Originally Posted by
Char-Gar
No sticky is not normal. It is old oil put there to keep the utensil from rusting. With old cast iron, I will give it a good scrubbing with hot water and soap (yes soap). I will place it on top of the stove on medium to dry it thoroughly. I then re-oil with olive oil and cook. Thereafter I only scrap and if necessary wash in hot water and dry on the stove and re-oil. No soap after the first time.
On really nasty and crusty used cast iron, I have been known to put a wire brush/cup on a hand held electric drill to get it off. You really can't hurt these things.
Thirty five years ago, I washed a deep cast iron chicken fryer and put it on the stove to dry. I forgot about it and went to bed. I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and noticed an eerie glow coming from the kitchen. I went in these and the chicken fryer was glowing cherry red. I turned off the stove and went back to bed. I had to scrape off the ash and re-season but I am still using it today.
There is much nonsense written about seasoning cast iron and I have done it all in prior years, but nothing works any better than heating it up on the stove, wiping on some grease or oil and letting it cool. Now, just cook and time will take care of the rest. In due time it will get coal black and as slick as Teflon.
It doesn't matter what kind of oil or grease you use. Just remember that some of the vegetable oils has a much lower flash point and others. This is the reason you don't want to fry with olive oil. I cook with olive oil and wipe it on a warm cast iron pot, but I will not fry with it, bit time fire hazard.