If im Sanding with gray 3000G sandpaper, and get brown residue on the sandpaper, I must still be sanding oxidation? If I sand and only black or no residue, i'm through the oxidation.
Sanding vulcanite stems. still learning
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Be careful, even black Ebonite gives off brown dust.
Different formulas of rubber can sand differently. Brown is really common. 3000g is really fine so it could take awhile. I like to wet sand with 800g. Even that isn’t fast.
To check your work, clean the stem off and look at it in direct sunlight. You should be able to spot the oxidation.
To check your work, clean the stem off and look at it in direct sunlight. You should be able to spot the oxidation.
You know you've reached clean vulcanite when the water runs clear while wet sanding. Or at least that's my experience. I try to stop sanding when I reach that stage.
Weirdly enough, clean vulcanite still produces brown dust when dry sanded.
Getting a Rubber Stem Back to Black
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I used some soft scrub with really fine and progressive little and soft sanding pads. Patience.
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Make friends with Magic Erasers and manicure blocks. No need to destroy a stem with sandpaper and buffers.
Indeed. I've destroyed thousands.
It's my specialty.
So many and so completely that people send me their rare collectable$ from all over the world to destroy.
3000 grit paper is for final finishing, I doubt it would remove oxidation.
Yes, starting with 3000 grit on oxidation will take forever. I start with 400. Then gradually move to 3000 then polish on a wheel.
Geez! Why mot just say nobody knows what the f*** they’re doing except you.
Lots of people can be right at the same time. Many people have good results with a variety of methods.
I use 0000 steel wool, then 3000 grit if I care enough about the pipe.
The steel wool goes through oxidation very quickly and leaves the stem buttery smooth. A little oil, and it looks like new.
The steel wool goes through oxidation very quickly and leaves the stem buttery smooth. A little oil, and it looks like new.
I’ll have to give that a shot.
Saying that sanding and buffing “destroys” stems when that is the primary method many people use to achieve good results is pretty offensive.
There are different levels of oxidation. Very mild may be removed by only 3000 grit,steel wool or manicure blocks. Without polishing you'll still end up with a matt finish,it depends on what your own acceptance level is. Without polishing you'll never achieve that "mirror" polish look. But if it's highly oxidized (brown) those methods may still work but it would take forever. Sand paper and polishing wheels work great and don't destroy stems, pipe makers have been using this method for many years
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If you are “still learning” I would suggest starting out with cheap pipes and ‘softer’ alternative methods and progress to sandpaper and buffers (still with cheap stems) after you become more knowledgeable.
To be honest I jumped in head first with sand paper and especially buffers and over buffed buttons, destroyed the lines and shank stem connection, logos magically disappeared, the stem ended up much smaller then the shank etc and I was left like
WTH did I just do?I think you can recommend a softer safer way to beginners without being offensive. Of course, it all depends on how people choose to perceive it too.