Three Questions in Restoring Old Hard Rubber Stems

[jennings]

Hi folks...again I have a couple of noobie style repair/maintenance questions. Lately I picked up a cheap estate lot of a handful of pipes from a well known auction site. All seem to be usable ultimately, which is good. I can sort the bowls out, but the three stem questions I'm agonising over are:
1) What's the best home method of cleaning out the years of dried crud in some cases blocking the stems? They look to my eyes to be black hard rubber stems.
2) All the BHR stems are faded...some to the point of being almost off-white. Can these be re-blackened? In the fountain pen world (another hobby!) there are products usued to pain on to old BHR pens. Are similar things used in the pipe world?
3) What's the best way, assuming I've completed the above two tasks, of polishing up and maintaining the stems going forward?
I have already carefully soaked a couple in a mix of soap and washing up liquid, and given them a tentative blast in an ultrasonic cleaner. I've mostly got the outside clean of residue and tar build up...but the insides are still leaving a bit to be desired.
Edit: Corrected capitalization in title per Rule #9. L.

 

[jarit]

Here's some advice I posted on an another forum. I'll just copy.paste it here. Hope it helps:
Briar pipes generally come with a stem made out of either acrylic, or vulcanite. Acrylic (also "Lucite", "Perspex") is a plastic and is easily cleaned; just run alcohol dipped pipe cleaners through it until they come out white and clean. Pay attention to the slot corners Sometimes it's a good idea to leave a booze soaked cleaner in a stem for a while to loosen up the gunk. Clean the surface of the stem with cloth or tissue dipped in alcohol or toothpaste. See-through perspex stems (fairly rare nowadays) are sometimes reported to turn cloudy when contact with high-proof alcohol - use toothpaste with these.
Vulcanite (also "Ebonite") is vulcanized rubber and thus contains sulphur. Contact with saliva and just plain daylight will oxidize vulcanite with time. Sulphur in the rubber will rise to the surface and turn it cruddy grayish green brown. Besides looking unsavory, it will taste terrible. Don't store your your vulcanite-stemmed pipes in your mouth or in direct sunlight. How to tell (clean) vulcanite stem apart fron acrylic? Rub stem vigorously with your thumb – vulcanite stem imparts a rubbery smell.
Clean the stem's insides first same as above with the acrylic one. If you splash alcohol on the surface you may notice that it can make the oxidization even worse. Alcohol or water will not remove the crud, you'll have to remove it by mechanical abrasion; sanding and polishing. I used to refurb stems by soaking them for a few hours in bleach based solution (Oxiclean or similar). This treatment will remove the crud, inside and out, but leaves the stem surface coarse and in need of sanding and polishing. Now, depending on the stem's condition, I often skip the bleach altogether and proceed straight for abrasive action. If the stem is only slightly oxidized, I might skip the sanding and try polishing it first.
Sandpaper works fine, but micromesh pads are even better. Some report good results with "Magic Eraser" blocks, too. Start with 400-500 grit until the brown stuff has gone and work your way gradually up to 2000 grit until the scratches are gone. Pay attention to the tenon end that you don't round the edge where the stem meets the shank. Same with the button end, try not to round it out of shape but make sure that you sand the button edge where pipesters usually clench. Then to polishing!
You'll get best polishing results with a proper buffer, but it can easily be done by manual measures, as well. Here's how I do it. My polishing compound of choice is German "Autosol" automotive polishing compound (I hear that "Flitz" is a similar brand in the US). Toothpaste can be used as rubbing agent too, but in my experience the polishing will take three - four times longer. I use an old T-shirt or a towel to work with. Old sports socks turned inside (the fuzzy side) out are excellent, too. Cover the stem with the paste and rub away. Try resting the cloth on a table corner and move the stem. Add paste as needed. It may take a good fifteen - twenty minutes to get a proper shine, but it's really worth it. A deep black mirror finish looks great and stays untarnished much longer than any half-assed job will. Wipe any remaining compound off - especially from the smoke channel and the slot.
Last thing to do, is to dab some wax or oil to the shiny stem surface to prevent/hinder oxidizing. I use beeswax, lip balm or drop of olive oil, rub it in an wipe off the excess. Please DON'T use olive oil on briar. I try to keep a small piece of cloth that is impregnated with beeswax in my pipe bag - a quick wipe after every smoke will keep the oxidation away.
Jari

 

[jennings]

That's great info...thanks Jari! I've just picked the two best looking stems to try, and they're already polishing up and de-gunking nicely...most items I had in the house.

 

[sablebrush52]

+1 with jarit's methods except for one thing. Never use bleach. Every restorer I've spoken with says the same thing, bleach destroys vulcanite. Go on the Walker Briars site and see what they say about it - bleach destroys vulcanite.
The micromesh pads will work fine at removing the oxidized material. As long as you use the coarser pads to remove all of the oxidized material, followed by increasingly finer grades, you'll end up with a glass like finish for your stem. You can find micromesh pad kits at a hobby shop.
For minor touch ups I use Simichrome polish, which is also a German product. It does take a lot of elbow grease, but the result is great.
Unless you really know how to use a buffer, stay with other approaches. Buffing requires a delicate touch to polish without losing the crispness of the original stem and bit shape.
To keep my stems glossy, I clean them immediately after use - saliva followed by alcohol to remove mouth crud. Swab out the airway. I apply a coating of paragon wax right after I've rejuvenated a stem. I also never leave my pipes out where they can get hit by sunlight. I store them away in cases.

 

[jennings]

Thanks for the links rothnh...very useful, and I do really enjoy going through all this info to cherry pick the bits I want to try out.
Thanks to you too sablebrush52...good to hear what people are getting good results with. Funny you mention Simichrome though, as I'm familiar with this from the fountain pen world. It's the pen lovers' polish of choice. Although I must say when I've used it on hard rubber I've found it tends to remove the black pigment from the surface. I tend to use it on plastics like celluloid with pens. I'll take your tip and leave the buffer alone. It's kitchen elbow grease for me!
Must get my hands on some micromesh...after reading the posts here I tried a good scrub with bicarbonate of soda to remove as much crud as I could. Used a series of pipe cleaners and a very think brush to clear airways as best I could. Then sat down to some rubbing with 0000 grade wire wool. That brought up the three stems I tried it on really nicely...was amazing to watch the effect! With faded pens I usually leave rubber alone, as in the pen world sanding of any kind is frowned upon. Here it really worked on the stems, and I even managed to keep the stem makers markings where present. I then took some of my silicon free, beeswax impregnated polish (I use this on antique furniture) and gave a wipe and with that. Seemed to add a great shine, and doesn't seem to have harmed the rubber. My first foray into rejuvinating old pipes is going well. I should have taken some before and after pics really!

 

[jarit]

@Sablebrush52:

+1 with jarit's methods except for one thing. Never use bleach. Every restorer I've spoken with says the same thing, bleach destroys vulcanite. Go on the Walker Briars site and see what they say about it - bleach destroys vulcanite.

Thanks for that correction! I haven't actually used bleach in recent years, but this info ensures that the bleach will saty in the cupboard when I'm restoring pipes.
http://www.walkerbriarworks.com/html/vulcanite_info_.html
Cheers!
Jari

 

[ejames]

@Sablebrush52:
+1 with jarit's methods except for one thing. Never use bleach. Every restorer I've spoken with says the same thing, bleach destroys vulcanite. Go on the Walker Briars site and see what they say about it - bleach destroys vulcanite.
Thanks for that correction! I haven't actually used bleach in recent years, but this info ensures that the bleach will saty in the cupboard when I'm restoring pipes.

Well, I ain't a Dave Walker or Mike Myers but I have done probably 5-600 restorations ( at least). I use bleach on heavily oxidized stem and have since I first read about it on the "Professors Pipe Pages" several years ago. I've never had any kind of problem with any stem I've bleached and I've never had a complaint from others for whom I restored pipes.They keep sending me pipes.... I've tried Oxy-Clean and to me it just does not do the job--YMMV.

 

[sablebrush52]

I've seen what bleach can do to vulcanite, which is that it pits it. I've also seen some nice shiny stems with clearly pitted texture. Micromesh pads do the job for me. It's more work, but the result is worth it.

 

[taerin]

Just sand it up to around 3,000 grit or so. it'll shine like a mirror. They sell the really high grit sandpaper at auto body shops for cars. Work from fairly low grit to high and it will be nice and black again. Sandpaper is not as hard as vulcanite, so it will not hurt the rubber, but it will remove anything on it and it will polish it very well. Starting with 400 grit or so would be good.

 

[ejames]

I've seen what bleach can do to vulcanite, which is that it pits it. I've also seen some nice shiny stems with clearly pitted texture. Micromesh pads do the job for me. It's more work, but the result is worth it.

Yes,the bleach can and will cause pitting,because not only is the oxidation being removed from the surface but also from just below the surface.As you probably know it is the sulfur used in the vulcanization process that is oxidizing. That sulfur is mixed throughout the rubber, and if the bleach can get to it it will remove it.

The amount and depth of the pitting seems to be related to the quality of the rubber,better stems will not pit as deeply--or oxidize as badly-usually.

The trick,as I see it, is to COMPLETELY remove the oxoidation while removing as LITTLE material as possible.I may be anal about it but when I spend an hour working on a stem and after taking it to the buffer I don't want to see any little speckles of oxidation. If I can completely remove it with the buffer and Red Rouge,that is what I will use, or maybe a light sanding with 800 grit( or 4000 Micro Mesh) then buff,what ever it takes.

But with some stems I've found that is is quicker and easier and possibly prevents excess removal of material by bleaching first,sanding then buffing.

 

[sablebrush52]

Oxidation can also occur in the airway of badly oxidized stems as well. And that airway also gets pitted when exposed to bleach. If a stem is badly oxidized, it may be better to simply replace it.

 

[ssjones]

I use an automotive plastic polish (Meguiars or other). I think it helps "seal" the vulcanite a little as well as making it shiny. At least I've noticed stems polished with it seem to oxidize slower then those that not treated.

 

[jennings]

I've decided to steer clear of the bleach for now! I'm getting fairly good results by buzzing the mouthpieces in an ultrasonic with tap warm soapy water, and using repeated pipecleaners to clear out the internal gunk. Heavily soiled exteriors I have cleaned with a toothbrush and bicarb of soda mixed with a little warm water. Then I've used 0000 grade wire wool to cut the exteriors back to black. Gives a lovely smooth, black result. I'm currently experimenting with polish to see what gives the best shine an oxidation protection. I don't have a buffer, but do have a Dremel type tool I could try with a buff attachment for better results maybe too. Perhaps I'll practice on an old broken stem?

 

[petes03]

I'd definitely recommend practice on a broken stem! Dremels operate at very high RPMs, and it would be easy to ruin a good stem with one!

 

[ravkesef]

I tried a Dremel, but with my manual dexterity, I proved remarkably incompetent, and quit before I thoroughly wrecked the pipe. I considered buying a buffing wheel, but the (correctly) reasoned that I would fail as splendidly at that as I do at other workshop chores, and my pipes are too valuable to be entrusted to an idiot. So I give my folks a thorough cleaning each time I smoke them, and keep them looking good. Bruce, every so often a pipe needs more than I'm able to give it, I send it out to let someone who really knows what he's doing take care of it. However, there are many of you who have the skill, and to you I say: "go for it."

 

[owen]

Highly informative post

 

[mso489]

jari, I printed off your method for my hard copy pipe folder, and I'll add the warning about bleach.

I have several of my original pipes (the ones I bought first) decades ago, and they would look so

much better with the stems brightened. They have no real wear, or just a few tooth marks. So, yes,

this is a great post. Thank you all. One or two, I might commend to the magic of a pipe repairman,

but this sounds like something I could do for most of them myself.

 

[newbroom]

As I've acquired a few estates and found the stems in oxidized tooth marked condition I too looked for advice on restoration.

I've tried using dental tabs in lieu of oxyclean. I've got magic erasers. However, since these pipes are old and not collectible, and I'm smoking them, I just went for whatever I had for rough grit and found some 220 woodworking paper...that stuff will take off oxidation and tooth marks. That's when I begin to use graduated grit sandpaper and end up using the finest thing I have on hand to finish...a 3000 grit 3m product I got at WallyWorld...I use spit for lube.
There is a great satisfaction from making your stem feel smooth and clean.