Cleaning White ColorDuke

[spyder71]

I got a DG Colrduke with a lot and, other than being a bent, it will make a fine member of my growing DG family! Just need some quick advice on what to use on the bowl to clean it without hurting the finish. Can I still hit it with Carnuba when done? If its painted can I maybe hit with micro-mesh to polish it? I of course will treat the stem and chamber in my usual manner but want to clean the paint up before it gets hot so I don't cook any of the grime in.

I bet Brother Colorduke knows what to do!

 

[colorduke]

This may sound odd but most of mine clean up nice with spit and a mr clean magic eraser,if the rims are charred not much you can do if they just have a bunch of gunk on them keep scrubbing slow and easy so you dont pull the epoxy paint loose,might want to ask e james also he might have a different trick up his sleeve.What ever you do i repeat do not use an alcohol cleaner on it,i found out the hard way.

 

[spyder71]

Ah, the majic eraser! I used mine up on stems before I got my Micro-Mesh pads so I will put them on the shopping list.

Fortunately the top is only just a tad yellow from lighting and such. It is in otherwise great shape. My wife thinks it's silly that with all the fine chunks of wood that have great grain with no fills I would want a pipe thats painted. Her and I are both into fine woods that are naturally finished. I said, "I have to have it because it's a Grabow, just like I had to have a Peavey, a Fender, and an Epiphone." It's not like I dont have fine guitars and amps, I just didn't have THOSE fine guitars and amps! Im sooo lucky she gives in to my quirks without too much trouble :D

Thanks fop the reply ColorDuke!

 

[ejames]

Scott is right,no alcohol on that paint.Soap and water to remove the dirt and gunk. Wet sand with the finer grits of Micro-mesh and wax with what ever you have.I buff them(lightly) with my white or red compounds and they shine real nice. That paint is pretty tough stuff,but over the years it might have gotten worn kinda thin. Go lightly with what ever method you use to shine it up.

 

[spyder71]

Thanks a bunch guys! I will report on the outcome hopefully tomorrow.

 

[spyder71]

Hey guys, the pipe turned out shiny white! I used a bit of Dawn dish soap and gently scrubbed all the yellow/brown ickness off the bowl. I couldnt get all the color off the top of the bowl but at least it wasnt burnt, just a but colored like the amber a meer gets. The stem was as brown as the pipe but not chewed at all so it was easy to micro-mesh it back to a deep black. Now that it is clean I suspect it was not smoked much at all, it was just covered in a sticky dust of some sort and didn't have any cake build up to speak of.

OH! BTW, it smokes pretty damn good too! Now if only it wasnt a straight pipe...

Thanks guys for the advice, wanted to let you know it all turned better than I hoped :D

 

[bubbadreier]

I think you need to post some pictures!

 

[spyder71]

Took these a bit ago. The white shines now so the pics look a tad washed out, and I'm no shutterbug!

 

[olderthandirt]

Well that turned out very nice spyder!

 

[spyder71]

TY!

Sure do wish I had taken before shots. I think I am getting pretty good at restoring the stems. Also, these shots are BEFORE a turn on the wheel with Carnuba but it will be a week at least before I will be able to make to the garage. For now its just spit, elbow grease, and Micro-Mesh pads 8)

 

[olderthandirt]

Really love the Micro-Mesh pads here as well!

 

[ejames]

Looking good Spyder! Looks like you got lucky and got one that was owned by a guy who did not use a blow torch to light it with!

 

[ace57]

Looks nice.

 

[unclearthur]

Looks right dandy to me! Nice clean up.

 

[ejames]

I have the same pipe--in Orange! Ain't as nice as yours though.

 

[spyder71]

I will trade this pipe for a bent version in like condition of ANY color! Well, maybe not pink...I don,t look good in pink :D

I have pipes that were mine from an unsmoked condition with no rim burning, and I wonder how so many folks could be OK with wrecking the finish!

 

[colorduke]

Nice job on the colorduke,there is a nice white one fullbent on ebay right now starting bid $7.00.

 

[ejames]

The bent painted pipes are a bit harder to come by it seems,especially the bulldogs and authors(a blue 81 author just sold for $49.00) The white pipes seem to be bring the lowest prices-more common I guess.

 

[colorduke]

Iwas after that blue 81 for my collection but common sense set it and i quit bidding around $20.00 something,i do have a red and a green 81.I do have a blue 47 fair not the greatest.

 

[ejames]

I need to pick up a 47(full bent). I have an X08 but the paint is in terrible shape and it has this weird flat area on the shank. I've tried repainting these with a high temp engine enamel. Looks great great until you smoke a few bowls in it! I plan to do some "body work" and repaint it but it will be a dust collector only.