Just read that Lodge pans from before 1985 are way smoother

I was digging around on a cast iron restoration site last night and found out that Lodge used to machine grind their pans smooth until about 1985. After that they stopped doing it to keep costs down. So all those rough textured new pans are actually a cost cutting move not a feature. I looked at my 2019 Lodge skillet and it is like sandpaper compared to pictures of the old ones. Makes me want to hunt down a vintage Griswold or an old Lodge at a garage sale. Has anyone here switched from a new Lodge to an old smooth one and actually noticed a big difference in sticking?

2 comments

2 Comments

oliver81110d agoTop Commenter

Just grab a modern Lodge and hit it with a palm sander and 80 grit for 10 minutes, it'll be smoother than any vintage pan and cost you like $20 total. No need to hunt down old iron.

dixon.felix8d ago

Have you ever actually used a vintage Griswold though? I had a buddy who sanded down a new Lodge and it was fine, but not the same. That smooth milled surface from old pans has a different feel when you cook eggs. It's like comparing a brand new leather jacket to your grandpa's old one that's been broken in for 40 years. My grandma had this beat up Wagner from the 1940s and that thing was so slick you could slide an egg on it with a whisper. I found one at a flea market for $15 after scrubbing off some rust and it's been my daily driver ever since.