing crud. He is talking about removing metal to try to enhance the logo. IMO unethical would apply to that activity. If I buy a skillet I want the logo as it was cast, the clearer/crisper the logo, the higher the value. I wonder if someone was good, could you take unmarked Wagner's and "carve" the WagnerWare logo in it? ::) People do sad things to CI, but I'm with Mark and Will, I'd never buy/want a piece so modified.

[Sam Roberts]

I use one with a S/S brush to get those little croocks and crannies that my normal fine s/s brush won't reach , but wouldn't use any attachment that removes any of the metal.

[C. Perry Rapier]

We're sayin the same thing, only different. And I will agree to disagree. If I find a piece thats rough, and I decide to work on it some, and make it better, I think thats a good idea. If they were supposed to be left as cast, then why have somebody grind the gated area down, just leave it like it is. That is exactly what the finish man is doing, he's removing metal to make it look nicer. Sometimes they get/got in a hurry and didn't get it all, for instance, in the eye of the handles.

[Chris Stairs]

We're sayin the same thing, only different. And I will agree to disagree. If I find a piece thats rough, and I decide to work on it some, and make it better, I think thats a good idea. If they were supposed to be left as cast, then why have somebody grind the gated area down, just leave it like it is. That is exactly what the finish man is doing, he's removing metal to make it look nicer. Sometimes they get/got in a hurry and didn't get it all, for instance, in the eye of the handles.

Perry,
   I see nothing wrong with taking at a handle eye with a rat tail file, or finishing the grinding on the gate. Sometimes the finish man at the foundry was pressed for time, and he probably would have done a better job if he were given the chance.
   BUT, if the bottom of the skillet is worn, and the markings are not as deep as you feel they should be, would you "deepen" them? Would you want to buy a Spider skillet that someone had "improved" the worn spider logo by carving away metal with a needle thin, diamond tipped bit on a  dremel?
 It looks better now, right? It should be worth more. ;)

[C. Perry Rapier]

We're sayin the same thing, only different. And I will agree to disagree. If I find a piece thats rough, and I decide to work on it some, and make it better, I think thats a good idea. If they were supposed to be left as cast, then why have somebody grind the gated area down, just leave it like it is. That is exactly what the finish man is doing, he's removing metal to make it look nicer. Sometimes they get/got in a hurry and didn't get it all, for instance, in the eye of the handles.

Perry,
   I see nothing wrong with taking at a handle eye with a rat tail file, or finishing the grinding on the gate. Sometimes the finish man at the foundry was pressed for time, and he probably would have done a better job if he were given the chance.
   BUT, if the bottom of the skillet is worn, and the markings are not as deep as you feel they should be, would you "deepen" them? Would you want to buy a Spider skillet that someone had "improved" the worn spider logo by carving away metal with a needle thin, diamond tipped bit on a  dremel?
 It looks better now, right? It should be worth more. ;)

No, absolutely not, I would not deepen markings.
No, absolutely not, I would not want to buy a spider that somebody "improved" on.

Chris, what you are saying here is marring or defacing something, and I see your point, and what I am talking about certainly is nothing like that at all.  :)

[Dwayne Henson]

"No, absolutely not, I would not deepen markings.
No, absolutely not, I would not want to buy a spider that somebody "improved" on.

Chris, what you are saying here is marring or defacing something, and I see your point, and what I am talking about certainly is nothing like that at all.  :)"


We do agree Perry :)