I’ve honestly never had a problem with the chain mail sponge.

I don’t think you are picturing the right thing here. Lodge makes and sells it specifically for cast iron care. The rings are large and smooth, so it scrubs without being too abrasive. There’s a lil silicon wedge in the middle of the “sponge” to give it extra bounciness.

This is very different from steel wool.

Metal spatula handles the majority of it anyway, and nobody is scared to use their metal spatulas on cast. “Stuck on” is usually the corners or sometimes parts the egg got too when I was too impatient for the pan to get hot.