Teapot Project

I have become quite the connoisseur of cast iron cookware. It is durable and beats the heck out of the cheap stuff you buy from the store. My collection is growing slowly, and one day I hope to display it all properly.

During our last trip to Carolina our friend Mr. Farmer took us to an auction of household items. The building was a transformed barn, very rustic, and drafty. But the kind of place you could not help but like.
We watched  sale after sale, Mr. Farmer was racking up and out bidding quite a few people. In one of the last lots rolled out was a couple of cast iron pieces, when I saw that one was a teapot, I perked up. I punched Senior, leaned over and asked if Mr. Farmer could bid on it for me, he asked how high I could go. I had 25.00 available.
So thus it began, back and forth... It was awesome with the way he battled the other bidder, until the lady gave in and I won it. I felt like a little kid.
Then I got it home..  What a mess :

I researched the project online.Took off the lid and handle then soaked it in a solution of water and distilled vinegar:

 Dried it out then  began scrubbing with steel wool, and very fine sandpaper, for the spout I used a hard toothbrush.
I scrubbed and scrubbed for most of the week. Finally I have started seeing results of my preservation project:

I still have more work to go, but she is getting there. Above the water line is still a ring of rust, but slowly that is coming off. She looks nothing like she did when I first bought her.
 I know some of you are saying " You could have bought a new one" 
 No, not the same.
When you work on something and do it yourself, you have a level of self satisfaction. Things have more meaning to them when you take the time to work on them.  I like being able to say " Yea I did that" 

-JUGM