Why are my used cast iron pans smooth, while new ones have a rougher surface?
Well cared for, hand-me-down skillets arewonderful because they have been seasoned and re-seasoned many times.Cast iron cookware only gets better with age because of this seasoning process.Over time, cast iron will develop a shiny, black, patina-like finish due to the layers of carbonized oil produced by the replenishment of the seasoning process.With proper use and care, cast iron cookware will become smoother as time goes by. In the “olden days” of manufacturing cast iron cookware, it was necessary to machine or polish the cast iron when it came out of the mold. Due to the old style manufacturing process, the cookware came out with burrs and jagged rims that required grinding and finishing of the product. New technology means the castings come out with smoother edges, eliminating the need for finishing.
