Freshen Up With That Olive Oil?
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I can see using it on stems, but not wood. Olive oil will get sticky and go rancid in time so I can't see it being good for wood. I would use some sort of stem polish for stem, carnuba for bowl and a flannel wheel on a buffer. I just rub a little Italian nose grease on my vulcanite stems and buff the stem and bowl with a flannel cloth.
You are going to get some disagreement on the question of olive oil. Some will say no. Some will say they have used it for years with no problems. I suspect this is one of those times when everyone's right.
I'm curious if it will have the same effect on a pipe as it does in a cutting board, helping heal the wood and seal it from moisture. I do know that oil will help to keep board from becoming contaiminated in the grain by bacteria.
But, the the addition of heat, is that desirable in a pipe?
But, the the addition of heat, is that desirable in a pipe?
I use stem polish and then follow that with something called Obsidian Oil to help prevent oxidation. Not on Lucite stems though. A lot of forum members use Obsidian oil for this. I bought mine from Smokingpipes.com. On briar I have been using Deni-care pipe wax.
I have seen you mention the mineral oil before Roth. I think that is a great idea. I would imagine that a drop used very infrequently would be sufficient?
I use olive oil since i have nothing else to use. It does not taste very great so let it dry completely or wipe the end clean if your gunna light it up. I haven't experienced anything due to it going rancid but it could just be because that is how I've done it from the beginning. I will eventually get some stem oil and then i will see how it works but till then olive oil is that way i go.
Some pipe makers (Nachwalter, Marks, et al.) actually finish pipes with olive oil on occasion. I've never had problems with it going rancid. However, it will darken a pipe with a light or "natural" stain, so beware of that. On darker finishes, it won't matter much.
I've used it for stems as well, but Obsidian Oil is MUCH better. Brebbia stem polish is good, too (just takes a little elbow grease).
I've used it for stems as well, but Obsidian Oil is MUCH better. Brebbia stem polish is good, too (just takes a little elbow grease).
I would like to suggest an alternative to olive oil. When turning an object for use with food, mineral oil and olive oil are pretty commen. The last 8 or 9 years have seen the advent of walnut oil - literally the oil squeezed from walnuts.
It has the advantage over nose oil and olive oil in that it is significantly slower to turn bad. It has an advantage over mineral oil in that it will stick around in and on the stummel longer - cutting boards etc. require frequent applications because it evaporates.
I think the main advantage of mineral oil is that it doesn't change the color of the wood as much as the other two, and it has a neutral odor. The smell of walnuts isn't bad, though in my opinion.
You can get it in gormet or health food stores, or at woodworking stores.
I have used it some on pipes instead of stains. It is a commitment, though, as it changes the wood just as much as a penetrating stain like analine dyes.
anthony
It has the advantage over nose oil and olive oil in that it is significantly slower to turn bad. It has an advantage over mineral oil in that it will stick around in and on the stummel longer - cutting boards etc. require frequent applications because it evaporates.
I think the main advantage of mineral oil is that it doesn't change the color of the wood as much as the other two, and it has a neutral odor. The smell of walnuts isn't bad, though in my opinion.
You can get it in gormet or health food stores, or at woodworking stores.
I have used it some on pipes instead of stains. It is a commitment, though, as it changes the wood just as much as a penetrating stain like analine dyes.
anthony
I use Denicare pipe wax for my bowls and Obidisian stem oil for my vulcanite stems and they both work great.
Roth makes a great point, do not ever use Paragon wax on a sandblasted or rusticated pipe, it is a bitch to get off. The first time I used it I did not read the label which says to only use on smooth pipes. It took me forever to get the wax out of the nooks and crannies of my blasted pipe. Paragon does work great on smooth pipes.
The Denicare I do use is fine for the blasted pipes I have.
The Denicare I do use is fine for the blasted pipes I have.
I recently bought some Paragon wax from Finepipes.com and it works really well. Its great for those of us that don't have a buffing wheel to polish our stems and pipes. It gives the pipes a nice shine for sure.
I like olive oil and have never had a problem . Now the trick to wax is ,it only takes a dab on the end of a Qtip to do a whole pipe any more and you are asking for trouble . Nothing quite like spending a week with a rusticated pipe and tooth picks to remove the excess . Much like Harris I learned this lesson the hard way .
I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback - quite helpful as always!
A bit of an update. I've been using olive oil (Extra virgin) on the stems only. I'm liking the results on my Vulcanite stems - I use a very thin coat overnight, then wipe if off the next morning. It seems to take care of the oxidation well.
There were enough of you that cautioned against using it on the wood that I didn't feel comfortable doing it. Instead, I've just been giving them a quick rub with a microfiber cloth to shine them up a bit. My unfinished Savinelli, I've done nothing to the wood at all - it just looks better and better every time I smoke it.
Thanks again for the benefit of your collective experience!
A bit of an update. I've been using olive oil (Extra virgin) on the stems only. I'm liking the results on my Vulcanite stems - I use a very thin coat overnight, then wipe if off the next morning. It seems to take care of the oxidation well.
There were enough of you that cautioned against using it on the wood that I didn't feel comfortable doing it. Instead, I've just been giving them a quick rub with a microfiber cloth to shine them up a bit. My unfinished Savinelli, I've done nothing to the wood at all - it just looks better and better every time I smoke it.
Thanks again for the benefit of your collective experience!
I'm with Roth...been using mineral oil for years on all wood items which come in contact with my mouth(including my pipes). I've had my woodworking students use this exclusively on their cutting boards for 20 years. It's stable, and scent-free. Since it has no smell, it's my go-to lube for my squeaky deer stands. It's also great to put a rust-blocking film on metal. I use it on my straight razors and fillet knives.
About wax in the crevices of your rusticated pipe: Just put the pipe (briefly) in a LOW TEMP oven , or use a heat gun to carefully melt the extra wax from your pipe. Remove the stem of course....
About wax in the crevices of your rusticated pipe: Just put the pipe (briefly) in a LOW TEMP oven , or use a heat gun to carefully melt the extra wax from your pipe. Remove the stem of course....
Personally, I use jojoba oil on both stems and on the bowls. I've even applied it to an unfinished Nording I have with wonderful results:
http://i.imgur.com/qCvTzQK.jpg
PS. Jojoba oil is technically a plant wax and will not go rancid. It can be found at most drug stores.
http://i.imgur.com/qCvTzQK.jpg
PS. Jojoba oil is technically a plant wax and will not go rancid. It can be found at most drug stores.
Olive oil is interesting. I use Briar Pipe Wipe for the bowls, and Chapstick in the stems. Seems to work well.
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