Refinishing Griswold No. 8 waffle iron handles

Question

I'm in the process of restoring a badly neglected Griswold No. 8 waffle iron (885 886 if it makes any difference). I've got all of the cast iron parts stripped down and re-seasoned and just started working on the badly rusted Alaskan coil handles. I got the majority of the rust off with a long carbonic acid bath and some light sanding with 600 grit sandpaper, but found some unexpected bright areas that almost look like the remains of hot galvanization:

I'd like to give them an authentic finish, but I can't find any information as to what the factory finish (if any) was on the handles. Does anyone know if they were galvanized, or if not, how they were finished?

Answer 1

If you are trying to obtain an even color, you can paint them with 'Stove Black' which is great for unpainted cast iron and raw metal that will get a lot of heat. It will give you a dull matt finish and can develop a nice patina. I would not put any on the waffle iron part where food will touch.

Answer 2

They were probably originally galvanized, and you might find somewhere locally that will dip them for you for a few bucks.

As an alternative you might oil them up and season them like the rest of the waffle iron. You're not looking for a "perfect" coating like the cooking surface, but just enough of a coating to prevent rust. If it doesn't work out you could easily strip them down and have them galvanized.