The Meaning Of The Elusive Number 8: Unlocking The History Of Cast Iron Pans

The number on a cast-iron pan refers to the size of the pan, but not the diameter in inches. Instead, it corresponds to the size of the burner ring on a wood-burning stove, also known as a stove eye. A No.8 skillet is larger than 8 inches. For example, a Field No.8 skillet has a cooking surface of 8 3/4 inches.

The number 8 cast iron pan is not 8 inches wide

The number on a cast iron pan does not refer to its diameter in inches. Instead, it refers to the size of the burner ring on a wood-burning stove, also known as a "stove eye". This system of numbering was first used when cast iron pans were made to fit the various sizes of stove eyes on wood-burning stoves.

Therefore, a number 8 cast iron pan is not 8 inches wide. In fact, a number 8 cast iron pan from the Field Company measures 10 1/4 inches.

The number 8 cast iron pan is larger than 8 inches because it was designed to fit over a stove eye, which required a larger diameter than the pan's base. This is also why cast iron pans are heavier than regular pans—the added weight provided stability and helped maintain a consistent temperature by sealing the pan over the stove eye.

Different manufacturers used slightly different systems for sizing their cast iron pans, so the exact dimensions of a number 8 cast iron pan may vary depending on the brand. However, a 1924 Wagner Manufacturing Co. catalog lists the bottom diameter of their number 8 cast iron skillet as 8-7/8 inches.

It's important to note that the sizing conventions for cast iron pans have changed over time. Today, skillets are sold by their diameter across the top, so a 10-inch skillet has a 10-inch diameter at the top. If you're shopping for a cast iron pan, it's a good idea to bring a ruler or tape measure to ensure you get the size you want.

The number indicates the size of the burner ring on a wood-burning stove

The number on a cast iron pan indicates the size of the burner ring on a wood-burning stove, also known as a "stove eye". The pans were produced to conform to the sizes of the openings in the tops of wood-burning stoves.

With the advent of wood-burning stoves, pans were produced to fit the openings, or "eyes", at the top. A heavy cover piece was left in place when the eye was not in use and removed with a special, heat-resistant lifter handle when maximum heat was required.

Heat rings on the bottom circumference of cast iron pans served multiple functions: they acted as a "seal" between the pan and the stove eye, added stability for less-than-perfectly flat pan bottoms, and helped to reduce hot spots.

The size of the pan was essential to its function and efficiency on the stove. Depending on the brand of stove and the size of its eyes, appropriately-sized pans were needed to work with it. In some cases, the stove maker also produced pans customised to work with their units.

Even after gas-fired ranges and electric stoves became universal, cast iron pans continued to be manufactured in the sizes originally established for wood-burning stoves. For example, a 1924 Wagner Manufacturing Co. catalog lists the following cast iron skillet sizes:

• #2 - 4-7/8"
• #3 - 5-1/2"
• #4 - 5-7/8"
• #5 - 6-3/4"
• #6 - 7-1/2"
• #7 - 8-1/4"
• #8 - 8-7/8"
• #9 - 9-3/4"
• #10 - 10-1/4"
• #11 - 10-7/8"
• #12 - 11-3/4"
• #13 - 12"
• #14 - 13"

The number is not the diameter of the pan

The number on a cast-iron pan does not refer to the diameter of the pan. The number is, in fact, a size number. However, it does not indicate the diameter in inches. This is a common misconception.

The number on a cast-iron pan indicates the size of the burner ring on an old-fashioned wood-burning stove, also known as a stove eye. In the early days of wood-burning stoves, pans were produced to fit the various-sized openings, or stove eyes, at the top of the stove. A stove eye is essentially the equivalent of a modern-day burner.

A heavy cover piece was used for stove eyes that were not in use. For maximum direct heat, the stove eye could be removed with a special heat-resistant lifter handle. The pans were produced in sizes that conformed to the stove eyes.

The number on a cast-iron pan, therefore, indicates the size of the burner ring on a wood-burning stove, not the diameter of the pan. This is why a No.8 skillet is actually larger than 8 inches.

The number is not the exact size of the pan

The number on a cast iron pan does not refer to the exact size of the pan. Instead, the number corresponds to the size of the "stove eye" or burner on a wood-burning stove, which is the opening at the top of a stove where the pan would be placed. These numbers are also not standardised across manufacturers, so a #8 cast iron pan from one manufacturer may be a different size to a #8 cast iron pan from another manufacturer.

The #8 cast iron pan from the 1924 Wagner Manufacturing Co. catalog, for example, has a bottom diameter of 8-7/8 inches. However, the exact dimensions of cast iron pans were not standard across all manufacturers. A #8 cast iron pan from the 1918 Griswold Mfg. Co. catalog is likely to be a different size.

Even within the same manufacturer, there can be discrepancies in the sizes of pans. For instance, the Wagner Manufacturing Co. produced a #13 cast iron pan with a 12-inch diameter and a #14 cast iron pan with a 13-inch diameter. However, the Birmingham Stove & Range Co. downsized certain pans in their later years of production to accommodate the use of third-party glass covers. Therefore, two cast iron pans of the same number but from different product lines of the same manufacturer may also be different sizes.

The number is not the size in inches

The number on a cast iron pan does not refer to the size in inches. Instead, it refers to the size of the stove burner, or "stove eye", that the pan is designed to fit.

When wood-burning stoves were introduced, pans were produced to fit the openings on their tops, known as "stove eyes". The stove eye is comparable to a burner on a modern stove.

The number on a cast iron pan is, therefore, an indication of the pan's compatibility with a stove eye rather than its size in inches. This means that there is no standard size for a "#8" cast iron pan, for example, as the measurements may vary depending on the manufacturer.

For instance, a "#8" cast iron pan produced by Wagner Manufacturing Co. in 1924 has a bottom diameter of 8-7/8 inches. However, the same size pan made by another company may have different dimensions.

It is worth noting that even after the introduction of gas-fired ranges and electric stoves, cast iron pans continued to be manufactured according to the size designations established for wood-burning stoves.

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