Iron: It's uses in defensive magic and how to properly season cast iron.

 Dear Reader,

Iron has long been associated with protection magic. Defensive charms made of iron and steel have been found since humanity figured out how to make iron and steel. Now, it may sound silly, but cast iron is a really good defensive magical tool. It is heavy, which makes it a good energy sink and a good personal defense item in a pinch. It acts to neutralize most magical energy that it comes into contact with. Iron retains a very strong connection with the Earth's core (which is made up of, among other things, molten iron) which makes it a very good tool for grounding energy at large.

Traditionally, cast iron has been used for everything from fences (obvious defensive measures) to cookware. That cast iron fence outside probably could benefit from a coat of paint or anti-rust products, but this does not neutralize its effect. The reason why is because the thin layer of product on the iron helps to preserve the iron and keep it intact. It is not enough of a layer to act as a buffer unless intentionally ensorcelled to do so. A wrought iron fence takes energy and directs it immediately into the ground beneath it creating a magical barrier that extends about where it is place.

If you wish to create such a barrier and can't afford wrought iron, there's the dirt cheap and kinda nasty way of doing it. That is burying steel nails around your property line. If you put them point up, potential trespassers are likely going to need a tetanus shot after stepping on them, depending on how deeply your bury your nails. To create a barrier at thresholds and similar liminal places of entry, a small steel finishing nail can be driven into the lintel about the doorway that will act as a barrier for unwelcome spiritual beings from entering.

Then we come to cast iron cookware. The cauldrons of old that were used for everyday cooking were also used for magical practice. They were, for the most part, iron. The iron worked like a magic circle to contain the energy of the spell craft being cast until the caster decided it was time to let it magic loose to do its work. Today, we don't use cast iron as much for cooking. If you are using cast iron for cooking it requires special care.

First, take your cast iron pot and scrub it well. I like using the steel wool pads because they don't impart too much soap in the process and they do a good job of getting burnt on material off. You don't want to use a lot of water or soap here because you want to retain the patina over the pot/pan you're working with. It is the patina that gives good cast iron cookware something of a non-stick quality. After you have scrubbed your pot and rinsed all the soap out, take a moment to dry it with a paper towel.

Your next step is to get out your cooking oil and another paper towel. Put a dab of cooking oil on the paper towel and massage this into your pan. You want to work the oil in across all of the cooking surface and the outside of the pan. Use a third (possibly fourth, depending on how much excess oil there is) paper towel to wipe the excess oil off of your pan. Then you want to place your pan into your oven on low heat until things begin to smell toasty. It is a good idea to put a baking sheet under your pan incase there are any oil drippings that come down from spots you possibly missed. Allow the pan to cool off at the same time as your oven. 

If you haven't used too much oil, your pan will have a smooth surface on the cooking surface. It will feel smooth to the touch (when it is cooled off) and it will work beautifully for cooking up pancakes because it will be nonstick. If you used too much oil, you will have to go back to step one in the process and re-season the pan. If too much oil is used, the pan will be sticky to the touch when it has cooled and things will tend to burn to the bottom of your pan. 

Important thing to remember, if you are heating your cast iron in the oven, make sure that it has a handle that can tolerate heat. Usually, cast iron pots have a cast iron handle. Some, however, have a wooden handle on them. For those pots, heat them on the stove top until they smell toasty and then allow them to cool off slowly. Do not thrust your hot cast iron pan into cold water in an effort to cool it. This will damage your pan and make it more brittle. Do not let your cast iron pan sit in water for an extended period of time because it will rust. And don't let it sit for an extended period of time on stainless steel because it will leave a rust mark on your steel that you'll have to scrub off with a good amount of effort.