I Hope You Hate Deoxidizing Vulcanite Stems As Much As I Do
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The one and only way to get rid of actual oxidation is to physically remove it. Adding a barrier to oxygen like obsidian oil or my preference, wax, and keeping Vulcanite out of direct sunlight will help guard against oxidation.
Exactly right. I wipe my vulcanite stems with obsidian oil followed by a coat of Renaissance wax before putting them away in a sunglass case.
I haven't had to physically remove any oxidation for quite some time.
I really dislike it. It is not becuase it is tedious (It is). I work making small detailed things (sax mouthpieces). The thing I dislike is that the size and shape and overall process is physically uncomfortable. It hurts and fatigues my fingers. If it were not for that I would find it less of a bother.
I like restoring pipes but they are difficult to sell in France. Ebay Germany wont let me have an account and there are so many pipes in Germany that the French listings are burried and often hidden.
I like restoring pipes but they are difficult to sell in France. Ebay Germany wont let me have an account and there are so many pipes in Germany that the French listings are burried and often hidden.
I am going to post a new thread about this, but do you think it’s a good idea for a couple of pipe restorers from different countries to work together. One of the reasons why it makes sense in my opinion is exactly what you’ve just mentioned. I know a restorer from Spain who does great work and has amazing pipes but they almost always sell for his starting bid or not at all, just because people don’t see them.
It probably would work but I’m not sure how to work around details and tax issues.
I’m not crazy into restoring but I like to mess around. I also buy too many pipes and sometimes I want to sell a few that didn’t turn my crank as much down the road. Good smokers…just changing interests
I even take older pipes and add contrast staining, not just cleanup. I know I wont get paid for that time investment but its fun.
I’m not crazy into restoring but I like to mess around. I also buy too many pipes and sometimes I want to sell a few that didn’t turn my crank as much down the road. Good smokers…just changing interests
I even take older pipes and add contrast staining, not just cleanup. I know I wont get paid for that time investment but its fun.
If it's all EU it should not be much of a problem. Well maybe not it is the EU after all.
Problem is that ebay France doesn’t list pipes in Germany even if you check you will sell in the eurozone. Probably because there are all sorts of pipes listed in Germany. They are there with a highly specific search but otherwise buried by more local listings.
You did a great job. I try to wipe down any vulcanite stem each time I use the pipe and add some obsidian oil to avoid oxidation. I lean towards SEM vulcanite now in my new pipes. SEM is known for its resistance to hazing and discoloration. My teeth just don’t agree with acrylic as I get older.
Coatings will not stop vulcanite from tarnishing. I've tried coating vulcanite stems with Rennaisance wax, which is a micro-cystalline wax. I'd leave the dried wax on without wiping them off, thinking it would seal the stems from oxygen. At the time, I stored my pipe on stands sitting on a shelf or in cabinets behind glass doors. The stems still tarnished after a year or two.
In 2019, I started keeping my stems out of light as an experiment. I either kept them bagged in drawers or I covered them in sheaths made out of thick black acid-free paper. This worked very well even though the stems continued to be exposed to oxygen. I've not had to micro-mesh stems that were cleaned in 2019. I do use Obsidian oil and wax polish after each smoke.
The problem with using micro-mesh on a regular basis is that it will eventually take enough material off to be noticeable.
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I rather enjoy my Sunday afternoons maintaining my smoking tools. Immediate feedback is nice. Maintenance is simply part and parcel of pipe smoking, no point is getting emotional about it, that I can see,
Nice job, and thanks for the tip! I don't mind a little oxidation, but when it gets too bad it actually adds an objectionable taste to the stem. I need to get to work on a few of mine!
I store my pipes in a glove box chamber purged of all oxygen and pressurized to two atmospheres with pure Argon. It makes retrieving, smoking and then storing the pipes after each use a bit cumbersome and quite expensive, but really, it's all part of the fun!
Beautiful pipe! Love the freehands.Coatings will not stop vulcanite from tarnishing. I've tried coating vulcanite stems with Rennaisance wax, which is a micro-cystalline wax. I'd leave the dried wax on without wiping them off, thinking it would seal the stems from oxygen. At the time, I stored my pipe on stands sitting on a shelf or in cabinets behind glass doors. The stems still tarnished after a year or two.
In 2019, I started keeping my stems out of light as an experiment. I either kept them bagged in drawers or I covered them in sheaths made out of thick black acid-free paper. This worked very well even though the stems continued to be exposed to oxygen. I've not had to micro-mesh stems that were cleaned in 2019. I do use Obsidian oil and wax polish after each smoke.
The problem with using micro-mesh on a regular basis is that it will eventually take enough material off to be noticeable.
I don’t have the experience or expertise as OP but I have had success with OxiClean. On my first attempt, I let the stems sit, and they got pitted from the granules. Now I stir every couple of minutes and it really cleans the crap out of them. I do follow up with micro polishing pads and then a makeshift buffing wheel (Dremel and buffing compounds). These two were in pretty bad shape and they came out nicely.
There’s a difference between oxidation, which is a change in the chemical composition of the Vulcanite caused by exposure to sunlight and oxygen, and a buildup of crud from saliva that covers the Vulcanite around the bite zone. People seem to confuse the two a lot.
Oxidized Vulcanite has to be physically removed by sanding it away. There’s no reliable shortcut. Bleach pits Vulcanite and removing the pits is a lot of work in itself.
Since I don’t own a buffer, I mostly use micromesh pads to take off the oxidation and then coat the Vulcanite with wax as a barrier. I also don’t leave my pipes exposed to sunlight.
Oxidized Vulcanite has to be physically removed by sanding it away. There’s no reliable shortcut. Bleach pits Vulcanite and removing the pits is a lot of work in itself.
Since I don’t own a buffer, I mostly use micromesh pads to take off the oxidation and then coat the Vulcanite with wax as a barrier. I also don’t leave my pipes exposed to sunlight.
I've got Castellos that I've had for over 60 years. The only thing I've ever done to the stems is give them a little, quick wipe around the mouth piece once in a while and they still look like new. I'll take Lucite every time. 