We want to clarify that the rust you mentioned is on the cooking surface. If left unused or if seasoned incorrectly, rust is naturally going to happen. That being said, the pictures you sent are not the worst we have seen, and we can guarantee that you can clean it. The process is simple and safe. We have multiple videos and resources for cleaning it up and keeping it from happening again. If you still aren't convinced, we recommend getting into any of the social media groups and looking through their posts. We get a few posts there in the spring for people who go through exactly what you did. You will see many comments of other people giving tips and tricks and helping each other understand. We hope this helps. Please let us know if you have further questions.