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fafnir

fafnir

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 21, 2016
125
2
I keep the few pipes which I have on my desk on display in my study. This morning I saw one of the servants cleaning my pipes with household furniture polish, the aerosol type of spray on polish. She told me she only ever cleans the outside of the pipes, of which I am now ever so grateful for, my question is will these types of spray polish be detrimental to briar wood?

 
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danielplainview

danielplainview

Lifer
Mar 30, 2014
2,853
79
wv
I don't think it will damage the briar, but I wouldn't recommend using it for pipes. The chemicals can't be good to smoke, not to mention lemon scented tobacco. I would swab the bowl chamber and insides of your pipes before smoking them.

 
ssjones

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,982
12,993
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
I'm with Dave. Short term use most likely won't be an issue. However, most commercial furniture polish products have some kind of cleaning abrasive that over the long run could be an issue. For hand polishing, I use Halycon or Pargon products. Paragon is for smooth, Halycon for blasted, rusticated pipes. (moving forward, I'll just use Halycon on either)
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sami/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

 
jerwynn

jerwynn

Lifer
Dec 7, 2011
1,033
14
For years I used Arango Briar Pipe Wipe until, as far as I can tell, it went extinct.
abpw1.jpg

When I could no longer find that, I switched to The Bee's Wax, a furniture/everything-but-the-kitchen-sink polish, that has worked fine on most of my briars. On maybe two of my pipes, this sucked off minor layers of stain which was disconcerting... but I still use it... worked into a clothed and then buffed off afterwards.
bw-600x600.jpg

Finally, I found the below product... carnauba wax, olive oil, bees wax, and a few others. Excellent results on my pipes. The so-called light lavender scent, I've only noticed when using. It has left no remnant whatsoever, at least to my nose... which is pretty good, as well as large.
fh-600x600.jpg

Both of the latter two products are available from Lehman's, somewhere in remote Ohio! (but you can order online also)

 
cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
34,747
79,135
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
You get a lot more of a subtle aroma from the briar than you realize, and putting anything scented on it will run over into the flavors of your tobacco. You can do what you want, but I'll sacrifice my pipe not being as shiny as your for mine tasting a hell of lot better. Flavor trumps looks for me.

 
tbradsim1

tbradsim1

Lifer
Jan 14, 2012
9,206
11,798
Southwest Louisiana
Faf if my servant cleaned my pipes my foot would be in their ass, don't touch my guns or pipes. But do I worry , NO, I've been the servant all my life. :rofl: Al is right about the wax, and Cosmic is spot on. Some people shine their stuff and they are rotten inside. Good nose oil, hand caressing is all a good pipe needs. My take on it.

 
kyrob

kyrob

Might Stick Around
Apr 15, 2011
72
0
I used to use the Briar Pipe Wipe and loved it. Multiple old timers advised me to soak down a cloth with Pledge and hang it to dry. Then use it to wipe off the pipes, similar to the Briar Pipe Wipe. I've been doing this for several years without any issues or odd smells coming from the wood. I think they told me most of the stuff was silicon based, but Pledge was natural. Again, this is just what I do, and was based on others recommendations, and the information provided was hearsay at best. Still, it works for me.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,608
Obviously your employee was trying to "make things nice," but hereafter, ask him/her not to clean your pipes. Mostly, I'm for not using anything but a cloth and elbow grease (effort) on pipes. A little wax or some other approved product once in a great while -- but mostly I think this just adds residue and catches dust. Unfinished pipes turn a golden color and don't need additional help, which illustrates the point. Give your pipes a good polish with a cloth more often, to wear off the furniture polish, and make it clear that this is your task, thank you very much.

 
fafnir

fafnir

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 21, 2016
125
2
Thanks guys, I think that bees wax might be an option, and this is something I would like to clean myself, I also noticed that my pipes collected dust similar to that of a laptop screen so perhaps the pipes have been cleaned for longer without my knowledge. I will head off to my local tobacconist tomorrow as they ordered some humidifier coins for me, and will enquire about the briar polish, they have a catalogue that they use to order their inventory.
Please remember that I live in South Africa and having a servant and gardener is quite common in most middle class households, I might add that whilst I was in the UK during my youth, I did all my laundry myself and sustained my hunger with fish fingers and beak beans lol.

 
ssjones

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,982
12,993
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
Fafnir, we have servants here too, but call them wives.....if that I'd ever mentioned to my bride, I'll disavow all knowledge!

Also, if you put your tobacco is a sealed mason-type jar, you should not need any humidifier coins.

 
E

elpfeife

Lifer
Dec 25, 2013
1,297
487
To the point of servants. A couple I know retired to Bali. They are far from rich but have a cook, maid and driver. They said they learned quickly that they were expected to have paid help if things were to go smoothly.

 
fafnir

fafnir

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 21, 2016
125
2
Ssjones, Ja I keep my tobacco in mason jars, where I live it gets rather warm like really warm in summer so everything dries up quickly.

 
warren

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
12,276
18,233
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Hard to get good help these days. So much supervision is required in order to get them trained. Even the one's from a good service are sadly lacking when it comes to showing proper deference to master and mistress. Without a chief butler to run the staff I'd go crazy.

 
pipestud

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,012
1,771
Robinson, TX.
When I was about 8 years old I cleaned my dad's pipes for him... using a toothbrush and soap. Inside and out. Those pipes sure were clean and bright. My butt was bright too, bright red for a week. :(

 
simong

simong

Lifer
Oct 13, 2015
2,748
16,592
UK
Fafnir, you caught your servant spraying your pipes & didn't sack him/her on the spot? When I read this I thought, what a gentleman! Then I saw you ate fish fingers with baked beans, I thought he must be a degenerate as my butler always serves garden peas with my fish fingers.(yes, I am in England).

 
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