Chris Marts

This would be the second handle I've broken this year.  It was a hickory handle and didn't show any signs of wear or damage.  And for that matter, I have good aim.  I didn't hit the handle on anything.  Yet today whilst I was split some seasoned maple, the maul head broke clean off. So I'm not sure what to replace it with.  I hate the feeling of fiber glass and composite resin handles even though they last longer.  Hickory definitely feels better but its not as durable.  So if anyone has any suggestions, I'll take them.

Cast iron works best when its well seasoned.  That means obtaining a beautiful black finish.  Cooking in it helps the most.  A few pounds of bacon and your skillet should look great.  That doesn't work as well if you need a quicker seasoning.  Many people recommend coating the cast iron and placing it upside down over a cookie sheet in the oven. While this method does work, I was left with a smokey house.  So instead, I tried it on the grill.  I left the grill on high for about half an hour and allowed it to cool for several hours.  The results were prefect.