Vulcanite Stem Oxidation Removal. The Natural Way

[bersekero]

LoL no I am not Italian.

 

[Ahi Ka]

LoL no I am not Italian.

My bad. Sorry I see your profile says you are Greek. Have you tried using windex?

Edit: I hope that reference lands well. I’m a smart arse but mean no harm. Actually I’ve been pondering why smoking hasn’t been that great for me lately and this thread reminds me that I am lazy and should clean my stems better

 

[bersekero]

No problem. No I haven't tried any glass cleaner or anything chemical.

 

[xrundog]

That only proves that the american lemons are not so effective like the mediterranean ones!
Seriously now, I am sorry it didn't work for you. So my whole theory is falling apart. So wether the oxidation on my own stems was minimal and not deep or it was actually mouth crud like another member suggested. It looked very much like oxidation though but not at all so extended like in your stems.

I honestly would have liked for it to work great.

 

[phdaemon]

My bad. Sorry I see your profile says you are Greek. Have you tried using windex?

Edit: I hope that reference lands well. I’m a smart arse but mean no harm. Actually I’ve been pondering why smoking hasn’t been that great for me lately and this thread reminds me that I am lazy and should clean my stems better

 

[sfenks]

You are welcome. We have all heard of acrylic stems. This thread has to do with vulcanite though. If you don’t care you can just pass.

Some people prefer vulcanite stems because they find them softer and more comfortable. Personally I am totally fine with acrylic. I can tell the difference though and I prefer vulcanite.

The thing is that if you like some particular pipe brands or models you have to deal with vulcanite whether you like it or not. Many manufacturers use vulcanite on their higher end models if not exclusively like Dunhill. You like Dunhill, you get the vulcanite.

Hello. I bought a pipe, and the stem had turned brown. Anyone who didn't know it was actually black would swear the stem was brown. I tried the magic eraser and lemon, and the results were excellent. When the eraser went from white to brown, I rinsed it with tap water, then added a few drops of lemon juice and continued.

Even when I checked it under daylight and a strong flashlight, it looked black. Thank you for that.

Then, I applied the mixture I made with carnauba wax and mineral oil. This mixture is creamy. While it's not mirror-shine, it still makes a handsome stem.

I love vulcanite stems. I oil and rub them, stroking them like I would my daughter's hair. I love and enjoy this hobby. As you said, not everyone has to like acrylic. While most of my pipes are acrylic, I enjoy taking care of my vulcanite.

I've added a photo below showing the oxide. I'll add a photo of the cleaned version when I get home.