How To Remove Stain Without Sanding?

[elessar]

What's the best way to strip pipe stain without sanding? I've tried wiping with acetone, iso, even baking soda and vinegar. I'm working on restaining a Kaywoodie and I do not want to sand down the stamping. Do I need to soak the stummel in solvent? I don't seem to be even making a dent in the finish.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Soak in a jar of alcohol.

 

[seanv]

Magic eraser will take it off eventualy
Murphy’s oil soap and elbow grease will too

 

[hauntedmyst]

Or as I recently discovered, use some Oxiclean solution in water and it will cut right through it.

 

[craig61a]

Kaywoodies are sometimes hard to remove stain from. Alcohol soak is probably the best route to go, as was mentioned.

I had one from probably the 70’s that had some sort of almost Poly like finish. I used CitriStrip on it. Took a day or two to loosen that stuff. And the briar didn’t have that naked appearance. Just sort of a faded bright pink look...

 

[mikethompson]

I asked this very question not too long ago and tried the oxy bath with poor results. It will also bleach any fills in the pipe so that when you restain the pipe they will stand out.

I didn't try the alcohol bath, but I think I've come around that the only way to remove a stain is to sand it unfortunately.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I didn't try the alcohol bath, but I think I've come around that the only way to remove a stain is to sand it unfortunately.

I have soaked pipes in alcohol as well as acetone, and they always look as if the stain is gone and the liquid has turned a very dark color for a few days, but as soon as I add wax, the stain magically goes back to the same color.

 

[elessar]

Thanks for all the tips. I think I'll try the soak next as I have tried everything else but sanding and oxiclean. I will report back on the results.

 

[BROBS]

Sand with 600 grit til you’re past the stain.

 

[mikethompson]

Its kind of like wanting the omelette but not wanting to crack the shell.

But try the alcohol dunk and report back, I've not tried that.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Alcohol, Oxiclean and others won't work if there's a coating of varnish or shellac.

Photos??

 

[hauntedmyst]

Alcohol, Oxiclean and others won't work if there's a coating of varnish or shellac.

Photos??

this is a good point. First you have to get that off if it's on there.

 

[elessar]

This is what I started with. Really not a bad pipe to begin with.

 

[elessar]

And where I'm at now. I will sand if necessary but I want to retain the stamping as much as possible. So I will try a soak first.

 

[BROBS]

Soaking will remove the stamping before sanding. Be careful. If you go lightly with 600 grit especially over the stamping you can retain them.

 

[elessar]

Soaking will remove the stamping before sanding. Be careful. If you go lightly with 600 grit especially over the stamping you can retain them.

I didn't know that and I appreciate the heads up. Maybe I will try some light micromesh first.

It's not that the pipe needs a restain. I am just trying to build some skills.

 

[sablebrush52]

I didn't try the alcohol bath, but I think I've come around that the only way to remove a stain is to sand it unfortunately.

There's no way to sand it fortunately?

 

[elessar]

Well I ended up sanding to get to bareish briar. The stamping is a bit lighter but still there. I am happy with the results. I also did an alcohol soak which didn’t do much. It did help to dry out the briar though.