I would suspect that any chemical effects the integrity of the rubber. But many likely not to a detrimental level. As you said earlier, there are no shortcuts to removing oxidation. And you can delay the return, but like time, oxidation marches on.
Vulcanite Stem Oxidation Removal. The Natural Way
- Thread starter bersekero
- Start date
Aggressive action is important but not so mandatory.
I had good results buy sinking the stem button down in a cup of espresso coffee full with lemon juice or baking soda with water and leave it there for several hours. Then wipe it good with something aggressive like you said. But the acic did all the preparation.
I had good results buy sinking the stem button down in a cup of espresso coffee full with lemon juice or baking soda with water and leave it there for several hours. Then wipe it good with something aggressive like you said. But the acic did all the preparation.
the oxidation usually gives off a bad taste.
1Q smokers seem to not notice it (my observation from cleaning used pipes).
I think the problem is confusing the accretion of mouth crud with actual Vulcanite oxidation. They’re two entirely different things.
Lemon juice might work well for crud removal, but oxidation is a chemical change to the Vulcanite which has to be physically removed or it will spread.
The way to avoid oxidation is to avoid exposing your Vulcanite stems to sunlight and oxygen. Adding a surface barrier, like wax, helps.
Lemon juice might work well for crud removal, but oxidation is a chemical change to the Vulcanite which has to be physically removed or it will spread.
The way to avoid oxidation is to avoid exposing your Vulcanite stems to sunlight and oxygen. Adding a surface barrier, like wax, helps.
That's where magic erasers can come into play with minor material loss. Oxidation can also be burned away with a lighter.
This is my experience. A tangy, slightly acrid, rubbery flavor. As most of my pipes are estates, I rarely get a neutral tasting vulcanite stem, even if they look pretty good and shiny in pictures.
I much prefer acrylic stems for this very reason, though my collection is probably 50/50 vulcanite:acrylic.
If you don't let mouth crud build up, that absolutely true. If you're a lazy bastard who lets it build up for months, rubbing it with your bare fingers will not do much of anything.
Try taking a tartar control toothpaste, the type that makes your teeth clean and white while grinding away your tooth enamel over the years, rub some onto a bristle pipe cleaner, preferably a White Elephant bristle cleaner since it has a strong spine, and try scrubbing out the interior of your stem. That may reduce the "rubber" taste quite a lot, if not entirely eliminate it.
I need to find a grungy stem to properly evaluate the lemon juice assertion. I often use Soft Scrub cleanser as an ME additive. So I feel like I can evaluate lemon juice efficacy pretty well by comparison.
Maybe I’ll do part with just the ME and part with the added juice. That should tell me something.
Maybe I’ll do part with just the ME and part with the added juice. That should tell me something.
I have a Pete stem I want to cut in half, clean and glue it back together.
Dang old thing!
It's primarily the outside of the oxidized vulcanite that is the source of the unwanted flavor, I can tell that just by putting the unlit pipe in my mouth. But I'll certainly try cleaning the inside of the stem via this suggestion, it can't hurt!
Please tell me if this looks like mouth crud or oxidation. This is after cleaning a vulcanite stem with magic eraser and lemon. I kept that sponge. And why my acrylic stems are all shining and extremely clean without any mouth crud? Same smoker same mouth.
With dry sponge it takes forever to remove the oxidation.
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I wet my Magic Eraser when using it. The only use I have for that product is around stamped stem logos like Peterson/Charatan. They do so little, they don't damage the stamped/painted logo. That is why they would not be a good choice to remove oxidation from a stem. I suppose they could help keep a new stem from oxidizing as quickly.
This a chemical treated product, so I'm not sure putting your mouth on that on a regular basis is a good idea. I'd wipe down with alcohol after using a Magic Eraser near the button.
The SDS shows it is fairly benign, so have at it!
This a chemical treated product, so I'm not sure putting your mouth on that on a regular basis is a good idea. I'd wipe down with alcohol after using a Magic Eraser near the button.
The SDS shows it is fairly benign, so have at it!
What am I looking at? This shows me nothing useful. Please show me a before and after of the stem.