My New Water Flush Finish.

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Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,251
13,104
East Coast USA
I think ? it was Brobs who commented that hot water flushing could remove the stain and finish.

Another said, if that were the case, it would be the result of a poor finish.

I think both of you are correct. Behold...
285BD78D-B4C1-4F50-AE59-4B6895E1CD8A.jpeg
The result of a single hot water flush from my kitchen sink.

Now, this is a decades old, no name basket stamped “imported Briar”

Will I continue to water flush? Because I smoke baskets, Yes. If my finish comes off, it comes off. I like the appearance of raw briar and it doesn’t alter my smoking expectations. Wax will make it look just fine.

BROBS was correct and I think he made specific mention of “orange or red” finishes being more vulnerable? Perhaps he can comment.

FYI

Merry Christmas ? Everyone.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Unfinished briar eventually acquires a deep color and often a polished look with no wax or anything added at all. Oddly, this happens somewhat uniformly, not just areas most handled. I think sanding off any remaining finish would help this process. Or, you could leave the partial finish on it for an interesting rusticated look.
 

Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,251
13,104
East Coast USA
I have been using the water flush cleaning system for almost 2 years with over 75 pipes. I've yet to have one sustain any damage to the finish.

Rinsed 9 Pipes. Only this one. Water at the “uncomfortable to touch” temp and with medium force.

My pipes have never been cleaner. These pipes have been in shop display cases for decades before being basket sold. I attribute it to perhaps low quality and age.
 

jerseysam

Can't Leave
Mar 24, 2019
456
4,566
Liberty Township. OH
I have used ?water flushing? for over a year on many, many pipes with values ranging from hundreds to thousands. Artisan and factory. New and 18th century. Smooth, blast, and rusticated.

Number of times there has been noticeable finish wear = 0

Now......OP's pipe 'looks' (picture fuzzy on my phone when blown up) like the finish is flaking off....which would indicate a finish other than traditional stain/wax. It's likely a cheap coating (which doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the briar, just talking coating) based on water soluble pigment. I think a common-sense caveat to the ?water-flush? is watch out if you have a painted or coated bowl and are unsure if it will hold up to water/liquid.
 

NomadOrb

(Nomadorb)
Feb 20, 2020
1,673
13,650
SoCal
I have actually had the same thing with an estate I recently purchased. Some wax and it came back up to snuff, but every time I flush it, it fades a bit in the same spots. No big deal, it'll look fine after many years of use.
 
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jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,080
Carmel Valley, CA
Never had a problem but I don't use really hot water, more just past warm. I also run the water at just over a trickle, not much if any touches the exterior.
Yes, was going to mention that you don't have to get anything on the finish. I do all the time and no pipe has suffered over 4-5 years.

Wondering if the pipe got a lot of sun light on one side? Again, that is extra not-ordinary.
 

jerseysam

Can't Leave
Mar 24, 2019
456
4,566
Liberty Township. OH
The other side retained more color.

Complete internet detective first-class "Well achksually...." territory here.....but dig what you're saying about some fading one side to the other. What I see in the first shot, and this may be 100% wrong/my lying eyes....but it looks like flaking and not stain removal. When you lift a stain unintentionally in spots, usually you'd see some heavy removal where whatever solvent hit followed by uneven/lighter lifting where less splashed. The effect would look like smearing across a surface. This has happened to well, at least me, when cleaning an estate and I let alcohol contact stained briar.

What I see in your first pic is there are sections of bare briar and sections of original color...separating at very angular/sharp lines demarcation. There are even flecks of the 'original' coating sitting in the middle of bare spots. To me that would suggest a physical coating peeling/flaking off rather than a stain in the briar. UV can of course alter the pigment in a coating just like a stain over time (why one side would be faded vs. other).
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,400
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
Maybe a water-based finish (rather than oil-based), or maybe it was a wax which softened in the heat?

However, if heat were the culprit, I’d expect similar results from a pipe left in a hot car
which if that's the case it might explain why for years the rule has been avoid water with your pipes.
The other thing no one has brought up is all water doesn't have the same things in it. Even certain minerals or chemicals in the right concentration might have a reaction with certain finishes.
 

Grangerous

Lifer
Dec 8, 2020
3,251
13,104
East Coast USA
Maybe a water-based finish (rather than oil-based), or maybe it was a wax which softened in the heat?

However, if heat were the culprit, I’d expect similar results from a pipe left in a hot car

You guys are right, doesn’t appear like there exists any stain to remove. Rather whatever coating had been applied is flaking away under the water pressure.

But the water pressure and/or the temp did a number on whatever coating is on this one.

I didn’t notice until the pipe had dried, exposing clean, raw unstained briar.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,080
Carmel Valley, CA
which if that's the case it might explain why for years the rule has been avoid water with your pipes.

There is no "rule".

For at least a century those who had 'special' liqiuds to SELL put out "information" to tell us "Don't use water on the pipe!" Complete rubbish.

The other thing no one has brought up is all water doesn't have the same things in it. Even certain minerals or chemicals in the right concentration might have a reaction with certain finishes.

It was brought up and discussed. And, sure water differs all over the map. But in the five years I've been rinsing, none of the ca. 75 pipes have experienced anything like that. Three different sources during that time. Others have said the same.

I'd love to get to the bottom of this, in any event.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,678
29,400
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
There is no "rule".

For at least a century those who had 'special' liqiuds to SELL put out "information" to tell us "Don't use water on the pipe!" Complete rubbish.



It was brought up and discussed. And, sure water differs all over the map. But in the five years I've been rinsing, none of the ca. 75 pipes have experienced anything like that. Three different sources during that time. Others have said the same.

I'd love to get to the bottom of this, in any event.
Don't use water on the pipe sure sounds like a rule.
 
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