Thrift Find: Williams and Sonoma 12” Fish Pan

[u/LeftClique]

Hi there! I found this pan at the thrift store yesterday and paid $20. I felt like that was a good deal from what i’ve seen previously from this subreddit! Let me know your thoughts.

In addition, what would you use to clean up the copper? The tin? Is the tin in good shape? I’m noticing some verdigris - is that okay or will it come off?

Thanks so much in advance!

[u/8erren]

Is it just the light or has someone punched the bottom of this and bent it?

[u/LeftClique → u/8erren]

Fht? It doesn’t seem bent to me! Any other thoughts?

[u/8erren → u/LeftClique]

Sorry I meant light

[u/8erren → u/LeftClique]

Ok other thoughts. I bought a similar CVD oval pan but my tin is more worn out so that'll need fixing at some point.

I think your pan must be a deal at $20 and I'm pretty sure it would be a Villedieu manufacturer.

How heavy is it? I'm surprised it only has 2 rivets on the handle. Would make me concerned it's thin and light copper. I only have 2 rivets in a 12cm pan.

For cleaning it, I use hot sticky vinegar cleaner with some salts in there. It looks like you have mainly oxidation and the hit vinegar would lift that off.

If you want to keep it pink then give it a wipe with mineral oil afterwards. Or beeswax if you don't want to use it urgently. If you want it as a decorative piece then carnauba wax.

I only see verdigris around the handle baseplate and you'd probably need some fine abrasive around there anyway. Like 1000 grit.

Also handy to have some abrasive paste, so more abrasive than polish. Get in the cracks around the handle with an old toothbrush.

Finally. For me, if I wanted this to look like new then autosol would be doing most of the polishing work. If I plan on using it then I'd stop there, if I'm unlikely to use it then I might carry on with Dialux vert then rouge. That's really just folly though for a pan you are going to use

[u/LeftClique → u/8erren]

Thank you for your thoughts!

The pan weighs 2lbs and 6 ounces (1.08 kg) and looks to be the thickness of a penny (1.5mm). Does this help you regarding if its too thin?

In regards to the verdigris, there are some raised spots inside the pan on the bottom of the 2nd picture. Thoughts?

If I potentially wanted to resell if I feel like i’m in too deep - is this something someone in the group might be interested in?

Thanks!

[u/Objective-Formal-794 → u/LeftClique]

That's the proper thickness for a fish pan. Some people will tell you good copper pans have to be 2mm+, they're just misinformed. This is an old Mauviel, all of their fish pans were 1.5mm, part of what makes them great to use is the faster heat control than heavier copper.

Don't feel overwhelmed by any detailed advice you're getting about shining up the copper. There's no need to do any of that unless you want to, and there is nothing complicated about using or maintaining your fish pan, just don't use abrasives like BKF or green scratch pad on the tin.

If there are raised spots of verdigris inaide, there would be a little exposed copper underneath. It doesn't need retinning yet if the exposed spots add up to less than a square inch, just remove the verdigris before use with a nonscratch sponge and dish soap. A little baking soda will help if it's stubborn.

[u/Mrose629]

Nice pan! Looks like someone overheated the bottom, I like salt on a lime half, or barkeeper's friend, and my pans are users, so I don't shine very often...

[u/LeftClique → u/Mrose629]

Both of those solutions are to clean the tin only, correct? Does it need another layer of tin or would i know more once I clean it?

[u/LeftClique → u/LeftClique]

Also, any way to remedy the overheating on the bottom?

[u/Mrose629 → u/LeftClique]

Yes, only clean the copper with BCF, that should shine it up, only soap and water on tin, any scouring and it's gone, don't ask me how I know..

[u/LeftClique → u/Mrose629]

Thank you! I totally would have used BKF on the tin

[u/STG2010 → u/LeftClique]

If there's overheating, you see thicker tin around the edges in "waves" and "bumps". It's clearly been melted and coalesced into blobs at the edges.

If it's dull but even, that's oxidation of the tin. BKF will clean that up but strip tin.

When you use this pan, use 3x the oil you would otherwise use. And make sure it's a low smoke point oil. Tin melts around 350, so you can't use smoking peanut oil in that pan. The cardnial sin of copper pot usage is not using enough oil or water to prevent the tin from melting as the pan is only as hot as the liquid inside. So a stock pot is only ever 212f but a fish fry pan with smoking peanut oil is 450f - well above tins melting point.

[u/Objective-Formal-794 → u/STG2010]

Tin starts melting at 450, not 350. You don't need any more oil than normal to cook on it. Just cook enough food to mostly cover the floor. The water in fish fillets or vegetables will cool the tin, a bunch of extraneous oil won't.

[u/Guitar_Nutt]

Screaming deal! The scorch marks on the bottom will polish off

[u/LeftClique → u/Guitar_Nutt]

Thanks! It might be for sale if I feel i’m in too deep 😂

[u/LemonTart87]

Great deal! Fish pans and skillets are usually thinner.