Sidebar

Leave The Stem Discolored?

Log in

Forgot your password?

SmokingPipes.com Updates

24 Fresh Rossi Pipes
4 Fresh Scott Thile Pipes
2 Fresh Chris Asteriou Pipes
12 Fresh Ser Jacopo Pipes
1 Fresh Clarin Clay Pipe

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

Al Pascia
Blue Room Briars
Cigar World
Danish Pipe Shop
LePipe.it
Missouri Meerschaum
Pipes2Smoke.com
PipeStud.com
Seattle Pipe Club Tobaccos
SmokingPipes.com
Tabaccheria Corti
TinBids.com

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

shur

Lurker
Oct 5, 2014
35
4
I'm new at this and to get the best "bang for the buck" I'm trying to buy used pipes on ebay.

At this point I've only cleaned up 2 pipes and I'm happy enough with the results that I'll keep going.
The pipe that I received today is a Big Ben Pipo. The seller didn't know it's age but I believe it takes time to turn a stem that green/grey color.

This pipe turned out to be in excellent condition and aside from cleaning the stinger and wiping out the bowl the only thing to do would be to sand and buff the stem, but I don't know if I will.
Aside from aesthetics is there another reason to get this stem back to black?
(I dont have a buffing wheel I can devote to wax yet so none of my pipes are going to be display condition)

 
torque

torque

Can't Leave
May 21, 2013
444
2
Oxidized vulcanite has a taste that isn't exactly pleasant. For me that's reason enough to remove it.

 

S

shur

Lurker
Oct 5, 2014
35
4
Anthony: Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
Torque: I figured that would be a reason but I am not getting any flavor from this at all.
I did sand down the tenon a little bit* as I found the fit almost beyond hand tight and find it strange that it is grey/green on the stem but a yellow/orange on the sand paper.
*1000 grit, a couple twists then wipe and check. Repeat.

 
huntertrw

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,267
5,503
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
"Aside from aesthetics is there another reason to get this stem back to black?"
"Oxidized vulcanite has a taste that isn't exactly pleasant. For me that's reason enough to remove it."
+1 torque!
shur:
That gray-green color is sulfur (which is a component of Vulcanite, the material of which the stem is made), and as torque stated above, it will typically taste bad! May I recommend vigorously cleaning the stem with paper towel moistened with warm water and Bon Ami cleanser? The Bon Ami will remove the oxidation, but will not scratch the Vulcanite. This will require some time and elbow-grease, but the result should be worth the effort.
Once you are "back to black" you may then polish the stem with red rouge (if you have access to a bench-top buffer), and finish by waxing as anthonyrosenthal74 noted above. Just remember to take care around any stamped nomenclature on the stem, as Vulcanite is soft, and you can easily degrade or destroy it during the entire process.
I hope that you find this information to be helpful.

 
S

shur

Lurker
Oct 5, 2014
35
4
I did end up sanding it. After a few days it started to taste bad.

My cleaning involved scraping around the bit, swabing with alcohol and then polishing. The polishing left a thin layer of wax that prevented me from tasting it right away.
I picked up 2 different polishing compounds and some carnuba yesterday. Now I just need to buy a few more wheels.

 
bulldogbriar89

bulldogbriar89

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 3, 2014
644
1
you could also just let it sit in some oxyclean then wipe it off, if you don't want to have to buffer it

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom