Vulcanite and Rubber Bit Maintenance

[OverMountain]

Y’all have probably heard me wax poetic about my beat up Grabows enough but I have a real vulcanite stem to take care of now.

I’m planning on putting one of the rubber bite guards on the stem to protect the actual pipe.

For cleaning, do I need to remove the rubber to put chapstick or obsidian oil on the actual stem periodically or just around the rubbber bit?

Thanks. I’ve never had a rubber bite guard or anything other than a plastic pipe bit.

 

[bullet08]

Never used rubber bit on a pipe. But if you are concerned about vulcanite oxidizing, occasionally maintenance with something is a good idea. You might want to remove the rubber bit when you do that so the whole stem can be worked. I'm not all that concerned with my vulcanite stem turning grey. So far using jeweler's cloth and microfiber cloth kept them presentable.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So far using jeweler's cloth and microfiber cloth kept them presentable

 

[OzPiper]

I remove the rubber bit and give the stem a buff after a smoke.
Occasionally if I’m feeling industrious, I’ll apply some Obsidian oil

I find silicon bits (cheap on EBay or Amazon) much better than the rubber ones

 

[mingc]

If you get rubber bits, you'll find that they fit so tight that it is a pain to remove them on a regular basis. I prefer silicon bits from eBay, which come in 2 sizes and in black and clear, as they are much more pliable and can easily be removed after each smoke.

 

[FurCoat]

I personally don't use the protectors. I have an old microfiber wash cloth that I put mineral oil on very lighty. After cleaning the pipe after each smoke, I wipe it down with the cloth and I've not had any problems with oxidation of vulcanite stems. I have used the jewelers cloth and it works too. There are a lot of ways to take care of vulcanite, it's just a matter of personal preference.

 

[Zeno Marx]

I buy food grade/water system (like for water softeners) tubing at the hardware store by the foot. You can buy clear, black, or even some colors sometimes. It comes in various diameters, and with a few waves of a lighter beneath it (literally, a few waves is all it requires), it becomes stretchy and pliable enough to get a tight fit. It's been a while, but it was like $.70/foot. You only need 1-1.25"s per pipe. It's a little tougher to remove than rubber, which is the only downside I've found. It is harder, so it feels better on the teeth than chewy rubber, and it is flavorless and doesn't react as much with vulcanite stems.

 

[Coreios]

If you get rubber bits, you'll find that they fit so tight that it is a pain to remove them on a regular basis. I prefer silicon bits from eBay, which come in 2 sizes and in black and clear, as they are much more pliable and can easily be removed after each smoke.

Sounds gross I know but a bit of spit inside the rubber bit and they'll slide right on.

 

[Coreios]

I just take mine off occasionally and wipe the stem off on my shirt and put it back on.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sounds gross I know but a bit of spit inside the rubber bit and they'll slide right on.

Or obsidian oil. Helps apply the bit and protects the vulcanite.

 

[LeafErikson]

I use a drop obsidian after I smoke that I polish off with a cloth and they stay looking new. Most vulcanite is super soft on the teeth.. Why are you concerned with bite marks? If you’re not worried about resale value I wouldn’t worry too much about a few teeth marks. Stems can always be replaced if need be but most vulcanite stems are pretty darned durable.

 

[mingc]

Sounds gross I know but a bit of spit inside the rubber bit and they'll slide right on.

I wouldn't want to mix moisture and vulcanite. Obsidian oil would be a better choice of lubrication.

 

[PipeIT]

@OverMountain I tried a rubber bit on Vulcanite, and it caused the stem to oxidize really fast.

You could try it out, but be warned, it might oxidize faster using them, depending how long you leave the bit on.

When I’m done smoking a pipe with a vulcanite/cumberland stem, I rub a small amount of Obsidian oil on the stem, and let it either sit half a day or overnight, this long has never given me problems, even though the bottle recommends 30 minutes.

 

[OverMountain]

@OverMountain I tried a rubber bit on Vulcanite, and it caused the stem to oxidize really fast.

You could try it out, but be warned, it might oxidize faster using them, depending how long you leave the bit on.

When I’m done smoking a pipe with a vulcanite/cumberland stem, I rub a small amount of Obsidian oil on the stem, and let it either sit half a day or overnight, this long has never given me problems, even though the bottle recommends 30 minutes.

Thanks. This is a Cumberland stem and it shows teeth marks really easily. Looking for options to keep it in good shape.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Thanks. This is a Cumberland stem and it shows teeth marks really easily. Looking for options to keep it in good shape.

Care for it just as you would any other stem. I've had this one for 11 years and just wipe it down with both sides of a jeweler's cloth. No oxidation yet.

 

[TN Jed]

To me the rubber bit taste like..well.. rubber. It's kind of like smoking through a wet suit IMO. Happy to have the advise on ox prevention 'cause I love the vulcanite stem vs the acrylic.

 

[PipeIT]

Thanks. This is a Cumberland stem and it shows teeth marks really easily. Looking for options to keep it in good shape.

I asked Mike of Bay Denmark about my Cumberland stem, on a pipe he made, and he said, he assumed it would oxidize the same as vulcanite.

I’m a very slow smoker, so the bits would sit on a pipe like 4-6 hrs., when it sat this long on one of my pipes, when I pulled it off, the stem already faded/oxidized faintly. I had to buff it out afterwards to get it back black.

 

[K.E. Powell]

I use rubber bits on most of my pipes, as it keeps teeth marks off the stem and (most importantly) helps me clench more comfortably. I don't have any advice for stem upkeep beyond polishing them with a jewelers cloth and keeping the inside clean. I don't mind if my stems show a little oxidation or my briar shows a little fading in its luster, provided they are clean and work well. All things age, myself included.

The only downside to the rubber bits is they are annoying to remove once you have them on, but I don't have much need to do so. Remove the stem and clean with warm water, and that is usually good enough. If they get too worn, I just replace them. They're like a dollar for two, so it's no big loss.

 

[Honkytonk Man]

Sure remove the rubber bit to clean and oil the stem.

It would be like taking a shower with your socks on!

 

[OverMountain]

You are not fully naked until you pull your socks off