Help me on Vulcanite Restoration

[Briar Lee]

Thirty or so years ago I bought a huge Bari Wiking with a sculpted vulcanite stem that marked two things in my long journey of accumulating pipes. It was my first “estate” (used) pipe and the first one I ever had a stem oxidize.

There was no internet then, so I just scrubbed it with toothpaste and an old toothbrush until it was black again.

Today I use Obsidian Oil and 4/0 steel wool, or toothpaste if it’s a hard case. It may take several days of trying, but usually they shine back to a glossy black.

My latest big Jumbo C Marxman has one of the toughest to restore stems I can remember. It’s better, but it keeps looking frosty after several days of attempts.



For what it’s worth none of the three pipes I bought it came with, had any kind of markings about imported briar, which to me means they are pre 1939 and have vulcanite made with natural rubber.

The other two pipe stems are just gloriously black, and no trace they ever were oxidized.

What else can I do, other than just smoke it?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Briarcutter]

Sand and polish them. The thickness of the oxidation will determine the length of time and effort. i have the necessary equipment so I can only comment on what I do. I'd start with 400 grit and then,600,800,1200,1500 and then polish with my 4 polishing compound grits. You could get by with a fairly aggressive compound then end up with your final finish or "high coloring" compound. The higher grit you take it with your abrasive paper will mean less polishing. Some people only take it to 400 grit paper then polish but I like to take it a few steps more then polish. When I make a mouthpiece I start after files with 80 grit and keep working up but thats a new mouthpiece and certainly not needed just to remove oxidation.

 

[jpmcwjr]

What I'd do is cover it with mineral or Obsidian oil and leave it be.
Some vulcanite is pure crap, filled with sulphur. OTOH, I have a 60 year old pipe whose stem is quite black and never been hassled over. Just a short rubbing of oil, leaving none on the surface.

 

[Lumbridge]

What I'd do is cover it with mineral or Obsidian oil and leave it be.
Some vulcanite is pure crap, filled with sulphur. OTOH, I have a 60 year old pipe whose stem is quite black and never been hassled over. Just a short rubbing of oil, leaving none on the surface.

Do you oil the airway? I've taken to doing this with my vulcanite to prevent the interior from oxidizing, but I have no idea if it's necessary or not.

 

[Briar Lee]

What I'd do is cover it with mineral or Obsidian oil and leave it be.
Some vulcanite is pure crap, filled with sulphur. OTOH, I have a 60 year old pipe whose stem is quite black and never been hassled over. Just a short rubbing of oil, leaving none on the surface.

You may have the best idea.

I do have a Dremel tool, and I also know how likely I’d be to make that stem worse if I fired it up.

Of all the pioneers of mass market briar pipes William Demuth sold enough pipes to make himself fabulously wealthy, even by Gilded Age standards.

William Demuth Company - Pipedia

pipedia.org

I own several WDC pipes, all very old, and one of my Wellington Giants has to have been made a century ago with a moulded stem, that is as black and shiny as it was new. The mould marks are still visible on the end of the stem.

The same applies to my early twenties Milano Extra, with a wafer thin shank made before the aluminum insert. I can’t believe that stem was moulded, as critical as the fitting was, but who knows?

The makers have known for over a hundred years what vulcanite oxidizes and what doesn’t.

It must be a matter of economics why some use the kind tgat turns brown easily.

 

[Lumbridge]

Today I use Obsidian Oil and 4/0 steel wool, or toothpaste if it’s a hard case. It may take several days of trying, but usually they shine back to a glossy black.

My latest big Jumbo C Marxman has one of the toughest to restore stems I can remember. It’s better, but it keeps looking frosty after several days of attempts.

I think it's probably starting to re-oxidize even as you polish it. I've seen this happen with flash rust forming on hot carbon steel as it was being polished, and it's a similar chemical process.
Maybe polishing with a mild abrasive (baking soda or activated charcoal powder) mixed with an oil will prevent this, reapplying the oil periodically. Wipe off the compound and then clean the piece off with plain oil. Perhaps a coat of carnauba on the stem might be in order if it continues to stubbornly persist, though I'm just speculating.

 

[Briar Lee]

I’ve looked up inside stem airways to a light source and have yet to find one oxidized.

I’ll use a pipe cleaner with Obsidian Oil in one where the outside is oxidized anyway.

Sunlight is a factor in oxidation and the sun never shines inside the stem.

And a film of tars might help keep the rubber underneath black, as well.

 

[Briar Lee]

I think it's probably starting to re-oxidize even as you polish it. I've seen this happen with flash rust forming on hot carbon steel as it was being polished, and it's a similar chemical process.
Maybe polishing with a mild abrasive (baking soda or activated charcoal powder) mixed with an oil will prevent this, reapplying the oil periodically. Wipe off the compound and then clean the piece off with plain oil. Perhaps a coat of carnauba on the stem might be in order if it continues to stubbornly persist, though I'm just speculating.

One of my other great passion is old shotguns, and over the last forty years a lot of my clients have brought me Grandad’s old reliable double barrel he shot squirrels from the highest trees and never missed.

Cheap ten dollar twist barrel shotguns should have killed or blinded more old timers than they did.

If they’ll agree to let me remove the firing pins and throw them far away, I’ll clean their family heirloom. If you don’t a grandkid might stick a three and a half inch shell in there and I won’t be any part of it.

Most are still sound looking, but some have big bulges where the twist or Damascus barrels were strained hard, but didn’t let go.

If Grandpa put that old smokepole away without cleaning it, the residue of the shell made after stainless primers seems to me to protect the bore from pitting.

There might be a film of orange rust, but it scrubs off and leaves shiny metal.

The chambers of a Belgian made Browning will rust while you watch it during humid weather. But thankfully it usually comes right off.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I usually just wet sand with progressively smaller grit up to 2000, then buff with carnauba. There are certainly better/longer lasting ways to do it, but its good enough for my smokers unless I intend to sell it.

I then use obsidian oil for maintenance, applied every few smokes. Should really do it every smoke but I’m lazy.

 

[sablebrush52]

I use micromesh pads, which come in a kit with a variety of grits, They work great for removing grunge build up and oxidation and when finished, leave the stem with a mirror like shine. Then I coat the stem with a touch of paragon wax as an oxygen seal.

 

[Briar Lee]

I want to thank everyone for their help, and a week of rubbing the stem with 4/0 steel wool once or twice a day has accomplished wonders for my ugly stem.

It’s not quite new looking yet, but more than good enough



It’s bad enough smoking an ugly pipe, without people pointing at your stem and turning up their noses.

 

[HectorF]

Thirty or so years ago I bought a huge Bari Wiking with a sculpted vulcanite stem that marked two things in my long journey of accumulating pipes. It was my first “estate” (used) pipe and the first one I ever had a stem oxidize.

There was no internet then, so I just scrubbed it with toothpaste and an old toothbrush until it was black again.

Today I use Obsidian Oil and 4/0 steel wool, or toothpaste if it’s a hard case. It may take several days of trying, but usually they shine back to a glossy black.

My latest big Jumbo C Marxman has one of the toughest to restore stems I can remember. It’s better, but it keeps looking frosty after several days of attempts.

View attachment 291432

For what it’s worth none of the three pipes I bought it came with, had any kind of markings about imported briar, which to me means they are pre 1939 and have vulcanite made with natural rubber.

The other two pipe stems are just gloriously black, and no trace they ever were oxidized.

What else can I do, other than just smoke it?

Any help would be appreciated.

Here is my technique:
I use a 4 side lady's nile file/ polisher ( includes a buffer and polishing side make sure), After that I polish with cotton and Festool compound 11,000 grit, which is water based and they come back to new.

 

[Sigmund]

Those padded nail files are great. I use them as sax mouthpiece making tools. Have for years. Sallys Beauty in the US has many grits. They also have sanding and buffing blocks.

 

[Piping Abe]

The only way to get rid of oxidation is through physical means. Not chemical or any other way. Oil and wax and such will just hide it. You must sand the stem with increasing grits until you are satisfied.

 

[Kirklands]

Cheap ten dollar twist barrel shotguns should have killed or blinded more old timers than they did.

If they’ll agree to let me remove the firing pins and throw them far away, I’ll clean their family heirloom. If you don’t a grandkid might stick a three and a half inch shell in there and I won’t be any part of it.

Your comment got me thinking. I'm wanting to pass along to my grandson the double-barrel 20 gauge Crescent Fire Arms shotgun my grandfather gave me. It is a hammerlock, perhaps made in 1920, and the picture below gives the serial number. My question for you is if I should take just take the firing pins out and let it be a display piece?

 

[Hillcrest]

Another recent thread on topic:

Stem Restoration - No Sandpaper :: Pipe Repair and Maintenance

I realize that sometimes sandpaper is necessary for stem restoration; however, I hardly ever have to use it. In fact, I rarely have to soak my stems anymore. This Mark Twain arrived today and is perfect for showing how to restore a stem using a Magic Eraser with alcohol. The first picture...

pipesmagazine.com