Where is the best place to shop for / buy?

Cabella's?
Academy?
Other?

how much are you looking for ? just a skillet or a whole cooking set ?

Tractor Supply has a pretty good assortment and I think their prices are a bit better than the sports stores.

there is a LODGE outlet store in Gainsville if you are ever that way they have a lot of pieces that I have never seen anywhere else.

does it matter what kind of cast iron you have? obviously i guess the cheap stuff won't last, but is it necessary to buy really expensive stuff?

Most cast iron is pretty cheap. I have used some of the Lodge pre-seasoned stuff and liked it a lot. If you have some time, visit an estate sale or two. A lot of times you can get some of the really old, good pieces that are already broken in for next to nothing.

estate/garage sales, great idea

I have a few seasoned Wagner skillets I'd sell. I have a bunch of different sizes and most of them are from the 1925-1940 era. If you're looking for new stuff Lodge actually makes a decent pre-seasoned cast iron now. To me it doesn't have the nostalgia and the quality of the old stuff, especially Wager and Griswold -but it's fine enough I guess.

Cast iron is cast iron. Estate and garage sales are the best place to get them. I have bought dutch ovens, various sizes of skillets, tortilla warmers, etc. and never paid more than $5. Got some of them for one or two dollars. You have to watch it,though, because some of them want more than they are worth.

Sancho, Wholmes Great! Thank you !

It is not that one might be better, More that they all seem to be the same! But with diffrent prices! I do not want to over pay and Snach and Wholms are right about the old ones. Estate sales here we come! I love Granbury...

we have cast iron that came from my grandmother and use it all the time also have some alumaware pots. great stuff. try to get the seasoned ones.

you can try Good-will or Salvation Army thrift shops.
You can clean old cast iron a oven self clean cycle. It comes out looking new. Then reseaon. Less expensive this way.

one thing to watch about used cast iron is if it was used to make lead ingots with, the ones that look like corn cobs are popular with the guys that pour their own bullets .

If you want to find collectible ones, look for Wagner-Ware, Wagner, Wagner-Griswold. The good Griswolds will be evident right off the bat. On the back side there will be a large cross with a circle around it and it will say, naturally, Griswold. It will also say Eire. If there is a heat ring, which is just a raised groove around the entire circumference of the skillet it's even better. You'll see others that simply say Griswold and while these are collectible, they are not as much so as the circle and cross design. With Wagner, you'll want to see the words Sidney and then -O-. With both Wagner and Griswold there have been knock offs. Some jokers will take a POS and then stamp things into them. Both Wagner and Griswold will have a number right where the handle meets the skillet/pan/dutch over on the top side. Some times knock offs will have a skillet size on the back side. It's not impossible as there were so many made in a foundry by so many different people, but generally if you see one with an actual skillet size in inches as opposed to the manufacturers single digit reference number then it's BS. For instance, here is a Wagner number 9. A sought after size. It's an 11 1/2 inch skillet. No very deep. This one seems to have a crack in it but the seller says no cracks... I wouldn't take the chance. I have two just like this. This one is going for 150 from a very reputable seller. I wouldn't pay that for it. You would be amazed at how many you come across at flea markets. I have personally bought 10 of them in the last two months of varying sizes. The smaller ones and the larger ones are worth more money. Every one has a number 8. They're good but not worth much in the collectible arena. People at these flea markets simply don't know what they have. Good luck. Contact me if you run into one that you need information on.

I have two #8 Griswold skillets that I use DAILY. Love 'em!

Also have several Lodge skillets up to a big 12 inch.

My ideal size is the #8 Griswolds......10 inch.

If you find a GRISWOLD skillet, it will be a good one! Look for the CROSS emblem on the back of the pan.

Likewise for the LODGE skillet. All good stuff.

ALL GOOD info Thank You!

hey Chuckwagon, I just got a full set of Griswold skillets. some have a little rust in them. I know how to season them, but how to deal with the rust? Their not pitted or real rusty.

OIL

How well do cast iron skillets--(8 or 10") work on Electric stove burner top

Get a wire wheel attachment for your drill and polish the rust away. Wash the skillet with warm soapy water , wipe it down well and put it on a burner / in the oven until it's bone dry . After it cools down season it with Crisco or lard. You might want to try this on an outside grill. Last time I did one my house smelled like Crisco for a week.

It's easy to clean the rust from cast iron. Please don't take a power tool to the stuff, or ever use soap.

Put a good 1/2 cup of salt and about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in the pan. Mix this together and using paper towels even rub some all over the outside. Heat the oven up to 450. Put the pan in the oven for a good 15 minutes. It's gonna smoke, so make sure the vent's running! lol

Remove the pan and let it cool off, but while it's still warm pour off most of the oil and then scrub the heck out of the pan with a wad of paper towels. Then wash it in hot water with a scrub brush - no soap - and then re-season it as you normally would.

You'll be amazed how much rust this will remove.