Hello all. I have a not-trapping question if I may....

Background: I was welding some drowners last weekend and had some extra steel I picked up at the junkyard to use in a fireplace to make a little thing to let me cook on.

I tried to do a little "test burn" and put the steel pieces I cut (below) in the fireplace and built a fire around them.

Question: The soot at the end was PINK. Does this mean some paint or something still on the steel? Can I cook off this or not? I don't know that much about steel. I tried to use the wire brush wheel (and flap wheel) on my grinder and get off all the paint but missed some? Thank you.

Sense the steel came from a junk yard! I wouldn’t use it to cook on. Some people will burn it hard in a fire to clean it! But, you don’t know what it was used for before you got it.

Dang it. I don't know where to buy steel for these purposes.

It wasn't really a junk yard, it was a scrap metal yard but yes, I don't know what was its prior use.

A local welding shop usually sells steel

^^^^ you can buy what they call drops! Or at least, that’s what we call it.

Impossible for germs to be on it after all that heat you will have it in . I am no expert

I doubt steel can absorb much, and the heating should kill anything anyway. I would wire wheel everything weld it up then put it in fireplace and get it hot again. Then use as you planned.

It's any toxic material on the surface you need to worry about! Heated to a red hot will kill any micro organism's. That "pink rust" Has me worried?????

Talk to the guys at the yard. They can get you a good piece of steel or iron. 1/4 plate would be your best bet. My yard is always very helpful.