Hand Buffing With Tripoli?
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Anthony:
I'm with the esteemed Mr. Ejames. If you don't have a wheel then grab a set of Micro-Mesh pads - cheaper also ran sets are out there - and a pot of Halcyon II wax.
But you can get get into a serviceable wheel lash up for well less than a c-note. I was given an old but working furnace motor (20 to 30 bucks on Craig's List or Want Ads) and my sons gave me the smaller Beall Woodworking Kit for Christmas, (49.95 plus S&H).
Can't wait for the garage to warm up enough so I can start throwing lint and the occasional practice bowl.
Fnord
I'm with the esteemed Mr. Ejames. If you don't have a wheel then grab a set of Micro-Mesh pads - cheaper also ran sets are out there - and a pot of Halcyon II wax.
But you can get get into a serviceable wheel lash up for well less than a c-note. I was given an old but working furnace motor (20 to 30 bucks on Craig's List or Want Ads) and my sons gave me the smaller Beall Woodworking Kit for Christmas, (49.95 plus S&H).
Can't wait for the garage to warm up enough so I can start throwing lint and the occasional practice bowl.
Fnord
Alpha Abrasives has a version of Micro-Mesh pads. I have bought them from Hobby Lobby.
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/micro-finishing-cloth-abrasive-pads-516765/
They also sell a set of abrasive papers I find useful:
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/ultra-fine-waterproof-finishing-kit-852400/
I use these because I also lack a proper buffing wheel set up - partly by choice.
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/micro-finishing-cloth-abrasive-pads-516765/
They also sell a set of abrasive papers I find useful:
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/ultra-fine-waterproof-finishing-kit-852400/
I use these because I also lack a proper buffing wheel set up - partly by choice.
Hia, Buroak:
According to the manufacturer Halcyon II plays nicer with rusticated and blasted bowls. Again, according to the manufacturer, Paragon was his first effort and kills on smooth bowls.
FWIW, when I use Halcyon II I frequently unleash my wife's hair dryer. A handrub normally does the trick but a little heat never hurts.
Hope this helps.
Fnord
According to the manufacturer Halcyon II plays nicer with rusticated and blasted bowls. Again, according to the manufacturer, Paragon was his first effort and kills on smooth bowls.
FWIW, when I use Halcyon II I frequently unleash my wife's hair dryer. A handrub normally does the trick but a little heat never hurts.
Hope this helps.
Fnord
Before I bought a variable speed drill and some cotton buffing wheels I used both white diamond compound and carnauba wax by hand with fair results. It's just more work and takes longer. I had read Dave Whitney's book, "Old Briar" and followed his methods. He uses no power tools and gets very nice results. He is also an estate pipe seller on ebay.
I didn't know Dave W did not use a buffer! He does some pretty amazing stuff by hand. (I have one of his Kaywoodie restorations).
I've seen the Alpha Abrasives product at Hobby Lobby and wondered how it compared to Micromesh, it is significantly cheaper. I communicated with them on ordering larger, unpadded sheets. They gave me some prices, but then stopped responding to my request to purchase them. I guess my small quantities lost their attention.
I agree, trying to hand-buff with Tripoli would be futile.
I've seen the Alpha Abrasives product at Hobby Lobby and wondered how it compared to Micromesh, it is significantly cheaper. I communicated with them on ordering larger, unpadded sheets. They gave me some prices, but then stopped responding to my request to purchase them. I guess my small quantities lost their attention.
I agree, trying to hand-buff with Tripoli would be futile.
I have used the padded "micro mesh" stuff from hobby lobby on some stems. They work pretty nice but wear out fairly fast. I can't find mine so I will be buying more soon.
As noted, it's po but a lot of elbow grease; I did that for several months before I got a buffing system. The Halcyon II does a pretty good job on any pipe, IMHO, even the one meer I tried it on. I think you'll be happier and put a lot less effort in using either micro mesh or going through wet/dry paper up through 800 or higher grit.
You're not going to get the same kind of effect on wood with Tripoli and hand buffing that a buffer will give. However, I use Tripoli on a rag to polish chains all of the time. So, on polishing the stems and the stummels to some degree, it will give good results.
On using micromesh pads, they are great, but Tripoli gives a couple of steps finer abrasive action, meaning that the pads work fantastically, but even a little Tripoli on a rag will take it just a tad further to polish.
I just dab the rag in a little alcohol and the rub it on the Tripoli stick.
You can also get great results with a polishing cloth, which uses a very very fine imbedded abrasive along with a slight acid to give a quick and lustrous polish. I keep one by my pipe rack, and I wipe the stummel and give the stem a couple of good swipes before resting a smoked pipe. It works well in place of the rag and Tripoli in a pinch.
I cannot verify whether it is finer in abrasive than Tripoli or not though. But, it is definitely less messy. And, I have never had oxides on my stems nor my sterling or gold bands. Just don't let your wife steal it to polish the silverware, because once she realizes how fast it works, it's gone, ha ha!!
On using micromesh pads, they are great, but Tripoli gives a couple of steps finer abrasive action, meaning that the pads work fantastically, but even a little Tripoli on a rag will take it just a tad further to polish.
I just dab the rag in a little alcohol and the rub it on the Tripoli stick.
You can also get great results with a polishing cloth, which uses a very very fine imbedded abrasive along with a slight acid to give a quick and lustrous polish. I keep one by my pipe rack, and I wipe the stummel and give the stem a couple of good swipes before resting a smoked pipe. It works well in place of the rag and Tripoli in a pinch.
I cannot verify whether it is finer in abrasive than Tripoli or not though. But, it is definitely less messy. And, I have never had oxides on my stems nor my sterling or gold bands. Just don't let your wife steal it to polish the silverware, because once she realizes how fast it works, it's gone, ha ha!!
Wet sand with those pads and they will last much longer. Almost all of the sanding I do on stems is done wet,whether with Micro Mesh or wet-dry sandpaper.
Dave does sometimes use a Dremel but most of his work is done by hand. It is especially amazing considering the trouble he has had with his hands, He has had several surgeries on them. Not to mention that he is not a young man-- 78 I believe.
You'll probably do better wet-sanding with fine abrasives, even 0000 steel wool.
But if you have or can get access to any kind of rotating device (bench grinder, lathe, drill press, etc.), you can probably mount a buffing wheel on it.
But if you have or can get access to any kind of rotating device (bench grinder, lathe, drill press, etc.), you can probably mount a buffing wheel on it.
Thanks all. I suppose after doing everything else by hand with no power it wouldn't hurt purchasing some buffing wheels and an arbor, hooking them up to my hand drill. I'd like to give my first pipe the best finish I possibly can. 
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