Cauldron (cast iron) Care

[smokarette]

Does it have to be seasoned? What would happen to bread in a dutch oven without seasonng? Would it just stick to the pot?

[freeheretic111]

the cauldron is the womb of the goddess...only a woman could come up with that line.

[MyPinkRainbow]

your pretty cool... very informative videos

[sweetcyanide218]

crafty,

I have a couple questions regarding a cauldron I came into possession with lately.

it isn't cast iron, its Brass.

Do you have any tips for caring with a brass cauldron?

can you burn anything in a brass cauldron?

there are some dark spots on the inside of this pot and some on the outside, is there a way to clean those? or is that part of the pot>

if you could answer these questions I'd be very grateful

[xromanticxshadowx]

okay so i have a small one, looks the same as the FIRST one in your video, VERY rusted, how long to i put it in the oven for? and how long should it sit before i .. you know, grab it so i dont burn the flesh off my hands and what not. lol

[rlindle]

I have a question..... do you know if an antique tea kettle should be seasoned the same way?  I have several cauldrons and kettles. I was going to paint them until I watched your video. I've sanded and seasoned the caudrons and they look great, so I'm assuming that I should do the same thing with the kettles. Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks

[NachtPhoenix]

You said you don't use olive oil in your cauldron; are there any adverse effects to doing this? I ask because I use olive oil to grease my cauldron.

Also, my cauldron is very old, my grandmother bought it for me years ago. It's about as free of rust as it will ever be and it works great as a ritual tool, but I find that no matter how much I clean it it stays a bit dirty. Even after washing it with soap and water a rag will turn gray when used to wipe the cauldron. Any ideas? Thanks. :)

[craftywytch]

I've never used olive oil, just canola etc. Cast iron is like that (will always seem 'dirty' and will leave residue on rags etc. that is normal). Don't let any cast iron soak in soapy water, it ruins the finish you'd have to reseason it all over again.

[NachtPhoenix]

Cool, thanks for the reply. I definitely don't let it soak, I just wipe it out and then immediately dry it and grease it.

[WaterSpirit89]

just got my first cauldron and this helped a bunch! yay! love your vids, they are so helpful.

[craftywytch]

thanks :)

[Carmarthan415]

I seasoned it on the stove top, but it doesnt get hot enough to get the desired result, so I left the cauldron in the fireplace and lit a roaring fire :)

If anyone wants to try this technique, I would put some foil on the floor of the fireplace, because the oil will drip as it burns. It does the job beautifully, but I burnt a few other fires, and apparently the black char-season part will burn off and reveal the metal underneath, so everytime you burn, you have to oil it!!

[craftywytch]

thnx 4 sharing :)

[Carmarthan415]

Thanks crafty!

I ended up brushing the rust off with a barbeque grill brush that has copper bristles. I also sanded the outside down with sanding pads, but as soon as I rinse the cauldron with water, it started to rust immediately!!

[Carmarthan415]

also, I do not have an electric drill or brush attachment...

and I really want to get the chipped part of the lid fixed.... :/

[craftywytch]

If you dont have a drill with a brush attachment...get yourself some course and fine grade of sandpaper, roll up your sleeves, wear a dust mask and break out the elbow grease! lol You can sand down much if not all of the rust using course and fine sand paper. I don't know how you'd fix the chipped lid, you could try a metal smith in your area? But hey, it was free right?! :) Think of the chip as part of your cauldron's charm and history ;)

[Carmarthan415]

I just got a cauldron for free last night!

It came with a lid that is chipped, which the person neglected to tell me, and the cauldron is severely rusted and not cared for. It also has a crack on the side, which doesnt matter because Im not brewing liquids in it...

This is your "New England Clam Chowder Cauldron" and on the lid, it has really cool turn of the century design....

so my question is, how do I fix my free cauldron? get the rust off and stuff...

[cannibalmonkey13]

thanks so much for this!

[craftywytch]

you are quite welcome :)

[roxas818]

where could you buy charcoal disks?

[craftywytch]

I buy mine at metaphysical shops, occult type of shops. Some other places to check are shops that sells incense, essential oils etc. You could also try online. I like ordering from Azuregreen.

[roxas818]

could you tell me where to buy one

[craftywytch]

I've bought cauldrons at antique stores, secondhand shops, flea markets/garage sales etc. Some occult shops sell new ones that are painted black (if you buy one of these, DO NOT season it, my poor friend Rob nearly ruined his by trying to seasson it!) or sometimes they leave them grey.

[Vitacus]

Could you clarify for me? 350 F or 350 C?

[craftywytch]

350 F :)

[piper42]

I love this video. I have a little cauldron I burn sage in. It's not cast iron but some other metal. I found it at my granny's house. It's also painted but the inside where I burn is pretty clear. Also there is an ancient cauldron from my granny's that weighs probably 50 pounds(it's a little below my knees when I'm standing beside it) I don't know if it can be saved it'sp pretty much rust there is like one small inch of what looks like iron... anyway that would be nice for outdoor rituals...

[piper42]

Do you think it can be salvaged. It hasn't been used for maybe 70 years or more, it just sat outside and turned to rust. Is there some sort of cauldron restoration company I could take it to? lol.

Also when buying a cauldron from online is there a definitive way to know if they've been painted or anything... sorry for so many questions.

)O(

[craftywytch]

It would be so awesome to salvage those cauldrons! My biggest one was in poor shape, and i had to use a drill with a metal brush attachment to file off the rust. A friend of mine took hers to some garage/metal works type of place and they done hers for a small price. Depending on how deep the rust has eaten into the iron and how thick the iron is, if its already 'kicked the bucket' so to speak, I would figure that by trying to restore it, even if it was too late, i would have lost nothing. But

[craftywytch]

that's just my opinion. You may not wish to bother with it. But as long as its rusty and it stays that way, it'll continue to eat away at the iron. SO its up to you. I'm a bit adventurous and would prolly try to restore it myself anyway. Just don't get your hopes up b/c if the rust is too deep, it may have eaten the iron tothe point where when u try to remove the rust, u end up with a gaping hole in the iron (your worst case scenerio). If u do file off the rust etc, make sure 2 season it well.

[craftywytch]

always keep it lightly oiled inside/outside, that way it'll prevent rust.

As 4 buying it online,there's really no way 2 tell. If its a gimmicky cauldron, it may have symbols painted on it or whatever, I think alot of the newer cauldrons on the market these days aren't made for actual cooking/brewing purposes, hence seasoning them could lead to disaster, as was the case with DeathDealer48 :( But if its an old school cauldron, one that was actually made for brewing/cooking etc, seasoning it

[craftywytch]

But if you only plan on using it for burning incense in, you prolly wouldn't have to worry about 'seasoning' it anyway. As long as its kept dry and away from humidity.

[piper42]

Thanks! :D

)O(

[fartx211]

you know, i came into this video thinking it was about seasoning a cast iron frypan. obviously it wasnt, but i still used the same method to season my pan and it worked fine

[craftywytch]

Hi there :) I'm glad you stopped by my channel :) Like the video description said, seasoning cast iron cauldrons/pans/dutch ovens :) Glad it turned out good for you :) If cared for properly, they can definately last more than one generation. Many blessings to you and yours!

[DeathDealer48]

i cannot believe i started seasoning at 12.00pm and i have only just got it back to its original state and its 5.36pm lol it was a disaster lol

[craftywytch]

was it real cast iron? was it painted? real cast iron should look grey if its new, in time it will turn black (after regular usage and seasoning). Hun, if u weren't going to cook in it, why did u season it in the oven? If rust formed, u coulda just scoured w/steel wool and applied a bit of oil to it. :(

[DeathDealer48]

ok my cauldron is destroyed its brown and burnt lol it is currently in the garden covered in oven cleaner lol as steel wool did not get it off. i feel like a loved pet has died lol it seems to be coming off now but if it dont i will spray it black with a fireplace paint and if its ugly its going into the bin lol

[craftywytch]

sweetie, i have no idea what happened. I own alot of cauldrons and season them myself and never heard of that sort of problem b4. The only thing I can think of is, either it wasn't real cast iron or it was painted. What temp did u have it in ur oven? Was it at

350Farenheit, not Celsius. How long was it in the oven?

[DeathDealer48]

i never washed it first maby thats why i dunno what happend oh well i dont mind as its ok now at least i know not to do it again lol :)

[DeathDealer48]

oh i have just put it into the oven but i did not wash it first because i dont plan to cook food in it and it has tinny little holes in it if you know what i mean and i did not want them filling with rust and i did not wanna make a mess lol. is this okay or do i need to start again and wash it?

[DeathDealer48]

ok my hearth of my fireplace has been painted black so i guess its okay to burn in it lol

[DeathDealer48]

not black black but a dark grey and bits are shiny like silver so im really not sure if its painted, oh well neva mind if i burn in it and u neva here from me again u will know it was painted lol

[craftywytch]

oh geebus, don't say that!! LOL

[DeathDealer48]

i just got my first cauldron, it has a pentegram on both sides, it has a lid long legs and is quite small and cute. im not gona be getting it wet just used for incense oes it still need seasoning

[DeathDealer48]

oh i also got a cute little brass bell wit pentegram too, i only went to get a box of nag champa and spent £40 lol oh daddiess credit card :)

[DeathDealer48]

oh mine lloks like the painted one but mine aint been painted. but i did just see that there is tiny little orange dots on it but not loads and not everywhere + it has a handle 2

[craftywytch]

Are the orange dots, actually rust??? Or is it some sort of paint or something?

[craftywytch]

lol i wish i had my dad's credit card :P Sounds like a real cute bell :)

[craftywytch]

What is the interior like? Is it painted? If its not going to get wet and if there isn't alot of humidity where you live, then you could prolly leave it be. But if rust does appear, scour it off with some steel wool. Then perhaps apply a tiny bit of oil to it to prevent rust. Just check on it from time to time :)

[DeathDealer48]

thanks i will do no im not sure that its rust i dont know and now i was looking at it and thinkin it may be painted black but im still gona burn it surley they wont paint them if u could not use it and its gona have sand in it and be outside so im not worried about it

[DeathDealer48]

im bout to season it now its def not been painted black its grey lol ok im not gona talk bout it anymore lol must be boring you to tears after all this time still lol )O( x

[craftywytch]

:( i wish u had left it alone if u weren't going to cook in it, like i said above, if it wasn't gonna get wet, as long as u check on it from time to time, it would likely be ok. And if rust did form, u coulda just scoured the rust off and applied some oil to it. :(

[DeathDealer48]

lol yeah its cast iron, it was not painted it was grey/silver looking lol i dont know why i seasoned it was worried that it was gona rust oh well never mind its ok now so dont mind. it was at 180C in a gas oven and i used corn oil

[SunMoonStars22]

Thank you. I've been looking for a new cauldron, and hearing the various places you got yours has given me some places to look. :D I'll also have to look out for the painted ones. :]

Thanks for telling me how to care for it! :]

[craftywytch]

You are very welcome! I love my lil collection, and as long as you keep an open mind, you'll be surprised where you'll find tools such as cauldrons etc..Or perhaps they find us? ;) Much love and peace )O(

[DeathDealer48]

i love the one you burn in im looking for one, what size is that one. also if u season it then never wash it u just burn in it would u have to resason it )O(

[craftywytch]

Eeeks, took me 3 wks to answer your question lol Me sorry! lol :P That's an excellent question, the one that I burn stuff in, I do re-season it. Just to help protect it :)

[DeathDealer48]

oh not to worry we all get busy. my comp is gettin fixed tomorow so will be making a few vids on monday

[MoonCandleLady]

Thanks to your video I bought my first cast iron cauldron. Its a small one. I used it tonight for incense for cleansing negativity.

thanks.. keep the great vids coming.. I am originally from New England...

[craftywytch]

Hi there! Well my old cauldron is from new england so that's pretty cool, who would have thought it would end up in Saskatchewan, Canada lol Glad you found the vid informative. Brightest Blessings

[WITCHDOG]

Great collection of cauldrons and cooking pots, I have an 18" cast iron cauldron and thanks to you I now know how to look after it. Blessed be Crafty

[craftywytch]

Thank you Witchdog. Wow, an 18 incher, that's pretty big, and it will definately last more than one generation with the proper care :) Happy New Year and blessed be )O(

[WITCHDOG]

Well an 18 incher would be very impressive but sadly it's only the circumference not the diameter of the pot belly. Though I would like a bigger one but doesn't everyone, but hey it does the job and thats all that matters.

[anjeltears]

Happy New Year Crafty!!! <[=) BB

[craftywytch]

Thank you Anjeltears! Happy New Year to you too! )O(

[AylaCale]

Thank you for the video I now know how to season cast iron..After watching your vid I seasoned my cauldron. Hope things are well and happy new year!

[craftywytch]

Hi Ayla! Happy New Year! Brightest Blessings )O(

[MoonCandleLady]

I found this to be very informative. I am new to all this & learning. This was helpful for a newbie. I did find a brass cauldron at a thrift store & what looks like a brass chalice type censer at a thrift store too. I burn inscence in them.

[craftywytch]

Glad you found the vid informative :) My first cauldron was made out of brass. It served me well :) Brightest Blessings and HAPPY NEW YEAR! )O(

[Spellslinger2]

Looks wonderful Crafty!  I gotta get me a cast iron cauldron!

[craftywytch]

Hey there! How are you? Happy New Year! Just remember to season your cauldron once you get it and then it can last for many many years :)

[Spellslinger2]

Alex is doing okley-dokley (even though I started school today!) Don't worry, if I ever find a nice cauldron I'll remember to season it (or at least remember to re-watch this video!) Take care Crafty! Happy New Year!!

[AylaCale]

how often do you have to season cast iron and how long does the "seasoning" last?

[craftywytch]

It all depends on how often u use it. For example, the seasoning of the pot/pan creates a nonstick surface. If u notice that things begin 2 stick 2 it, then its time season it :) Now for a cauldron, it doesn't hurt to season it perhaps every 3-4 mths or so. Every time you wash it, use it etc, the seasoning wears a way. Plus after each use/washing, dry it good and then oil it up to prevent rust.

[Aelwyndaeira]

I love antique stores and second hand stores....but I've never found a cauldron in one. I'll have to scour them all this year, I think.

And blessings to you and yours in 2008 as well. :)

[Aelwyndaeira]

Lovely collection! I have been searching for a cast iron cauldron for a while, and still haven't found a nice big one (I figure I might as well get a big one if I'm going to buy one), and I dislike the mass-produced cauldrons you can buy (I like my stuff to have history).

I'm jealous of the gorgeous big ones you have! :)

[craftywytch]

Check out antique stores, they are a wonderful source for magickal supplies such as cauldrons, ritual knives, goblets/chalices etc. Happy New Year and best of everything to you and yours in 2008!!!! )O(

[lepndahood]

Great info. Ive just started to look for one now, so i hope i can find one. But i really have no place to put it on my altar, but im still going to try. But i couldnt help to laugh when you said you cooked it in your oven. great!!..lol

bb

tyler

[craftywytch]

LOL well if you don't "season" the cast iron in that manner, then it exposes it to rust etc. What seasoning does is help fill in the pores of the cast iron surface with oil/lard/fat of some sort to create a nonstick surface and protect it from rust etc but it has to be 'cooked' in oven to do this lol :P

[lmosack]

wow that qwit a collection,I have 1,i got it off of ebay.I painted it black,which now i see is a big mistake,but i don't use it either.good video.

[craftywytch]

Thanks :) Even if it is painted black, it can still be used in a symbolic manner ;) Brightest Blessings and Happy New Year's Eve!

[janeytilllie]

love the vid and your cauldrons. i find it hard to find an cast iron cauldron where i live can anyone recommend any websites where they will sell one and deliver to the uk ?

[craftywytch]

newmoon. uk. com

This is a UK site that sells cauldrons in various sizes. Hope that helps :) Happy New Year!!

[janeytilllie]

Thanks and happy new year to you too :-)

[sinfultictac]

I love your collection \

I've heard people actally brew/steep potions in theres

I want a big one so I an make soup in it

[craftywytch]

As long as you properly clean it, then season it, and as long as the inside is not painted black, then you can cook with it. It can be cooked over an open fire, on top your stove or even in your oven. When washing it, don't let it sit in the hot soapy water for too long. Also, don't put them in your dishwasher ;) I forgot to tell everyone that. Happy New Year :)

[MattBrancher]

Gotta love Winners. :)

Matt

[craftywytch]

Who knew?!!! lol I would not have thought I'd find a cauldron at Winners of all places lol But that just goes to show that if you keep your eyes open to new possibilities, funkiness abounds! hahaha Happy New Year Matt :)

[MattBrancher]

Happy New Year Crafty!

Matt

[craftywytch]

Thank you Matt! Happy New Year and brightest blessings )O(