Metal utensils are fine on your cast iron.

Yes, it’s safe.

The short version: your cast iron pan is not a nonstick Teflon pan. It’s a hunk of metal. A metal spatula or spoon isn’t going to hurt it. The real question is whether you’ll damage the seasoning, and even that is overblown.

Seasoning is polymerized oil bonded to the iron. It’s tough. A metal utensil will leave light scratch marks on the surface, but those aren’t holes—they’re just visual. The seasoning layer is still there, and the scratches often fill in with use. In fact, many long-time cast iron users prefer metal because it helps smooth out the surface over time.

Wood and silicone work fine, and they’re quieter if that matters to you. But don’t buy into the fear that one scrape with a metal spatula will ruin your pan. It won’t. You’d have to gouge it repeatedly in the same spot to actually expose raw iron, and even then you just cook some bacon and move on.

Your pan is tougher than you think.