# What to do about a wobbly skillet?



## VitaWright (Jan 14, 2013)

I have this old Wagner skillet which I love for the size. It a 12" skillet. The problem is the bottom is not flat. This didn't really make a difference when I had my other stove but now that I have a glass top stove it may have to be relegated to a camping only skillet. Can anything be done?

Here is a pic. Hopefully you can see the gap.


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## CraigC (Jan 14, 2013)

If that is CI, you probably aren't supposed to use it on a glass top. Our instuctions for our glass top said CI was a no, no.


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## roadfix (Jan 14, 2013)

I would save it for outdoor cooking only.


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## VitaWright (Jan 14, 2013)

As far as I have read the reasoning behind this is that the manufacturer doesn't want you calling them up complaining that you scratched or broke your range so they simply tell you not to use it. Honestly this was a hand me down range and so much better than the ugly burners we had and super easy to keep clean. I would prefer gas but since that isn't in the cards right now I am stuck with electric. I don't slide my cast iron around nor do I plan on dropping it but I figure I could do the same damage with my stainless steel. I clean the range (where the rings are) with BKF and so far so good. The rest of my CI is flat on the bottom and even my æbleskiver pans do fine which surprised me.


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## VitaWright (Jan 14, 2013)

roadfix said:


> I would save it for outdoor cooking only.



I am thinking that may be the answer. Too bad too. Such a nice pan.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Jan 14, 2013)

Do you know a blacksmith?

Of course, you can buy a brand new 12-inch cast iron skillet for about 30 bucks American, so it would probably not be cost effective to get it flattened.


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## jennyema (Jan 14, 2013)

CraigC said:


> If that is CI, you probably aren't supposed to use it on a glass top. Our instuctions for our glass top said CI was a no, no.


 

Vita's right.  Its perfectly fine to use it on a glass top stove.

The manufacturer tells you that because they dont want to pay out during the warranty period if you scratch or break the top.

Performance wise there are no issues.

Vita,  I dont know that there is any way to fix that once it's warped.


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## VitaWright (Jan 14, 2013)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Do you know a blacksmith?
> 
> Of course, you can buy a brand new 12-inch cast iron skillet for about 30 bucks American, so it would probably not be cost effective to get it flattened.



Yeah I won't be buying new when it comes to CI. I prefer the smooth finish of the old pans. I will probably just hold out hope of finding another one at a thrift store or garage sale. eBay works but they are expensive there.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 14, 2013)

VitaWright said:


> Honestly this was a hand me down range and so much better than the ugly burners we had and super easy to keep clean. I would prefer gas but since that isn't in the cards right now I am stuck with electric.


I have a glass cooktop stove myself. Most of my life I've owned and used gas stoves, but I happened to win this one in a contest at work. I was skeptical at first, but it really does a nice job and, like you say, it's easy to keep clean. Plus the oven has a convection feature that I like quite a bit.

So.... if I had my druthers, I would prefer gas, but I have no complaints at all about the glass cooktop. I'm actually surprised that I like it as much as I do.


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## Andy M. (Jan 14, 2013)

VitaWright said:


> Yeah I won't be buying new when it comes to CI. I prefer the smooth finish of the old pans...




I've heard this comment countless times.  

I'm here to say that while the smoother finish of the older pans may please you more than the slightly less smooth finish of a new Lodge, it makes no difference in the non-stick properties.  I have a contemporary Lodge 12" skillet and I can fry eggs and and slide them into a dish no problem.

So it may be prettier but not necessarily better.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 14, 2013)

I like my glasstop and its ease of cleaning, and have no problems using CI on it either.  Sorry about the warped pan.


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## CraigC (Jan 14, 2013)

jennyema said:


> Vita's right. Its perfectly fine to use it on a glass top stove.
> 
> The manufacturer tells you that because they dont want to pay out during the warranty period if you scratch or break the top.
> 
> ...


 
Ha! I bought a unit with a bridge burner just so I could use the lodge griddle. After reading the instructions, I decided against using it. Guess my next batch of Pfannekuchen will be done on the griddle! However, I will continue my "blackening" process outside!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 14, 2013)

A little off topic, but I have Griswold, Wagner, and Lodge Cast Iron, and another brand that is new, that I can't remember right now.  The Lodge and the other new brand were both fairly grainy to begin with, but as I've used them, they've smoothed out for the seasoning oil that accumulates between the grains, and are now as smooth and stick-free as my Wagner and Griswold.  The advantage of using them is that they cast with move metal, giving them more thermal mass.  This is beneficial when pan frying something like a steak, or pan frying chicken in oil.  The temperature is more stable once the pan is hot.  The thinner Griswold is better for frying eggs, and making roux, and such things.  The main problem I have with the Griswold and Wagner pans is that they are hottest where the flame touches the metal, enough so as to make me have to move things like chops, steaks, and bacon around to get them evenly cooked.  My little Griswold 6 inch pan, however, is small enough that when heated by my gas burners, it gives me even temperatures across the pan, which is great for making English Muffins, or frying eggs, or any small job.

Now my ten inch Grizwold makes amazing pizza crusts in a 460F' oven.  The big Lodge does the same on my Webber charcoal grill.  I think the Griswold would get too hot and burn the crust bottom before it was cooked through.

There are benefits to all of my CI.  I don't own any junk CI pans.  They are all well made, if some weigh just short of a ton.

As for warped pans, they make great campfire pans, and are good for drilling, grinding, and turning into clocks to add a rustic charm to your kitchen.

Seeeeeya' Chief Longwind of the North


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## salt and pepper (Jan 14, 2013)

You might try using a trivet or defuser to keep it away from the surface.


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## VitaWright (Jan 14, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Now my ten inch Grizwold makes amazing pizza crusts in a 460F' oven.  The big Lodge does the same on my Webber charcoal grill.  I think the Griswold would get too hot and burn the crust bottom before it was cooked through.
> 
> There are benefits to all of my CI.  I don't own any junk CI pans.  They are all well made, if some weigh just short of a ton.
> 
> ...



Great idea about the pizza! I can use it in the house for pizza.


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## taxlady (Jan 14, 2013)

VitaWright said:


> Great idea about the pizza! I can use it in the house for pizza.


+1


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## Roll_Bones (Nov 12, 2013)

I know exactly how to remedy the situation. 

Take your pan and lay it on hard sturdy surface bottom side up.  Handle off to the side. Off of the surface. You do not want to bend the handle! Protect the surface with cardboard or towels folded up.

Take a rubber mallet and give it a good smash right in the middle.
Check on stove to see if you leveled it.
You may have to do this more than once depending on how hard you hit it.

I have to do this with my AL fry pans on rare occasion. It works and will flatten the pan perfectly. CI will be harder to do this with. So use caution of have someone do it for you.  It really is easy.


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## roadfix (Nov 12, 2013)

A rubber mallet may work on thin alloys but I doubt it'll even make a scratch on CI.


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## Andy M. (Nov 12, 2013)

With a brittle metal like CI you run the risk of cracking the pan.  Relegate it to the camping equipment or use it on the grill.


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## forty_caliber (Nov 12, 2013)

roadfix said:


> A rubber mallet may work on thin alloys but I doubt it'll even make a scratch on CI.




I've done this with steel pans but used a 3# sledge.  Worked like a charm.  Cast iron tends to be brittle.  A good smack with a hammer may crack the pan ruining it beyond all repair.


.40


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## CharlieD (Nov 12, 2013)

Rubber mallet would not even scratch the surface of the cast iron pan. If you want to try, get one of those small gas tanks plumbers use. Heat up the pan really well, get a big hammer and try to pound out the flatness. You would also need straight age to be able to check what you are doing. Doubt it will help though.


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## CharlieD (Nov 12, 2013)

Just realised it as an old thread.


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## Roll_Bones (Nov 13, 2013)

I do agree it could crack the pan and CI is extremely hard.  But worth a try.

I have done this with my aluminum everyday pan and I do understand it is much softer. But I would still try it.

Yes, I also see its an old thread.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 14, 2013)

Roll_Bones said:


> I do agree it could crack the pan and CI is extremely hard.  But worth a try.
> 
> I have done this with my aluminum everyday pan and I do understand it is much softer. But I would still try it.
> 
> Yes, I also see its an old thread.



Well I think you should heat it till it glows, put in on a suitable anvil, and beat it with iron-working tools.  Then sand it to a polished, shiny finish.  Then, use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the entire bottom, to make sure it's even, and finally, place a metal rull on the inside bottom to verify that it is perfectly flat.

And if you don't want to go to all that trouble, go to your nearest hardware store and pick up a new one for $20.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 14, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> I've heard this comment countless times.
> 
> I'm here to say that while the smoother finish of the older pans may please you more than the slightly less smooth finish of a new Lodge, it makes no difference in the non-stick properties.  I have a contemporary Lodge 12" skillet and I can fry eggs and and slide them into a dish no problem.
> 
> So it may be prettier but not necessarily better.



I too have a couple of CI pans with a rougher surface.  They work just as well as do my Griswold pans, though since they are much heavier, thicker metal, they take more horsepower to lift and manipulate.  But that's ok.  I still have the strength, and desire. (But I still like my Griswold pans better.)

I think that with a good, D/A sander, and the right emery cloths, I could wet-sand the heavier, and coarser Lodge pans until they were thin and smooth as the Griswolds.  But that just seems like a lot of work.  I think I'd rather be working on my novels, or tying flies.  

I tell ya, tying flies is no easy task.  They usually object and squirm a lot.  And trying to get individual knots on those tiny legs, well, it's a challenge.  Besides, it was difficult to make such tiny furniture to tie them to.  I tried to gag them once.  But I had to give up.  I couldn't find small enough socks to stick in their proboscis's. 

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Andy M. (Nov 14, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> ...I tell ya, tying flies is no easy task.  They usually object and squirm a lot.  And trying to get individual knots on those tiny legs, well, it's a challenge.  Besides, it was difficult to make such tiny furniture to tie them to.  I tried to gag them once.  But I had to give up.  I couldn't find small enough socks to stick in their proboscis's.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North




Chief, duct tape!

Besides, the extra mass of the Lodges just enhances the benefit of a CI skillet.  More mass holds more heat.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 14, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> Chief, duct tape!
> 
> Besides, the extra mass of the Lodges just enhances the benefit of a CI skillet.  More mass holds more heat.



Andy, again I agree with you, and add that the thicker metal has fewer hot-spots and cooks more evenly.  It's all good.

And just who were you saying to use the duct tape on, hmmmm?

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Andy M. (Nov 14, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> ...And just who were you saying to use the duct tape on, hmmmm?
> 
> Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North




The flies, of course!   And maybe a small strip to block the long wind that blows in from the north on occasion.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 15, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> The flies, of course!   And maybe a small strip to block the long wind that blows in from the north on occasion.



Tis an odd thing, my 12 inch Lodge, after many years of use, has a smooth cooking surface.  Go figure.  CI just keeps getting better and better over time.  When you give it as a gift, it's truly the "gift that keeps on giving".

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Tis an odd thing, my 12 inch Lodge, after many years of use, has a smooth cooking surface.  Go figure...




I assume that's the ongoing seasoning filling in between the bumps.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 15, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> I assume that's the ongoing seasoning filling in between the bumps.


  That's my guess.  All I know is that it's a great pan.

My Sister purchased for me a brand of CI grilling pan called Red Stone.  It is identical to Lodge pans in heft, and grain texture.  It is the first CI grill pan that I really like using.  Because of its mass, it takes a while to come up to temp.  But, the great thing is, I don't have to get it as hot to really mark a steak, or pork chop, or whatever.  That same mass means that it has more stored energy to transfer to the meat.  I don't smoke up the house nearly as much with it as I would with my Griswold.

For frying an egg, or up to medium duty frying, the Griswold is simply the best.  But when I need significant heating power, I use the Lodge, the Red Stone, or the Wagner.

And talk about a neat trick, I've boiled water in a paper cup, over a camp fire.  Yeh, try that with a Styrofoam cup.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> ...I've boiled water in a paper cup, over a camp fire...




We did that in Boy Scouts.  The Tenderfoots were amazed.


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## Roll_Bones (Nov 15, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Well I think you should heat it till it glows, put in on a suitable anvil, and beat it with iron-working tools.  Then sand it to a polished, shiny finish.  Then, use a micrometer to measure the thickness of the entire bottom, to make sure it's even, and finally, place a metal rull on the inside bottom to verify that it is perfectly flat.
> 
> And if you don't want to go to all that trouble, go to your nearest hardware store and pick up a new one for $20.
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



Or you could take it and smash it hard with the mallet to see if it will help.
The AL pan I did this too was also very thick. Calphalon anodized.
No other tool was required but the burner.
Yes, you check to see if it lays flat or not.


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