Pipe Stripping Question

[onestrangeone]

I have two pipes that I want to remove the top coat from. I am guessing that the finish coat is either varnish or lacquer, both are a gloss the has bubbled and chipped. both of these are inexpensive pipes that smoke fairly well and are comfortable. it's not likely that I will re-stain either one, I simply want to remove the top coat and then wax em.

Is there an easy way to do this? I would like to keep as much of the color/stain as possible. I know what sanding involves and am hoping there is a easier faster method.

 

[zekest]

Consider Formby's Furniture Refinisher/varnish remover. This will take off the glossy finish but should leave the stain intact and unchanged.

 

[cortezattic]

I removed the lacquer finishes from a Butz-Choquin and a Rattray's pipe using sandpaper, starting with 400 grit and working down. It was fairly quick work, but it did remove some stain.
I then applied carnuaba wax. It may be my imagination, but I think the pipes smoke much better now; and the color of the wood has darkened beautifully.
If I had to do it over again I would probably try the Formby's refinisher that Zekest suggested. If for some reason that doesn't work, you can always go back over it with sandpaper.
BTW, the heavy, dark lacquer on the Rattray's pipe was, by my conjecture, applied to obscure a couple of minor fills. Removing it revealed an amazing straight grain! (I can live with the fills!)

 

[aldecaker]

I have removed the shiny lacquer from new-model Grabows in much the same manner as Cortez describes. It works very well, leaves the color unless you sand very deeply, and does seem to really improve the way they smoke (in that the bowl seems to smoke cooler). I have often wondered why Grabow bothers with an extra step that no one seems to find attractive and makes the product worse. ???

 

[jpmcwjr]

Lots of folks like shiny pipes, why there's even an eBayer with that name! But I don't care for gloss finishes at all, and agree the pipe looks like it will smoke better with a more natural finish.
Years ago- like 50- there was a shop with a sign "Don't smoke varnish" (or maybe "paint". (I think in NYC, possibly The Wilke shop, though the daughter doesn't recall same (now in VT)). I bought a number of unfinished pipes from their baskets, and now, darkened with age and nose oil, they take a carnauba buffing to look as if they were varnished.

.

 

[aldecaker]

The hitch with shiny Grabows isn't just a matter of liking shiny things. They seem to be a BIG offender with the "Help! Help! My shiny pipe is bubbling halfway through the first bowl!" In my opinion, shiny things are for parrots and packrats anyway, but a blistered, hazy mess is even worse.

 

[ashdigger]

My third pipe was a Grabow that blistered. I was going to chuck it, but decided to strip it instead. It has more fills than any pipe I've ever seen, but now it smokes fantastic, ugly as sin, but a great beater pipe.

 

[ejames]

Acetone.

 

[onestrangeone]

Acetone was one of my first thoughts, and I already have a couple of cans,I had also considered alcohol, I will probably give it a try after lunch. If that doesn't work very well I will bite the bullet and sand it out. One of these pipes an Aldo Velani, I can tell has some nice grain to it, the other a Bariccini is so dark I have no clue what is under it.

 

[aldecaker]

91% isopropyl alcohol took care of a Bruyere St. Claude and a new-model Barling for me, but wouldn't do much for the Grabows. I resorted to sanding because I was afraid the acetone would leave a lingering chemical smell. I didn't know if it would or not, so I went with "better safe than sorry".

 

[mso489]

This is a sidelong comment, but this thread is also a recommendation for unfinished pipes, which have much to recommend them, and they gradually finish themselves over time, often to a golden walnut tone.

 

[aldecaker]

MSO, you're right. This is kind of an unintentional plug for bare wood! I too am a fan, but also like finished pipes, as long as it's a good finish. While I have removed the crappy finish from all of my Grabow smooth Grand Dukes and Savoys, I have had no bubbling/peeling problems on my rusticated Grand Dukes, Savoys, or Royal Dukes, and have left them stock.
Bare pipes do finish themselves beautifully over time, and they never lose that silky, "natural wood" hand-feel.

 

[mso489]

With Dr. Grabow's, I've stuck to their slightly higher line, the Royaltons. The finish on the bulldog is somewhat matte and pleasing to me; the finish on the apple is higher gloss but has given no problems, although I haven't smoked it hard. Nording's signature freehand pipes seem essentially unfinished, except for a little dark stain to highlight the light briar, and they finish nicely with a rough outdoorsy look, my wife says is among her favorites of my pipes -- saying a lot since she has gifted me with a number of fine pipes, and this Nording was a gift from our friends.

 

[pagan]

Acetone (nail polish remover) or isopropyl alcohol, use a magic eraser or store brand similar cleaning pad, hen let it completely dry and polish with carnuaba wax

 

[onestrangeone]

So I decided to try the alcohol to strip the Baraccini, it works, kinda, it was fairly obvious that I was not going to get the result I was looking for so I ended up sanding it off after all.

first set of pics is what I started with, the 2nd set is after the finial sand and the last is with one coat of carnauba wax.

Is one coat enough?

 

[jacks6]

My pipes won't strip unless I throw $20's at them.

 

[danielplainview]

Acetone

+1

 

[rigmedic1]

I used a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on an old Yellowbowl that had a lot of water damage to the varnish. Went from being hot and nasty to smoking fairly cool and sweet. Got to be careful around the nomenclature when you are sanding a pipe, if that's important to you. Doesn't take much to rub it off.

 

[mcitinner1]

My pipes won't strip unless I throw $20's at them.

Funny...my wife is the same way...just joking. A little. :clap:

 

[jerwynn]

A little bump and grind go a loooooooong way! Heh heh... (used to play in a "dance band") :lol: