Skillet for using + collectibility.

[wyiauta]

Newbie here.  I'm looking for a skillet to use, mostly just for myself.  What size would be the most practical?  Also, what are the most desireable, BLOCK, slant, heat ring, no heat ring,  earlier, later mfg. etc.  TIA for your help.

[Duke Gilleland]

I think the most practical would be a Griswold or Wagner # 8. I say this because they are the easiest available to get. If you buy off Ebay be sure and ask all the questions: Is it cracked, warped, chipped, pitted or repaired in any way.
Once you use one of these old skillets, you will see :o why they are so much better than what is made on the market today. Compare silk to flour sack... ;D

[Greg Stahl]

Louis,
Welcome to our site!

What do you want to cook in your skillet?  Is it for only one person or perhaps on occasions 2-4?  Will you need a lid?

[wyiauta]

It would be used for 1 or 2, mostly for chops, corn bread, fish...no real specialty.  TIA.

[Greg Stahl]

I was going to suggest a Wapak #12 as shown in this ebay auction, but it might be too big, especially for corn bread.  
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=976&item=6142947648&rd=1

I have one of these and they are very thin walled, unlike most WAPAKs and great for cooking.

I would suggest getting a Griswold wheat stick pan, if you can afford it, or a Wagner wheat stick pan, as these make better crusty corn bread than the corn bread pans make by either company (due to the greater surface area).

Here's two examples of the wheat stick pans.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=976&item=6139039788&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=976&item=6140248507&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
I like this style bether than this more common style for corn bread.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=976&item=6143425723&rd=1

I've never made corn bread in a skillet but a #8 skillet might be too big, IMO.  For the other dishes you are talking about an 8, 9 or 10 Griswold in a large logo/TM would be a good place to start.  I find that I like to have larger skillets to cook with and the large TM smooth bottom skillets by Griswold are pretty inexpensive compared to most of the others.  If you want to spend more money, but there is no need to do that if you are just cooking with them, then I would look at the more collectible versions, with slant TM's but the large TM skillets are also very collectible.  I would stay away from the small TM skillets, as they are not as collectible and the quality is not as good.

Now all of this above is for Griswold.  You can save yourself some money and still buy great skillets that are collectible made by Wagner Ware as well.  I'll stop for now and ask away and I'm sure others will chime in here too.