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By: Sammy
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I'm posting links to photos on Dropbox of 3 de Buyer skillets I own. They have been placed into the dishwasher over and over again against my advice unfortunately.
I want to know if what I'm seeing on them now is rust, and if so are they permanently damaged or is there something I can do to revive them?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/okzx2s5d68ajegh/IMG_3935.jpeg?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/3meqro6akl6e15i/IMG_3936.jpeg?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/gycyjwv5rdsp56f/IMG_3937.jpeg?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/g01tpvixx6g2fsu/IMG_3938.jpeg?dl=0
These appear to be carbon steel pans. Carbon steel pans are similar to cast iron in that they are raw/uncoated metal and need to be seasoned to maintain a proper (rust free) cooking surface. The big different from cast iron is simply that carbon steel is thinner, and less massive--which makes it more responsive to heat changes, as it holds less heat within itself.
Virtually all advice for care of cast iron pans also applies to carbon steel. How to care for cast iron advice is plentiful on the internet.
Your pans aren't ruined--they just need some love. Your carbon steel pans can be easily saved with re-seasoning. This is simply a matter of scrubbing the rust off, and going through a process to polymerize oil on the surface to prevent future rust.
Then, have an intervention with the person who loves to put them though the dishwasher, and explain that they are abusing these pans and need to start hand washing them.
