Material skillet

[gewoon ik]

I would like to make a steel skellit, because it looks fun.

Now they all mention carbon steel that they use for them (as for the wood fired plancha bbq). But what kind of carbon steel? Of is it more a marketing term and is the mild steel also good?

Anyone have an idea? Also anyone have experience?

[The Jeff]

Take a look at Stage Coach Farm and Forge, he makes skillets and other cookware. 

I believe there something like 1018 or 1020.

[Rojo Pedro]

I cant see the need for carbon steel except for strength.

Might hold up better against dents and such.?

I am interested in hearing what others say, I have also wanted to make a small pan for eggs etc.

[Mike BR]

In this context, "carbon steel" generally means steel where carbon is the major alloying element (i.e. not stainless steel).  It doesn't necessarily refer to high carbon steel.

Based on a quick search, thermal conductivity decreases somewhat as carbon content increases.  So I'd say the lower the carbon the better.

[Nobody Special]

Provided that it's carbon steel, it doesn't matter much, and the change in conductivity is such a small difference that it's much more likely to be affected by the thickness of your steel. A round disk tends to work well, and it's easier if you use something to form it, like forging it into a depression in wood, although it smokes a LOT if you do it hot. You can also do most of the forging cold.

Seen them made with harrow disks. Woks too. One of the big things to know is how to cook with it. It's not like cooking in a non-stick pan, or stainless steel. It's a little similar to cooking with cast iron, but not the same, not the least because it's a lot lighter, although they still have to be seasoned with oil. I'd recommend reading up on cooking with carbon steel before using it; otherwise the first time tends to be a bit frustrating.

[gewoon ik]

 thanks for the fix on my spelling steve!

So yeah, "normal" steel aka mild steel will work, good to know.

Thickness, not to thick I assume, but not to thin for burnout and heat retaining. So 2 to 3 mm seems perfect, maybe max 5mm otherwise to much work.

 

[Frosty]

A few years ago marketers started advertising "Carbon Steel" like it's something special. Steel must contain carbon to be steel. Without specifying how much carbon it's about as meaningful as saying hot fire. 

For cookware, especially frying pans the thicker the steel the more evenly it will heat what is in it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

There is an old thread about forging a skillet by Foo, although the video and pictures are no longer available, it is still a good read and there are some YouTube videos like this one that are worth watching.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/55246-how-to-forge-a-frying-pan/

 

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.~ Semper Paratus

[Frosty]

Jennifer has or had quite a series of videos about forging frying pans and other cook ware.

Jennifer, you out there?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Glenn saved this one.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.~ Semper Paratus

[gewoon ik]

Thanks for the extra links. 

Christironworks also has one i believe. 

Thorbjorn is dangerous to watch, to much envy on his skill, workshop and house.

And yet everytime he post something new it is almost "drop everything, new video"

 

 

[Chad J.]

I tried it.   I started with a piece that was too thick,  a hand pump coal forge that was too small, my skills were too new, and my handle is WAY too big, i never actually technically finished mine, but I'm always using it.  Watch the torbjorn video and pay close attention to how he's shrinking the sides.   You don't want to hit it against the anvil,  you actually don't want to make contact with the anvil at all.  I need to try it again but I should get some thinner steel. 

[Shainarue]

I agree with the others that 'carbon steel' is whatever steel you want to use - and I see mild steel used the most often.

I recently tried my first skillet & lid for a Facebook challenge group I'm in. I already had some 3mm stainless steel discs that I won at a club meeting almost a year ago so I figured I'd use those. I don't recommend that as your first attempt, lol.

 

I haven't officially finished it - it hasn't been passivized nor oiled - and I'd probably want to sand it to get it smooth and shiny. The lid would work nicely for a pot so I want to try making a pot. And I think I'd like the pan better if I slope the edges back out. I had only raised the edges so the pan would fit the lid. And probably re-do the handle. It was the only piece of stainless I had left and I didn't want a mixed-material product. Ha, I say this as I realize I slapped a knob on the lid that I found in the junk drawer 

I want to try again with 2mm mild steel - I think I'll have a better go at it. 

I started the shaping using a ball hitch clamped in the post vice. When I decided to bring the edges up to fit the lid, I clamped a big hammer head into the vice to use as a form. I used a set hammer and the base of my post vice (a nice flat steel plate) to flatten the bottom. 

I'm going to watch Jennifer's video (thanks for posting that Randy) to get some good tips before trying again. 

[Rojo Pedro]

Thats real nice Shainarue. I want to do one too