A Question about "Natural" pipes

[matchstickman]

I have a pipe that I just started stripping the finish off of with the hopes of adding a new stain and rewaxing. Then I saw something about one of the pipes that Jasongone made that he didnt bother staining at all, just waxed it up and it was good to go. Once I get done stripping the finish, can I just throw a coat of wax on and call it good? Is there something else I should do to it before rewaxing after the finish has been taken off? I kind of like the idea of having a "natural" pipe but wasnt sure how to go about doing it.

 

[lordnoble]

With my Savinelli Natural, I just rubbed it with Halcyon 2 wax (since I don't have any other means to make my pipes all polished and shiny), let it dry and buffed it up. It's started to get a nice patina to it from the briar absorbing the tar and such from the tobacco. So I'd say just polish it up and go!
-Jason

 

[matchstickman]

I was actually thinking of doing this with Paragon, even though Ive heard that it doesnt make a good wax for a "virgin surface." Even so, Ill give it a shot. Thank you good sir!

 

[ssjones]

Does the bowl finish darken over time/use? (other than the top, which I assume would get darker)

 

[olderthandirt]

I've 2 pipes that I stripped, sanded and left unstained. Carnauba wax only. They do indeed darken in time, nice look to my mind.

 

[stephendownie]

I like natural pipes, they colour really nicely and they sort of remind me of how a Meer will change colour. Not as dramatic, but they certainly gain character over the years.

 

[dd951]

My next PAD order will have A pipe with A natural finiish in it. :puffpipe:

 

[yuri66]

Does the bowl finish darken over time/use? (other than the top, which I assume would get darker)

Yes t he bowl will naturally darken from use, the oils in your hand and the tobacco... I have one that as the years go by is contunually changing its look and I enjoy it, I just wish I would have taken a picture of it when it was new so I could compare.

 

[wolfscout]

I have several that have darkened since I bought them new. so yeah.

 

[schmitzbitz]

Every time I set about to refurbish a pipe; I have these grandiose ideas about how I am going to re-stain 'em. So far, I've only actually restained one (a full blast), the rest I ended up keeping natural - or with natural highlights, such as the smoker I'm working on now, a Chacom blast that had a huge chip in the top of the bowl. I sanded the top down with the plans of rusticating it to match the blast, and liked the contrast between the black blast and natural smooth portions - so I gently took off some of the black dye with sandpaper at the end of the shank and top of the bowl...kind of a "Fade to Blast" if you will.

 

[tjameson]

How did you go about stripping the finish?

 

[schmitzbitz]

TJ; the Pete pictured below arrived on my doorstep a deep oxblood colour. This is the end result of bathing the bowl in isopropyl alcohol (99.9% pure) for 24 hours, then lightly sanding with micromesh pads. Repeat until the stain is completely removed.

I then attack all exterior surfaces with ascending grits of micromesh until I have a glass-smooth polish, then apply Clapham's Salad Bowl polish (a paste of carnuba/beeswax/microcrystaline wax).

 

[tjameson]

Precisely what I was looking for, thanks for the info Schmitz! I figured i could use alcohol but want to be sure. I have a Nosewarmer billiard that is very dark stain but has some decent looking grain poking through. I figure since it's my favorite pipe and it's small it will patina quickly if I strip it and I'm a freak for any kind of patina whether wood, metal, leather, old houses....I love it.

 

[tjameson]

Schmitz feel free to post that pic in the natural patina thread I started.