How do I Clean A Blasted Natural Finish?

[jhowell]

Oxalic acid

 

[Chasing Embers]

Oxalic acid

Man that's some bad stuff.

 

[Two Pipes Crossing]

Just my opinion, but I think it looks great.

I agree with this guy.

 

[Pyrodoc]

Oxalic acid

What concentration or product would you recommend? I’d like to try it. Certainly makes sense as a wood cleaning acid and should be safer than alcohols for use on varnishes.

 

[jpmcwjr]

This is the pipe. Of course I will have to see it to decide what to do. I like the aged look but its a bit splotchy and top areas a bit dark. I want to retain the worn look but not all of it. With just a photo its hard to know just exactly what color thing are and how they look. Its an old Il Duca

View attachment 285177

The photo should be color balanced as it was made by a pro.
Edit: I missed your remarks on quality. I thought it looked like a properly done photo in a good shop.

Love to see your photos when you get it. Just be gentle with it; the walls appear thin, and there's some oddity (growth?) in the dark band from near the shank to the rim.

 

[Chasing Embers]

The photo should be color balanced as it was made by a pro.
Edit: I missed your remarks on quality. I thought it looked like a properly done photo in a good shop.

Love to see your photos when you get it. Just be gentle with it; the walls appear thin, and there's some oddity (growth?) in the dark band from near the shank to the rim.

Probably more like this but you can tell it was clipped from another image.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It looks like the same exact image, but with different settings. I didn't look closely till now- it is a crap image, and lousy clipping from another image. I'd now guess neither image has correct color balance.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I'd now guess neither image has correct color balance.

Unless the original OP image is the exact color of the pipe.

 

[Sigmund]

I did the clipping on the photo and tried to correct for what I knew was a plain old lightbulb (murky yellow). the background was so distracting I just pulled it out and put it on white. I will post pics when I get the pipe. Sorry. I know its a pretty useless image. Embers is probably right. Its probably closer to what he did to the photo. Its too much guess work at this point. I suspect some of those dark spots are tobacco/use and some from oily hands. Time will tell.

 

[Two Pipes Crossing]

You really won’t know anything until you have it in hand.

P.S. Often times they look better in hand they do in photos.

 

[captpat]

I too think it looks good as it is. When my natural finish pipes need a cleaning I use some warm water and maybe a toothbrush. This regimen does quite well at removing grime and oils from handling that darken the finish.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Hot tap water and dish detergent for me, —toothbrush or cloth—followed by light application of mineral oil.

 

[jpmcwjr]

You really won’t know anything until you have it in hand.

P.S. Often times they look better in hand they do in photos.

I sure hope that's the case with this one, and bet it is!

 

[jhowell]

Man that's some bad stuff.

It is - full precautions should be taken.

 

[jhowell]

What concentration or product would you recommend? I’d like to try it. Certainly makes sense as a wood cleaning acid and should be safer than alcohols for use on varnishes.

It's been years since I used it. It's great for removing dark streaks from oak and is used for that in furniture restoration. As Chasing mentioned, it's quite nasty stuff - but it works...

 

[Sigmund]

Even though I posted elswhere I thought Id follow up here. Thanks for all thehelp gentlemen. It arrived and it cleaned easily with some soap and a mild scrubbing. Here is the pic with some beeswax. Its a great little smoker and if you take it easier the outside is cooler than I thought it would be.