Removal Of Teflon???

[Duke Gilleland]

Last week I ran across a project I started a few decades ago. A # 10 Teflon lined Wagner
skillet. Except for the Teflon, it is in great shape. Has anyone tried to remove the Teflon from one of these? If so, how is the best way to do it? Any suggestions appreciated.

[Neal Birkett]

I have never heard that this can be done by any practical means.  I assume the item in question is less than desirable the way it is.  That said, it could probably be done the way people polish the inside of modern skillets.  Your judgement as to whether this is practical/acceptable to you.  Wear breathing protection if you do.

[Russell Ware]

Duke, the short story is, use a self-cleaning oven cycle on this skillet. Vent the kitchen well during the process. Hopefully you don’t have any pet birds in the house. The Teflon layer burns right off, but it is a toxic process, and good ventilation is a must.
You’ve had this skillet lying around for quite some time.

See reply #5 on this thread I commented on back in 2016. Has it really been that long? I posted of photo of the skillet I cleaned this way somewhere here. It looks real nice too.

http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/forum/index.php?topic=241.msg2003#msg2003

[Cheryl Watson]

I might even try a Gas Grill, heated to maximum temp outdoors first, to see if it weakens the coating.... thinking out loud....
And then the lye bath, or vice versa....

[Jim Glatthaar]

Possibly a charcoal grill.  With hardwood lump charcoal you could easily get the interior over 500 degrees.  I would probably want to buy a new grill grate afterwards.

[Duke Gilleland]

Jim, If I decide to put more time into this project, it would be over a wood/charcoal heat source.
I figure this method will be safest as I would have less to contaminate with burnt Teflon residue. The stuff scares me like Roundup. A few bricks and some scrap re-bar should get it done.

[Jim Glatthaar]

Duke, are you thinking bricks & rebar would avoid using the grill grate?  If that's what you are proposing that sounds like a good idea to me.  Would be interesting to re-create the pan as non-stick for the 21st century (and maybe 22nd as well)!

[Duke Gilleland]

The world is painfully learning about cross contamination from decades ago. DDT, Chlordane, Agent Orange, ect. all did the trick. We never gave it a second thought. During the 60's I worked summers in the structural pest control industry and handled thousands of gallons of DDT without any PPE. Twenty years later I thanked the Lord my kinds were born healthy! Now I wonder about all the "shelf life" food preservative in that industry. And NO...I ain't no tree hugger, just real cautious!

[Cheryl Watson]

Duke, or you could just do what Grandma Jones did! (mother of Saunders Jones the II) with the teflon BSR pan she was given...

Scrubbed it off with Scouring Pads because it didn't belong there!   

[Duke Gilleland]

Truth be known...IT WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE THERE! Just took us 20-30 years to realize it!