How do you avoid oxidation?

[waznyf]

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to ask you all one quick question. How do you personally go about avoiding oxidation?

Do you have and special remedies for preventing the terrible disease from plaguing your stems?

I apply obsidian pipe stem oil to my stems (sorry if I spelled it wrong but I don't have it sitting next to me.) I am not quite sure if it workds yet, but I am more than happy to give it a try.

Lemme know guys I would really appreciate it!

 

[kabong30]

I have a silicone impregnated cloth that's working well.

 

[waznyf]

@kabong30 I will look into that, thanks man!

 

[rigmedic1]

I use the carnauba wax from Walker Briar Works. Once I have thoroughly cleaned and polished a stem, it seals it, and protects it for quite a while. The wax leaves the stem felling slick as well.

 

[pstlpkr]

Obsidian Pipe Stem Oil works very well.

 

[crk69]

Obsidian and Halcyon II wax...

 

[waznyf]

Glad to hear that Obsidian has some support behind it. Did not know that Carnauba and Halcyon Wax were appropriate for stems, I thought that they were for bowls only. Guess I will have to give them a shot as well!

 

[cajunguy]

A cheap method to forestall oxidation is Chapstick lip balm. When you're done smoking, coat the stem with some Chapstick, let it sit for a few minutes (five should do), then wipe clean. The same stuff that keeps our lips from getting chapped wards oxidation, as well. I've found it works very well.

 

[kabong30]

^

Yup, I like Burt's Bees personally and use that on occasion as well.

 

[igloo]

Yep,chapstick .

 

[hobie1dog]

Obsidian for me too

 

[taerin]

I use a little Halcyon II wax on the stems every time after use and on the rim of the bowel. The stuff is really nice. I don't use the other one that starts with a "P" any more because it gets in the little crevices like logo stamp and makes them white, very difficult to hand buff. The halcyon II hand buffs easily even in rustications, logos, and other crevices.

 

[tokerpipes]

Well to prevent oxidation seal the pipe in an airtight bag. Place bag in fire proof padded brief case. And here is the most important rule...never use it. Otherwise its inevitable that you will get oxidation but what every one else says will work fine if you want to use the pipe.

 

[clyde]

Avoid smoking in bright sunlight. Have your pipe rack(s) in a low light area. Store pipe in pipe glove. All will help reduce the rate of oxidation. Obisidian stem oil, although expensive, contains ultraviolet shielding agent and another agent that acts similar to chapstick. Nothing completely stops oxidation, Even obsidian has to be re-applied to maintain that wet shine we like and provide some protection. Vulcanite, eboniite, and cumberland are common stem materials that do oxidize. Whenever purchasing a pipe try to find out if the stem is acrylic, lucite, or nylon. These are plastic resins and do not oxidize. They will get micro scratches but that is where waxes such as lemon pledge or favor work very well. Many use a cloth containing silicone in some form but wax is readily available, works well and leaves no after taste.

 

[photoman13]

I second, rigmedic1. The carnuba you can order works without a buffer and still gives you a good shine. Nothing is as good as a buffer though. It definitely protects from oxidation though.

 

[tbradsim1]

I try to move a lot the old cajun

 

[ssjones]

I use Obsidian, but thing I believe keeps my stems black and shiny is a rubdown or buff with Blue Magic Plastic Polish. That seems to seal the vulcanite. My pipe restorer buddy was asking me about this as my stems seem to oxidize at a much slower rate than his. That being the only difference. The polish doesnt give the stem any taste either, which I can discern when using the Obsidian Oil.

 

[mambab]

hi,to avoid oxidations over the steam after you finishing smoking use a soft cloth and clean very well the steam, every time you smoke, i have several pipes of 30/ 40 years ago, with vulcanyte steams and them have no sign of oxidation today, if you dot't smoke that very pipe and all the others each week, cloth and polish all your pipes, ciao Alex

 

[mightyblaze]

pretty good knowledge here!!

 

[matchstickman]

Obsidian pipe stem oil is an officially endorsed product of the now (almost) world famous Pipe Novelist Pipe Stem Restoration Method. The really cool thing about Obsidian oil is that it contains an SPF component which will shield your pipe stem from the damage of the sun if you smoke outdoors a lot. In any case, Obsidian is probably about the best thing you can do in terms of actual oxidation prevention. Removal once it has happened is another story altogether.