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You should to that once in a while. After you do reseason.
Once every 50 years or so
That's way to long. The build up will break the smooth surface overtime which can lead to uneven cooking or sticking. Best to sand if off once in a blue moon. I would say every 3-5 years
Bro, if you gotta strip it down to metal every year then you are not cleaning it nearly well enough day to day. Stripping it down to bare metal every 50 years might even be too frequently imho.
I think I meant 3-5 years. (Maybe longer or shorter) I actually don't keep a log so I don't know. I just sand it down so it is flat once it gets bumpy. I don't sand it down to complete shine but I remove any buildup and create a clean smooth surface. From there I season it on the grill a few times.
It shouldn't ever be bumpy. If your cast iron is growing lumps and bumps in the pan, you're not cleaning it properly. A chainmail washcloth is a great tool for cleaning the bulk off then pan. Then use a non-lye soap, like dawn, to wash it. (Yes you can use soft soap on cast iron! It's only lye-based soaps that eat through the seasoning.)
I want to disagree since everything I’ve read says this shouldn’t be necessary but I’ve really only used cast iron since COViD so it hasn’t come up yet
If you buy one of the chain link scrubbers to wash your pan with, it essentially keeps the high spots knocked down all the time, so it never really gets bumpy. Also, if you want a smooth cast iron, you have to buy a more expensive one than a Lodge, or power sand/grind it down yourself. Casting is a rough process. The only smooth bottomed pans are cut down flatter after they've been cast.