Cleaning Up an old Orlik

[hauntedmyst]

I picked this one up on eBay cheap. It's fairly sizable with a 3" bowl and 7 inches long. The stem doesn't fit in the mortise and I can't tell if it had a decorative ring on the tenon. I've been able to clean it and remove the stain. I can see why they rusticated it as I found some dark spots but all in all its a decent pipe. The mouthpiece said Hand Cut under all that dirt. Now I have to figure out what to stain it.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Love orliks. We’re there any marking on the bottom of the shank? Stain wise, I vote for tanshell, unless you are going to experiment with blues/greens again ??

 

[Brendan]

I'm kinda digging it in its natural state..

 

[Chasing Embers]

I'm kinda digging it in its natural state..

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Love orliks. We’re there any marking on the bottom of the shank? Stain wise, I vote for tanshell, unless you are going to experiment with blues/greens again ??

The only marking was Orlik but it's obliterated. I was thinking tan or natural but I'll have to find my phone to show you why,

 

[mso489]

I think it would color nicely left natural. It takes some years, but I'd suspect a nice polished walnut color.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Here’s the stain on the blast on a couple of my orliks. Just some inspiration/an excuse to post them lol

 

[hauntedmyst]

See these dark spots? Probably some detritus is the wood so I have to go dark.

 

[anotherbob]

love the pipe. I'd stain it a medium dark stain. So that the dark spots show up but not aggressively. That's just what I'd do with it. Adds to the character of the pipe in my opinion. Reminds you it came from the ground.

 

[mikethompson]

Definitely a medium stain at most. I'd want to show off some of that craggy rustication.

 

[Brendan]

Bugger.

Shame about the spots, I do like the colour of the bottom pipe in Ahi Ka’s post, not a fan of the dark stain it originally had.

But..

It is your pipe, sir.

 

[hauntedmyst]

I tried to go medium brown with what I have on had. It came out terracotta. It's more ruddy in person and less pink than the picture shows. It shows the rustication well but as a whole to me its just blah. I'm going to have to order more stains.

 

[Duck]

I tried to go medium brown with what I have on had. It came out terracotta. It's more ruddy in person and less pink than the picture shows. It shows the rustication well but as a whole to me its just blah. I'm going to have to order more stains.View attachment 100102

I can imagine that looking really nice when it darkens.

 

[jpmcwjr]

On that b/g, with that photo, it looks good!

 

[hauntedmyst]

Thanks! Learning a lot and have much respect for artisans and people like George who can be so consistent in their matching of finishes. As a near total newbie to restraining pipes, I have a few observations (you pros may now say "Well, duh" but much of this I've known in theory but never actually had practical hands on experience. ):

• Briar is both a wonderful mistress and a heartless bitch. Undressed it can be even more beautiful than you thought or hiding a hideous flaw. Or both.
• I have no yet to find a way to perfect stripping a pipe without blowing out the nomenclature.
  • The next pipe gets vaseline put on the nomenclature and then gets carefully sanded down after the rest of the stain is removed.
• It's strange how two pipes can look similar in tone when stripped but take the stain so differently.
• Stain, no matter how much you try, makes a mess. Even wearing gloves my hands haven't been this colorful since I wore a smock in 2nd grade and used Tempura paints.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Thanks! Learning a lot and have much respect for artisans and people like George who can be so consistent in their matching of finishes. As a near total newbie to restraining pipes, I have a few observations (you pros may now say "Well, duh" but much of this I've known in theory but never actually had practical hands on experience. ):

• Briar is both a wonderful mistress and a heartless bitch. Undressed it can be even more beautiful than you thought or hiding a hideous flaw. Or both.
• I have no yet to find a way to perfect stripping a pipe without blowing out the nomenclature.
  • The next pipe gets vaseline put on the nomenclature and then gets carefully sanded down after the rest of the stain is removed.
• It's strange how two pipes can look similar in tone when stripped but take the stain so differently.
• Stain, no matter how much you try, makes a mess. Even wearing gloves my hands haven't been this colorful since I wore a smock in 2nd grade and used Tempura paints.

Dear Sir,Mind my asking, what sort of stripping agent you were using to remove this original stain?,Acetone perhaps?

 

[hauntedmyst]

Oxyclean or denatured alcohol.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I thought the thread was about vacuum cleaners!!????

 

[hauntedmyst]

I tried green, oxblood, tans, browns. At the end of the day, she just looks best in black.