Stove Black on a Cast Iron Skillet

I recently obtained a Grsiwold #12 Cast Iron Skillet preserved with something called stove black. It must have been a wall hanger somewhere.

Any Idea what Stove Black is and the best way to remove it so the skillet can be use???

Stove black is a polish made of graphite and carbon. It will come off easy enough.

Video clip of Jocelyn Campbell taking a cast iron pan down to only the iron.