Both Griswold & Wagner produced pans under different names. Griswold made iron mountain pans and Wagner made pans under National name (back then they would put any name you wanted and sold them through sears, montgomery wards etc). I have one National (#8) and they only made 3 sizes #7,8 & 9 and they are the lightest, smoothest cast iron pans i have ever seen. I wish i could find a complete set.
Wapak was a company not affiliated with Wagner, they are highly collectible and very difficult to find.
The reason for Wagner & Griswold cookware being so smooth is the materials they used in their production. Griswold's cast iron has a micro fine crystalline structure where Lodge has a very large crystalline structure, Therefor Lodge is much heavier and very porous. The porosity is what causes the food to stick.
Griswold and Wagner both polished their pans with good results, but, If you try to polish a Lodge, your wasting your time- cant polish out porosity.
I use olive oil to season cast iron, it does not go rancid. there are several methods to strip a pan prior to seasoning them. My personal favorite and easiest method is to put them in the oven and set it on the clean cycle. After allowing to cool, scrub with an S.O.S pad, thoroughly rinse in HOT water, dry and then (while still hot) wipe down with a paper towel soaked in olive oil and then place in the oven @ 250 for 1 hour, remove and wipe off excess oil, re-apply (sparingly) fresh olive oil, and put back in the oven for 2 hours. remove and let cool.
Never use soap to clean pans, if you use the boiling water method to clean, you must wipe with olive oil before storing.
I almost always add butter, cooking oil when cooking and the food won't stick, and, when done (& pan still warm) i will wipe it clean with a paper towel and put away. If I burn something or food sticks, put a couple tablespoonsfull of salt (regular old table salt) in the pan and use a paper towel to scrub it clean. It only takes a second and you wont have to re-season the pan (it will also remove minor rust spots)
Never wash pans and let air dry! they will rust.
Never use chemicals to clean pans! anything that's put in the pan stays there (remember the porosity) and who wants scrambled eggs with lye flavor?(yeah OK- the SOS pad- its not toxic and rinses clean)
Never put pans in refrigerator, water will condense on them and they will rust
Never leave soaking in sink-rust again
never leave on stove with liquids in them and let cool -rust again
Now, this one is optional, cooking with tomatoes, they are very acidic and will eat your pans. they will leave a "bathtub" ring on your pans if allowed to remain for any length of time. If you wait until after dinner to clean pan it will be slightly damaged. If you put tomato sauce in serving bowl, clean pan then have dinner you should be OK
bottom line- cast iron demands a level of care just like straight razors and if treated properly, will last forever. enjoy! (watch out for cast iron acquisition disorder)!!
So, I have 3 acquisition disorders, straight razors, cast iron & old pocket watches- anybody got the time??????
Best regards to all, Bob