Grinding cast iron smooth ... tell me how to do it.

Why do you think it needs to be sanded down? What about just removing the current seasoning and starting over with the whole seasoning process?

Depends on the size of the pot and effort you want to put in. I have a harbor freight angle grinder that I bought specifically to do all of mine. Worked great on both my 5 gallon and my skillet. A hand an some sandpaper will do the trick, but ain't nobody got time for that. Spend the time to do it right though and you'll never have to do it again. A smooth pot is a thing of beauty.

Here's a thread from way back:

Get one of these and attach this to it. If you cant get your grinder into the pot you can use these attached to a drill.

Eventually the surface will smooth -- after years and years of using it. I'm not entirely convinced the holy grail griswolds and wagners weren't produced with the same abrasive surface that new lodges have today. Anybody know?

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I'm not entirely convinced the holy grail griswolds and wagners weren't produced with the same abrasive surface that new lodges have today. Anybody know?

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They were much finer. They took much more time and put much more workmanship into them back then. They also used a superior iron ore back then.

The first time i actually laid hands on a Griswold dutch oven, i thought it was a fake. I thought there was no way in hell it was cast iron, as smooth, light, and thin as it was compared to the clunkers we buy today from Lodge.

Everyone assumes that because of the technology we have today, everything is better, but that's not the case. Manufacturers start to cut corners because of the bottom line, and quality suffers. Look at American automobiles as a prime example.

Anyway, thanks for all of the advice and input, guys. You gave me exactly what i was looking for and told me just what i needed to know. I'll post some pics when i get around to doing this.

The pot is a 3 gallon Bayou Classic pot. It's got a pretty rough surface. I don't use it a lot, but it's just the right size for family gatherings ... especially after moving out here to Atlanta where folks don't gather around a pot like we do back home. 3 gallons is just the right amount for company. Any more than that is too many people at my house.

Cup brush

There is no way the new lodge or bayou classic pots will ever get a smooth bottom from seasoning. The new pots are so rough, heavy, and useless in my kitchen. I've never tried to grind or sand one and it sounds like a lot of work. I've been buying antique ones for my family on the internet as I see them. The antique ones are much better quality and it's cool to cook in a 50 or 100 year old pot. They are about the same price as high quality stainless steel cookware.

I'm getting a Field Skillet. Thanks for posting that. Pretty cool story