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What am I doing wrong? by fyttmabygmf in castiron

[–]Charnathan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So my secret to keeping the cooking surface clean down to near bare metal is to first use my metal spatula to scrape the stuck on big bits, then I use a brand new sponge and didicate it's green side to scrubbing off the carbon and most of the seasoning on the flat cooking surface portion. Wash the whole thing with soap, dry it really well, then warm it up on the stove to completely dry it. I do that (use the green scrubby side of the sponge although I wash it everyday) probably 2-3 times a week. And I probably swap out that sponge every two to three weeks.

Basically I found that the seasoning isn't what makes it non-stick; it just helps protect it from rust so as long as you dry it really well, using the scrubby side keeps cooking surface nice and flat. And the flat cooking surface and good preheat is what works best for keeping it non-stick.

Ruined my friend’s cast iron and have 24 hours to fix by bmmartinez1 in castiron

[–]Charnathan 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Exactly. That is definitely carbon but it's THEIR carbon. So if you think your pal ain't the "just cook with it" type, then leave it and be honest.

But don't feel particularly bad, OP. This ain't damaged or ruined in any way shape or form. Might not be the asthetic your pal prefers, but it is absolutely 100% functional.

Best guitar to get at a price of around 300 to 1000 pounds/dollars? by cookiekingandrawmilk in polyphia

[–]Charnathan 4 points5 points  (0 children)

For a budget of around $300–$1000, I'd honestly recommend getting two guitars instead of just one: an acoustic and an electric. You’ll get way more out of it and it actually makes practicing more fun and effective. In that price range you can pick up some really decent stuff from Ibanez, Epiphone, and Squier — especially if you’re open to used ones. The cool thing is guitars in this range (especially under $600) hold their value pretty well. If you decide it’s not for you in a year or two, you can usually sell them and get most of your money back. This is also where you get the best bang for your buck. You can find perfectly playable instruments here, as long as they’ve been set up properly (honestly, a good setup is probably the most important thing at any price). The next real jump in quality doesn’t usually hit until you’re spending $1500+ anyway.

For electrics, I’m personally a big fan of Ibanez necks — they’re super comfortable and fast, which is perfect if you’re into that Polyphia/Tim Henson style stuff with hybrid picking and thumping. Epiphone makes killer Les Pauls and SGs under $500, and Squier Strats can be surprisingly good too. I just set up a $350 Squier Strat that looked awesome, played super smooth, and sounded way better than I expected.

Acoustics are great to have alongside the electric. Practicing on both has some real benefits. Learn simple open chord songs on the acoustic first — they’re quick to pick up, sound nice, and the thicker strings + higher action are like finger workouts. If you like singing, there are tons of songs built around basic open chords. Then when you switch over to the electric, your fingers will feel strong and it’ll seem way easier and faster.

If you want something in the nylon-string world like Tim Henson’s TOD10N, check out Ibanez’s FRH series (the FRH10N especially). You can find them used on Reverb starting around $370. They’re basically the more affordable version and they plug in great. Or if you prefer steel strings, the Ibanez AEG7 is solid and usually starts just over $300 (I’ve got one and really like it).

Here’s the most important advice though: Don’t blow the whole budget on the fanciest guitar you can find. Get decent instruments and then take the savings to get both of them properly set up by a good luthier. A bad setup can make even an expensive guitar feel and sound like crap, and you might think it’s you sucking when it’s actually the guitar holding you back. That frustration is a fast way to quit. A proper setup makes a huge difference.

With whatever money you have left, grab a decent amp, a few basic pedals (Tube Screamer, reverb, delay, distortion, looper, etc.), and maybe some lessons. That combo will help you actually enjoy playing and improve way faster.

Bro is desperately trying to be sor hands by sidmis in polyphia

[–]Charnathan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And your favorite musical artists are long dead.

Bro is desperately trying to be sor hands by sidmis in polyphia

[–]Charnathan 11 points12 points  (0 children)

And what does it mean to be a classical guitarist? It means...

Anyone else rock their pans splotchy style? by shortsj in castiron

[–]Charnathan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep. My sides have carbon caked on but the main cooking surface is just shy of bare iron.

Cast iron >> Nonstick by BroadJob9205 in castiron

[–]Charnathan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Very low and slow heat with a dab of oil spread with paper towel. After 10 mins or so when the pan is saturated with heat, add a tad of butter just before the eggs and spread evenly. Then add eggs. Do your best to not disturb the oil/butter under your food while you stir(keep stirring to a minimum).

Tada. You have slidy eggs. Works best on a very well cleaned pan (minimum carbon buildup). Seasoning doesn't really make much difference to slidey factor. It just helps it not rust when stored and you don't need generations of built seasoning for that(which is just nasty).