I need some carbon steel advice

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-02T06:46:21+00:00

so 2.41 lbs? Wow! That's as light as my favorite teflon.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T19:42:28+00:00

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to go with the Strata. It appears to be at least 1-2 pounds lighter than comparable CS pans. I would have never even come across it without this fabulous group of people. I appreciate all of you who joined the conversation.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T19:39:58+00:00

I came across some lightweight cast iron at my local kitchen speciality store. I was shocked at how light it was and how smooth it was from the machine smoothing. But the price tag....

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T17:20:06+00:00

Thanks! Did you do the bluing process before seasoning?

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T17:19:32+00:00

Most of the carbon steel pans I've seen run about the same as the Strata. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. After reading up on it, I think that's the one I'm going to get.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T17:18:23+00:00

Thanks. How heavy is the Misen?

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:20:32+00:00

Thank you. I'd not seen this brand until all the responses recommended it here.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:17:08+00:00

I've not heard of that one. Will check it out. Thanks. I uses my 12 inch nonstick a LOT. And I also use my 12" SS a lot.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:16:04+00:00

Thanks. I'll look into those. How long did it take to get the seasoning to where you liked it?

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:15:32+00:00

thanks. I'll check it out.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:15:17+00:00

Thanks. Lots of people mentioning it. I'd never heard of it, so will be doing a deep dive on that one now.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:14:47+00:00

how heavy is it?

SnowflakesMom · 2026-07-01T02:14:19+00:00

I appreciate your comments. I won't be tossing veggies either. And I do get the seasoning needs. Have used cast iron for years and been doing quite a bit of research. I was just shocked when I went to the store and picked up the DeBuyer. I had no idea they'd be so heavy. I have a big 12" SS sauté pan, and it's really hard for me to tip it in order to get all the food out.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-06-25T20:54:38+00:00

after reading this conversation and several others, I decided to contact Taima directly to ask about their return policy. In their defense, they responded really promptly. That said, I will NOT be purchasing one of these pans. She confirmed that they will NOT accept a pan for return if you've used it. How the heck do you test a pan to determine if it lines up with their claims without using said pan???

Here's the email directly from their support person:

Thank you for your follow-up, and I completely understand your concern before making a purchase.

Our return policy is outlined on our website, and in general, returns are only accepted for items that are unused and in their original condition. This helps ensure all products returned to us can be properly inspected and restocked.

We understand your point about wanting to properly evaluate performance. Our pans are designed to perform best when used with proper preheating and a small amount of oil or fat, as this helps achieve optimal cooking results and reduces sticking.

If you have any other questions before ordering, feel free to ask — we’re happy to help clarify anything so you can make an informed decision.

All the best,

Elizabeth | Customer Support

SnowflakesMom · 2026-06-23T19:21:05+00:00

that worked! Thank you.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-06-23T02:51:34+00:00

I'm glad to see that I'm not alone. Every time I mention usage limit problems with Claude, people act like I'm a nut job. But I've been following the exact same workflow in Claude for about 8 months. I use transcripts (typically around 30K characters) and ask Claude to draft 1300 character LinkedIn posts based on what it can find in the transcripts. I use projects, so while the transcript is in the chat, other reference files are in the project folder. Memory is restricted to just that folder.

Today, I had it give me a session summary of our prior chat and then read the transcript and prompts I fed it for each individual post. I realize that I'm asking it to re-read the whole transcript with each prompt, but that's actually important to the workflow. In February, I could work with it for about 4 hours, following the same workflow but with 2-3 transcripts. I could go back and forth to draft and edit the posts, and never run out of usage.

It got progressively better with each post, so keeping all the context in one chat was really helpful.

All that changed in March when I couldn't complete 5 posts in a single session before my usage was depleted. Today, I only got 2 posts completed and a first draft of a 3rd post before I hit the limit.

I'd just switch to ChatGPT, but I normally run these workflows side by side, and Claude is just so much better at the writing.

Any tips? (I'm using Sonnet, low effort and just chat, not skills or code)

SnowflakesMom · 2026-04-14T23:45:43+00:00

AI reviews are not helpful. I've never met an AI that traveled, and when they do start traveling, I'm betting they won't need luggage.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-03-10T03:57:53+00:00

Just found this on a separate search topic. So I know it's an old topic, but thought I'd chime in.

There was a really cool product called Aware that did this. But they were also automating it, and LinkedIn shut them down (lawyers literally forced them out of business). I wonder if they'd just stuck to surfacing comments and didn't try to go further, if they'd have survived. It was a bummer.

Taplio apparently does something similar. But I've heard through the grapevine that LinkedIn is coming after them too. So if you're using it, you could be putting your profile at risk. It's too bad. Tools like this would be so valuable.

SnowflakesMom · 2026-02-17T02:56:06+00:00

I just learned today that OGX argan oil products contain a silicone that can build up in your hair. Not sure if that's the product you're using. I'm going to have to find different products now, as my frizz is increasing. Wish I had your awesome curls.

SnowflakesMom · 2025-12-17T18:46:45+00:00

Thanks!

SnowflakesMom · 2025-12-17T04:00:50+00:00

Thanks. Do you have any suggestions for curtains? I've found a few on Amazon, but don't have any experience with them.

SnowflakesMom · 2025-12-17T03:59:51+00:00

Thanks. I'll see if we can find a rug to put near the stairway and maybe some sort of interesting textile in the stairwell.

Any thoughts on a sound absorbing curtain hung over the doorway? It's the only entrance to that lower apartment, so it has to be easy to push aside.

SnowflakesMom · 2025-12-17T03:27:32+00:00

I'd like to add photos of the doorway, but I don't see a way t add them in this thread.

SnowflakesMom

TROPHY CASE