Advice, please, on buying cast iron skillet

[quicksilver]

I have some Wagner, some Lodge, some un-named, or its worn off and one named, Benjamin & Medwin. They are all old and I love them all. The Lodges were the roughest, but the seasoning fills in those pours.
I suggest you physically shop around, then see if you can do better on-line. But if you see a good deal at local sales, buy it.

[Buck]

Not cast iron in the traditional sense but, last year, Katie E and I bought an 8-inch LeCreuset skillet on eBay's last minute auctions for 99 cents. Shipping was way low, too. Love that little critter. Not a color we'd choose but, for the price, we don't care.

[Bigjim68]

I must concurr with those who wonder about the sand cast finish on new Lodge. I have a couple of pieces, and they simply do not perform as well as my collection of vintage pieces. They are hard to clean, and food sticks. If you scrape them, you get shiny cast iron showing through, and the valleys fill with gook If I ever get around to it, I am going to take the new pieces to the garage and attack them with a sander. Yard, and especially those labelled estate, sales, are good sources of cookware, especially cast iron. The fact that there is so much old stuff around attests to it usefulness and long life.

[jabbur]

I emailed my in-laws. Dad says they have some pieces that they will be happy to me. He didn't know for sure what all they have but will get them out of the attic for me next time we visit which looks like Memorial Day weekend. I've kinda stopped looking real hard until I see what I get from them. Thanks for all your input.