Removing All The Old Wax

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scrooge

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,341
14
Trying my hand at my 1st restore. What is a good way to remove all the old wax.

 

dmcmtk

Lifer
Aug 23, 2013
3,672
1,685
I usually wipe the stummel with a paper towel and isopropyl alcohol, available at any grocery store. It also will take off any handling grime on the pipe. People will caution about the stain, but most of the pipes I've cleaned, the stain has been pretty well "set".

 

drwatson

Lifer
Aug 3, 2010
1,721
5
toledo
It may sound crazy but when I have restored and old estate, I use just plain old hot water. Cleans the grime and melts off old wax. NEVER had 1 issue. Dries back out super fast, after all before its a pipe the briar is getting rained on in nature.

 

xrundog

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 23, 2014
737
1
Ames, IA
I agree that hot water will get a lot off. Maybe all of it. It's a good place to start. If you're having problems with that, alcohol on a rag will do the job. It takes of the crud and leaves the stain/patina alone.

 

rcstan

Lifer
Mar 7, 2012
1,466
8
Sunset Beach NC
For a less intrusive method on blasts and rusticated or carved, try warming slightly with a heat gun or hair dryer, then go at it with a toothbrush.

 

fnord

Lifer
Dec 28, 2011
2,746
8
Topeka, KS
Thanks, RCStan.
I've got many out of fashion, heavy bowled, plateaued topped burners and your suggestion is well worth trying.
Fnord

 
Mar 30, 2014
2,853
78
wv
+1 Murphy Oil Soap and hot water. Use a toothbrush for rustic and blasts. Don't get it inside the pipe, unless you like pine flavored tobacco.

 

okiescout

Lifer
Jan 27, 2013
1,530
6
People will caution about the stain, but most of the pipes I've cleaned, the stain has been pretty well "set".
I agree. I think there have been maybe 3 that have showed a readiness to lose the stain. One was a new mid range priced Mastro de Paja I purchased several years ago. Now I test them to see if it is going to be problematic, but out of close to a hundred estates so far it just has not happened.

 
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