what is the difference between carbon and stainless steel? Do you have to season stainless steel? I have a carbon wok &amp; don't like the smell.
1188645
Stainless steel is very corrosion resistant (meaning it should never rust with normal use and does not require seasoning), but does not transfer heat as well carbon steel. Carbon steel, though, rusts very easily, so it must be seasoned before use. This wok is carbon steel. Carbon steel woks come from the factory with some kind of rust-blocking grease rubbed over the surface. This could be the "smell" you are referring to, so I would suggest scrubbing it vigorously with a brillo pad before seasoning, to make sure you get all that nastiness off. Go to youtube.com and search for "seasoning carbon steel wok" to see a plethora of videos showing you how to season properly.
1733643
You might also consider carbon steel cookware. Lodge makes that also. More like professional cookware. Care for like cast but a lot lighter weight. Works great with induction burners. Safer for glass tops.
1594331
I believe all steel has carbon. This is German 4116 stainless--"Krupp". Stainless is not 100% stainless. Proper care is the best thing you can do to keep your knife in good shape, This knife should be used for what it was made for. I love mine and treat it appropriatly.
577183
The carbon blade is a bit thicker but will tend to rust if not cared for properly. Stainless steel has a bit thinner blade. Stainless steel will take much more abuse without rusting, but... it is not impervious to rust if terribly mishandled. Carbon steel has been known to take a keener edge than stainless also. Hope this helps.
435777
Holding heat in a wok isn't what your looking for. Even fast heat distribtion, durability, and ease of use are. It the best wok I've ever owned. Its just a bit heavier than steel wok and very easy to use and clean. Lodge makes great products but their woks are cumbersome.
2018302
No, this is not stainless steel. I believe it is considered a carbon steel. It behaves more like cast iron than stainless steel. It needs to be seasoned prior to its first use and will continue to cure as you use it. It is pretty non-stick and very easily cleaned. I have the big four burner one. It is very heavy and very large.
577181
Carbon will rust, and needs to be dried and oiled after use. However, it will take a very good edge in the field. Carbon steel is often used for survival knives for that reason. Stainless won't rust (it may still tarnish depending on grade), but it won't sharpen as easily or hold as keen an edge as carbon.
249887
I'm not sure what it is. I scrubbed it with Dawn and a plastic brush, coated it with a light canola oil and stuck it in the oven - what a bad smell. I had to then clean it with mineral spirits, then scrub it again, then season it with light oil and an hour in the oven. That worked. And it is a great wok! If I had it all to do over again I'd clean it with mineral spirits first and then scrub it and then season it. You have to get that nasty factory coating off first!
1831062
I've never had a problem with mine. If you do find any spots of rust, just rinse them off and rub oil on the wok. I use coconut, but any viscous oil will do.
2177215
I own this wok. The difference is you have to season this kind of wok like you would cast iron. That makes it pretty well non stick. Also you do not wash it with soap. If you do you have to re-season it again. The 16" is quite large but great for a big family! I am pleased with it! Hope this helps!
1087231
It's plain raw carbon steel. You'll need to season it before you use it. Season it just like a cast iron frying pan.
435775
I own several Lodge cast-iron pans, but I don't own the wok. So, I can't compare directly. In general the Lodge pieces take a while to warm up but then hold the heat extremely well. This wok is fairly thin. So, it heats and cools more quickly. That's usually what you want in a wok. The advantage of this one is that it heats like a wok but is naturally non-stick as long as you keep it seasoned.
316
I talked to a lady at the Wok Shop (one of the Amazon sellers), and she said this was carbon steel.
1571441
Care for a Carbon Steel Wok the same way you would care for Carbon Steel knives or Cast Iron skillets. Wash thoroughly with soap and hot water to remove oil coating from factory. Heat Wok on top of stove, or if your wok does not have a wooden handle, you can put it in a hot oven. When wok is hot, add a high temperature oil like peanut oil. Coat the wok inside and out. Let it cool with the oil on it. To let it sit in a warm oven is good. The intent is to let the oil penetrate the metal. When the pan is cool, wipe it down with towel or paper towels. The pan is now cured. NEVER EVER wash the pan again with soap! If you do, you'll destroy the 'cure'. If that should happen, just repeat the 'seasoning' as described above. I like to always have a "Chore-Boy", metal scrubby by the sink for cleaning my cured pans. They clean up quickly and best if the pan is hot. Put it in the sink and flush with warm water and scrub with the metal scrubby vigorously to remove food particles. Again, no soap! Any germs are killed by the hot heat on the stove and with the warm/hot water washing with the scrubby. Why do all of this? If you don't season, the pan will rust.
1582510
I do not know the difference. I do know that I'm having a hard time keeping my carbon steel walk seasoned correctly. I have followed all the instructions but for some reason the coding of seasoning keeps flaking away and I'm forced to remove it all and start over. I have done it about four times now. I'm getting close to throwing in the towel and going down a different road.
275056
I have both. I feel the difference is the temperature stays warmer in the stainless. Flavor is great in both.
1798784
I soak my wok in very hot water and use a plastic scraper that I purchased from pampered chef. It took about a month of seasoning to get the seal I wanted. I never use metal to clean, and sometimes I use a small amount of dish washing liquid to clean. I always put my wok back on the heat to dry after cleaning. I no longer have to season my wok, it always cleans up with my scraper and hot water. Cast iron on the inside will blacken and create a wonderful natural seal if you can let it go through the process. The oily residue is just part of the essential process to sealing the I cast iron. I also use cast iron skillets everyday! I soak my wok in very hot water and use a plastic scraper that I purchased from pampered chef. It took about a month of seasoning to get the seal I wanted. I never use metal to clean, and sometimes I use a small amount of dish washing liquid to clean. I always put my wok back on the heat to dry after cleaning. I no longer have to season my wok, it always cleans up with my scraper and hot water. Cast iron on the inside will blacken and create a wonderful natural seal if you can let it go through the process. The oily residue is just part of the essential process to sealing the I cast iron. I... » Read More I soak my wok in very hot water and use a plastic scraper that I purchased from pampered chef. It took about a month of seasoning to get the seal I wanted. I never use metal to clean, and sometimes I use a small amount of dish washing liquid to clean. I always put my wok back on the heat to dry after cleaning. I no longer have to season my wok, it always cleans up with my scraper and hot water. Cast iron on the inside will blacken and create a wonderful natural seal if you can let it go through the process. The oily residue is just part of the essential process to sealing the I cast iron. I also use cast iron skillets everyday! « Show Less