Polishing a Sandblasted Pipe

[Wifesbain]

I’m not actually asking a question here, just sharing a lesson I recently learned.

for a long time I couldn’t figure out how to polish a textured pipe without leaving a hazy cloud in the valleys when using carnauba wax as a finish. I’m normally not big on social media, but I happened across a video last week from an Australian piper that may modify my opinion.?


the trick is powdered carnauba wax, which I couldn’t find in under 4kb quantities here in the states. I ordered a Lb. of carnauba flake from a candle fragrance company (also available from cosmetics co’s) and got to work with my mortar and pestle (a spoon and plate will work as well since it has a high melting point) grinding it to powder. Doesn’t take much, so about 20 minutes of work gave me enough powder for probably 30 pipes.

as to the process, I put the pipe on a dowel and heated it a little with a heat gun, which allows enough tack for the powder to stick, and proceeded to sprinkle the powder all over it. Hit it with the heat gun again to melt it in ( I did 3 applications), and after it cooled down took it to the clean buffing wheel to bring out the shine.

I’m no master, but the results are real nice according to my tastes. And not a single cloudy or whitish spot to be seen.

 

[Chasing Embers]

This works well too without the power tools.

 

[craig61a]

^ 1+ I've used this for years to shine up blasts and such... Just brush it after it dries with a horse hair shoe brush.

 

[orlandofurioso]

I’m not actually asking a question here, just sharing a lesson I recently learned.

for a long time I couldn’t figure out how to polish a textured pipe without leaving a hazy cloud in the valleys when using carnauba wax as a finish. I’m normally not big on social media, but I happened across a video last week from an Australian piper that may modify my opinion.?

View attachment 94542
the trick is powdered carnauba wax, which I couldn’t find in under 4kb quantities here in the states. I ordered a Lb. of carnauba flake from a candle fragrance company (also available from cosmetics co’s) and got to work with my mortar and pestle (a spoon and plate will work as well since it has a high melting point) grinding it to powder. Doesn’t take much, so about 20 minutes of work gave me enough powder for probably 30 pipes.

as to the process, I put the pipe on a dowel and heated it a little with a heat gun, which allows enough tack for the powder to stick, and proceeded to sprinkle the powder all over it. Hit it with the heat gun again to melt it in ( I did 3 applications), and after it cooled down took it to the clean buffing wheel to bring out the shine.

I’m no master, but the results are real nice according to my tastes. And not a single cloudy or whitish spot to be seen.

Congrats, this looks fine and could be an eye opener to many of us who struggle with waxing rusticated, or sand blasted pipe. This is imho not about polishing, but about waxing
So thank you for sharing !

 

[orlandofurioso]

Renaissance ( conservators ) wax is harder and has a higher melting point.
Use it on both smooth and rusticated/sand blasted pipes.

 

[jhowell]

^ 1+ I've used this for years to shine up blasts and such... Just brush it after it dries with a horse hair shoe brush.

+1 on the horse hair shoe brush.