Vulcanite Stem Oxidation Removal. The Natural Way

[ssjones]

So there’s hope that as I keep my pipes stored in a dark place, I won’t have to clean off the oxidation again until I die!

And not use them!

 

[bersekero]

And not use them!

Ah OK, forget it

 

[sablebrush52]

Ah OK, forget it

Nah, that isn't exactly true. I've used 99% of the pipes I own, and, since I don't leave them on display where they can get hit by sunlight, the stems haven't oxidized to an appreciable extent over decades.

The serious Britwood collectors, with MUCH nicer collections than mine, due to MUCH deeper pockets, don't put their collections out on display. They're not stupid about money and these pipes are expensive. In the collectible part of the market, condition matters. Instead of racks, the pipes are on shelves in flat files, or in cases, away from light. If there's a rack, it's a small one intended to hold the current picks for smoking.

Enjoy your pipes, just clean the stem after use and keep in a dark place between usages, and you're be fine. Here's how I store my uncased pipes.

 

[bersekero]

Thank you my friend. Very nice collection!
I store my English pipes inside a large wooden cigar box.

 

[sablebrush52]

Thank you my friend. Very nice collection!
I store my English pipes inside a large wooden cigar box.

Whatever works to keep your pipes in good shape.
These stems are 118 years old and I've never had to touch them:

 

[Waning Embers]

Whatever works to keep your pipes in good shape.

The ones that I've burned the oxidation off of haven't had any oxidation return. I wonder if the flame did something to the composition of the material?

 

[FLDRD]

I just tried the oxyclean soak on 4 Peterson stems. 2 looked much better, 1 slightly better, 1 worse...
All were different years of production.
I'm going to have to do something different on that 4th one.

 

[xrundog]

Whatever works to keep your pipes in good shape.
These stems are 118 years old and I've never had to touch them:

Let’s face it, that’s much better rubber than most of the later stuff. Even when they are a little oxidized they clean up easy.

 

[sablebrush52]

The ones that I've burned the oxidation off of haven't had any oxidation return. I wonder if the flame did something to the composition of the material?

Oxidation, like in yellowish tinge to the Vulcanite, or crud, usually a buildup around the bite area. Once I've removed any crud from the stem and given it a polish I've not had a recurrence as long as I clean the stem after a day's use.

 

[bersekero]

Whatever works to keep your pipes in good shape.
These stems are 118 years old and I've never had to touch them:

Fantastic stunning jaw dropping!!
I always wanted a barling but again I always end up looking at dunhills.
I'd really like to find a barling exactly like these but straight.
This is a very long and interesting journey and I have just started.
I realized that a couple of years in this hobby is very short time.
Thank you again.

 

[mingc]

Hello all. I keep reading in several threads about Oxyclean, sand papers of various grinds, jeweler’s cloth, micromesh cloth, toothbrush, toothpaste, obsidian oil, power tools buffing with compounds etc.

While I am pretty sure that everything works, I have a different approach and use materials every household has.

I am a knife guy and for quite a few decades I’ve been using lemon to remove stains from my carbon steel knives. I cut a lemon in half and then I rub the blade with the half lemon for a few minutes. The stains go away.

After I sharpen my knives on the stones I polish the edge of the blade with a leather belt. I use the opposite side which is rough no gloss natural leather with no varnish. This is what the old barbers used to do to sharpen the straight razors. No polishing compound needed.

Back to the Vulcanite stems now

I use a magic eraser sponge (dirt cheap from Temu but every market sells it). All you need is a few drops of lemon juice on the sponge and then you rub the oxidized part of the stem . It takes a few seconds up to a few minutes to remove the oxidation, depending on how much it is.

Don’t have a magic eraser? You can use a piece of printer paper with lemon juice. Not glossy paper. The lazy way is a battery operated rotary soft toothbrush with lemon or toothpaste. Toothpaste leaves a rougher surface though. You can also use vinegar or coca cola but it takes more time. Lemon is the king. You can also use citric acid juice or crystalls diluted with water. It's the same as natural lemon. These are acidic and remove oxidation.

Now that the oxidation disappeared we have to polish the stem near the button where the oxidation used to be because the above procedure usually leaves a matt finish.

I rub the stem on the rough side of the leather belt for a couple of minutes. These days almost everybody wears a nylon belt but we old codgers all have leather belts.

We pipe smokers most likely also have a Peterson type leather pipe stand. The inside is rough leather. It’s the same thing like the belt.

Alternatively you can polish the stem with a dry printer paper.

The above is a one-time procedure.

Now that our stem is polished we can apply beeswax to further polish and seal the stem. I use it to waterproof my leather boots. We can also use olive or vegetable oil or butter.

Regular Maintainance.

After each smoke rub the stem with your shirt, a paper tissue or just your fingers. The fingers have some fat on them.

Weekly. Apply Beeswax or natural edible oil. Store your pipes at a dark place.

I promise you will never see oxidation again.

What, no nose oil?! You're missing a trick here!

 

[bersekero]

What, no nose oil?! You're missing a trick here!

I don't follow. Please explain.

 

[wyfbane]

I don't follow. Please explain.

Literally rubbing the oil off the side of your nose and using it to polish a stem.

 

[Sig]

Thank you for your post.
My conclusion becomes after only a little time observation so I will take your word for it.
I will come back for a longer time review.
I don't feel very comfortable removing material from a dunhill stem though! Half the please for me is that feeling of the dunhill stem and button. Sand papers and power tools may cause damage and alter the shape of these incredible buttons.

As I described in my thread on the 10 minute stem repair, 0000 steel wool removes oxidation about as easy and non damaging as possible. It removes the least amount of material(which is a must for longer term oxidation removal), and does not change the shape of the stem.....much. If you take minor care after this procedure, you won't have to do it again for years. Of course you'll need to wax the stem after.

 

[Sig]

Thanks for the tip! BTW, I didn't know lemon juice would remove stains from CS!

It can, but be very careful if you like the look of your blade(or pan), lemon juice is also a way to "force patina" carbon steel. If left on too long, it turns CS dark permanently. Lemon juice put on CS and repeated several times will make the steel turn almost black. Its KINDA like a bluing. It helps keep the CS from rusting...sort of. But there are MUCH better ways to force patina a knife blade.

 

[Sig]

Or you can skip the maintenance and worries entirely by getting acrylic or nylon or other types of stems.

Honestly, having held a vulcanite stem in my teeth and an acrylic, I couldn't tell a damn bit of difference between them. I think that's all in people's heads, and if there is any difference, it's so marginal that it doesn't make the extra effort worth the hassle.

Vulcanite is super overrated.


We do?

Love these lines like this. See it all the time, rarely is it ever "most of us".

I recently bought 2 new Peterson pipes. One with acrylic, one with Vulcanite. I have to say, there isnt much difference.
But, Vulcanite on older pipes is FAR different than acrylic. Its softer and it feels better in the mouth....in my opinion. They even sound different on the teeth. I can tell instantly on an older pipe. The new Vulcanite Peterson is using is NOT the same as on old GBD, Comoys, and most other pre 1980s pipes I've had.
Im sure there are different grades, or types of Vulcanite.

 

[bersekero]

It can, but be very careful if you like the look of your blade(or pan), lemon juice is also a way to "force patina" carbon steel. If left on too long, it turns CS dark permanently. Lemon juice put on CS and repeated several times will make the steel turn almost black. Its KINDA like a bluing. It helps keep the CS from rusting...sort of. But there are MUCH better ways to force patina a knife blade.

Excellent analysis!

 

[bersekero]

Literally rubbing the oil off the side of your nose and using it to polish a stem.

From inside or outside the nose? I still can't understand if this is a joke or not.

 

[Briarcutter]

From inside or outside the nose? I still can't understand if this is a joke or not.

No joke. I remember years ago guys rubbing their smooth pipe against their forehead or nose then rubbing the oil around their pipe. The oil does shine the pipe. I have no idea if it's actually good for the pipe but it dose shine it. I suppose facial oil would be considered natural though.

 

[khiddy]

From inside or outside the nose? I still can't understand if this is a joke or not.

Natural oil from the outside of your nose (or anywhere on your face, really; think of your teenage days and how much stem-protecting oil you worked to eliminate just so the resultant acne wouldn’t make your face look like the far side of the moon).

And it’s no joke, even if I attempted to make it funny.