Softie bits & oxidation

papajoe

Starting to Get Obsessed

Sep 9, 2014

181

5

• Jan 8, 2015

• #1

I'm using softie bits on my pipes. Recently, I got me an estate pipe, which was much oxidized. I got all the oxidation cleaned, and pot a softie on her. After a few smokes I noticed that under the softie the oxidation returned, but only under the softie. Does anyone know what the reason is for it? Could it be because of the saliva that gathers under the softie? does anyone know Other reasons for that? Should I stop using softie on that pipe?

 

xrundog

Part of the Furniture Now

Oct 23, 2014

737

1

Ames, IA

• Jan 8, 2015

• #2

I guess it is from the trapped saliva. I have noticed that when I get a pipe on which a softee was used, even after restoring the stem, it is very prone to oxidation in that spot. The sharp line from the end of where the softee was makes it obvious that's what it's from. I don't use them. And to combat the repeated oxidation I use the small jar of paste wax that comes with Walker Briar Works stem restore kit. I clean the stem after every smoke and apply a little wax with my finger. It seems to work.

If you are dedicated to softee bits, taking the bit off and cleaning after every smoke might help. Or you can just resign yourself to a green bit.

 

shaintiques

Lifer

Jul 13, 2011

3,615

228

Georgia

• Jan 8, 2015

• #3

As a restorer of many pipes I would have to also say it is the trapped saliva. A pipe that has been cleaned will stay clean, deoxidized for good if you do a couple of things. Clean your pipes regularly and keep them out of the sunlight. Moisture is also a factor and one would think that just smoking a pipe will cause it to reoxidize but this isn't the case if you wipe them down after you smoke them. I have recently started storing my pipes with Vulcanite stems out of the sunlight to keep them from reoxidizing. What I found was that pipes left out in racks even if I didn't smoke them would oxidize over time. Now I store them in a drawer in their respective socks. If you don't have socks for your pipes you can improvise or put a big towel in and fold it over them, this is just to keep them from rolling around and getting scuffed. I don't personally use softie bits as I like the feel of the actual stem.

 

buroak

Lifer

Jul 29, 2014

1,867

14

• Jan 8, 2015

• #4

I just checked the two vulcanite stems on which I use softie bits. I found no oxidation on them. The lack of oxidation may be down my putting on a coat of wax before adding the softie bits. Also, I put the softie bit clear out to the end of the button. Some folks appear to leave the button exposed with the softie bit just forward of the button's start. I wonder if placement of the softie bit is another factor.

 

shaintiques

Lifer

Jul 13, 2011

3,615

228

Georgia

• Jan 8, 2015

• #5

Another possibility is that you didn't deoxidize it well enough. You gotta get it all to prevent it from cropping back up.

 

buroak

Lifer

Jul 29, 2014

1,867

14

• Jan 8, 2015

• #6

I do some light restorations, but I often do not get all of the oxidation. I use Walker Briar Supply deoxidizer. Could someone please point out a website or thread in this forum that offers good instruction on deoxidizing? I have tried the Magic Eraser method on some "beaters" only to have the stems left with a rough texture. I have avoided the Oxi Clean soak because I do not what it would do to aluminum stingers on my Grabows and Kaywoodies.

 

buroak

Lifer

Jul 29, 2014

1,867

14

• Jan 8, 2015

• #7

I should also note that I do not have a low-rpm buffing setup, so any methods will have to rely on elbow grease.

 

newbroom

Lifer

Jul 11, 2014

6,130

6,827

Florida

• Jan 8, 2015

• #8

graduated grits of sanding paper and sanding mesh. wet sanding. elbow gease, patience, rinse and repeat.

I can get a pretty nice finish with 800 grit, but the best is to get mesh pads with finer abrasive and actually polishing properties. Read about any of rebornpipes articles and they walk you through the stem work about every pipe.

 

buroak

Lifer

Jul 29, 2014

1,867

14

• Jan 8, 2015

• #9

Thank you, newbroom. I will visit rebornpipes and order some abrasives.

 

papajoe

Starting to Get Obsessed

Sep 9, 2014

181

5

• Jan 8, 2015

• #10

Thanks all. I guess i'll take off the softie on this one

 

danielplainview

Lifer

Mar 30, 2014

2,853

78

wv

• Jan 9, 2015

• #11

I use softies on my clenchers and my grandfathers pipes and haven't had and problems. If you thoroughly clean, Wetsand and wax the stem, it should stay gloss black.

 

delro

Starting to Get Obsessed

Jan 7, 2015

204

2

• Feb 10, 2015

• #12

shaintiques, thank you for the tips going to change the way I store my pipes tonight!

 

L

lestrout

Lifer

Jan 28, 2010

1,763

302

Chester County, PA

• Feb 10, 2015

• #13

Maybe what is happening between the rubber softies and vulcanite stems is the sulfur in the softie is reacting with the surface of the vulcanite. Some of the Morley's members use thin surgical or food grade heat shrink tubing, mainly for the thinness of the material - a softie is bulky, and kind of defeats the feel of a nice thin Becker stem.
A thick coating of wax on the stem may be helping since the wax is a physical barrier between the two rubber surfaces of the vulcanite stem and the softie.
hp

les

 

darwin

Part of the Furniture Now

Apr 9, 2014

820

5

• Feb 10, 2015

• #14

I use Softies on everything and to avoid problems I have taken to removing them from the stem after every smoke. To avoid losing them I just pitch them in the pipe's bowl for the next round. It sounds like a hassle but it's easier than trying to remember which Softie was put on which pipe on what date. There are two basic sizes of Softie, 9mm and 12mm, and if the appropriate one is used then it's not the struggle it can be when trying to force a small one on and off a large stem.