Polishing Smooth Pipes

[mikestanley]

We care for many things that, despite our efforts, get dull or dirty again. Our shoes, our buttocks. It doesn't mean we shouldn't! lol. As far as preventing a "throw", a cardboard box, open in the front and cut around the bottom to not get caught in whatever you have your buff attached to will stop it..

Mike S.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Probably the only shine that would last any length of time is the Grabow 'shine'...a sort of lacquer, and even that goes away after about 6 months.

Shellac lasts a bit longer and can be rebuffed a few times and still in time fades.

 

[northeastohiopipesmoker]

Here's an alternative...don't worry about it because whatever you do any shine will be gone in a week anyway.

I paid the money for them. I want them looking nice. If you treat your pipe good, it will treat you good.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I want them looking nice.

I was that way decades ago, but have since started preferring the worn look.

 

[OzPiper]

I hand buff my pipe bowls with a piece of soft cloth (bit of old T-shirt or Chux) impregnated with a tiny bit of Halcyon wax after each outing. Brings them back to a soft sheen which I prefer. I hate a high gloss varnished look

 

[unadoptedlamp]

our buttocks

Agreed. I bought a bidet last year and my buttock has never been shinier. In life choices so far, I would rate that one a good solid 10/10.

Friend: "Ha ha! How's the bidet ami? Are you now sitting down to piss?"

Me: "Don't tell me you're still smearing shit all over yourself with wadded up pieces of paper..."

Some guys like to keep their things clean and tidy. Other guys... not so much. I'm in the keeping my pipes looking shiny and clean because I bought every single one of them for the way they look. To me, well cared for pipes are a pleasure. But, I am vain. A good deal of my pipe smoking pleasure comes from handling and looking at my pipes.

And yes, with a heated seat, I do sit down to take a piss. It's amazing.

 

[bullet08]

Renaissance Wax, when I feel like it. Most of the time, I just wipe off the bowl with polish cloth I got from Tinder Box when I first started. But I do spend few min going over the silver band and vulcanite stem.

 

[sablebrush52]

I use either Paragon or Halcyon waxes. You don’t need a buffer. Done properly you will get a glass-like shine and you won’t wear away the edges of your pipe.
The shine will dull, but with a little rubbing it comes back up. Reapplying it is easy.
I used buffers for years doing jewelry restoration. In the wrong hands, a buffer is a weapon of pipe destruction.

 

[mikestanley]

Agreed. I bought a bidet last year and my buttock has never been shinier. In life choices so far, I would rate that one a good solid 10/10.

Friend: "Ha ha! How's the bidet ami? Are you now sitting down to piss?"

Me: "Don't tell me you're still smearing shit all over yourself with wadded up pieces of paper..."

Some guys like to keep their things clean and tidy. Other guys... not so much. I'm in the keeping my pipes looking shiny and clean because I bought every single one of them for the way they look. To me, well cared for pipes are a pleasure. But, I am vain. A good deal of my pipe smoking pleasure comes from handling and looking at my pipes.

And yes, with a heated seat, I do sit down to take a piss. It's amazing.

That, Sir, is what is known as TMI.

Mike S.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I don't actually apply more wax to my pipes until I can no longer bring up a luster by hand with an old Tshirt. I just buff them out with some elbow grease and a good bit of pressure with just the old shirt. Then, if I can't get any luster at all, I will consider adding more wax. About 90% of the time, just buffing by hand works best.

The problem for me, when I add more wax, is that after smoking it and warming up the bowl and touching it, the new wax just dulls right away anyway, requiring more hand buffing. But, if I just buff by hand to begin with, it is less likely to dull as quickly.

I think this is due to new wax being added to such a thickness that warming it immediately dulls it. But, just buffing the existing microscopic layer bring up more of a luster that lasts longer.

This is just my experience, but I thought it might help.

 

[niblicck]

As far as preventing a "throw", a cardboard box, open in the front and cut around the bottom to not get caught in whatever you have your buff attached to will stop it..

This was my solution also?

My question is when using paragon and halcyon wax is...are you using it on your stems and does one work better than or last longer than the other.

 

[Kottan]

My question is when using paragon and halcyon wax is...are you using it on your stems and does one work better than or last longer than the other.

I did'nt try Halcyon but Paragon works fine on stems. You' ll get a super shine.

 

[BROBS]

Miracle Polishing Cloth - StewMac

Clean and shine frets and fingerboards.

www.stewmac.com

This then wax it

 

[Reggie]

Miracle Polishing Cloth - StewMac

Clean and shine frets and fingerboards.

www.stewmac.com

This then wax it

Great item! I use it on my Banjos! I also use blue shop towels. Very soft and seem to do a decent job.

 

[BROBS]

Great item! I use it on my Banjos! I also use blue shop towels. Very soft and seem to do a decent job.

I’ve found the slight roughness of regular paper towels to give a great shine.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

I do appreciate the way some others polish, buff, wax their pipes. It shows true dedication and time spent caring for something. I however am not one of those people.
Combined with a laziness I’m comfortable with, I rather like the way a used pipe can look. I do wipe down the outside of the pipe and stem with an old T-shirt, or the one I’m wearing at the time after use. And, although I do have an affinity for Meers, I’ll rarely do more than just wipe the outside off.
I concentrate on keeping the inside clean as it turns out I’m more of a ? guy than a pipe person. ️

 

[anotherbob]

Agreed. I bought a bidet last year and my buttock has never been shinier. In life choices so far, I would rate that one a good solid 10/10.

Friend: "Ha ha! How's the bidet ami? Are you now sitting down to piss?"

Me: "Don't tell me you're still smearing shit all over yourself with wadded up pieces of paper..."

Some guys like to keep their things clean and tidy. Other guys... not so much. I'm in the keeping my pipes looking shiny and clean because I bought every single one of them for the way they look. To me, well cared for pipes are a pleasure. But, I am vain. A good deal of my pipe smoking pleasure comes from handling and looking at my pipes.

And yes, with a heated seat, I do sit down to take a piss. It's amazing.

my job has taught me that every single dude thinks they have great aim despite the fact that it's easier to practice sharp shooting with a shotgun then a penis. Also next time someone poo poos a bidet ask them if they'd be comfortable shaking your hand if you just wiped it off with a paper towel after using the bathroom.

 

[Ziggywm]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

I have a Savinelli smooth 320KS that is looking quite dull. I have tried the Decatur No-Buff Wax, but it isn't helping much. What do you pipe smokers recommend to bring that shine back?

Well, it helps to have a buffing machine with 8" wheels, but smaller will work. PIf you don't have shop equipment, you can use a drill if you can mount it to a board with clamps or stabilize it so you don't have to hold it. I use my lathe. You will need a stick of hard canaba wax. Goggle it. Apply it to the wheel then buff the bowl. This will polish your pipe, even sandblasts. You don't want to use anything that will plug the pores. Canaba won't. The natural acids in your hand will dull the shine. If this is too much for you you will need to visit a good B&M pipe shop. Good ones will do it for free. You can see I have two wheels, one side is for pumice and white stick to polish bits.

 

[Ziggywm]

Well, it helps to have a buffing machine with 8" wheels, but smaller will work. PIf you don't have shop equipment, you can use a drill if you can mount it to a board with clamps or stabilize it so you don't have to hold it. I use my lathe. You will need a stick of hard canaba wax. Goggle it. Apply it to the wheel then buff the bowl. This will polish your pipe, even sandblasts. You don't want to use anything that will plug the pores. Canaba won't. The natural acids in your hand will dull the shine. If this is too much for you you will need to visit a good B&M pipe shop. Good ones will do it for free. You can see I have two wheels, one side is for pumice and white stick to polish bits.View attachment 64086View attachment 64087

I should add if you go the buffing route: I was trained in a B&M pipeshop where I often polished customer's pipes. Like riding a bike, you have to get the feel of it. You can imagine I never wanted to catch and throw a customer's pipe. But accidents happen when the mind drifts. I always treat the wheel with respect and concentration. If you go this route, which I can recommend as it's the fastest and easiest way to maintain a nice polish IMHO (this is why pipe shops use it), practice on a piece of wood or some object roughly the shape of a pipe until you get the feel for it.

 

[PapeChulo]

I can never get carnuba to apply smoothly, so I use either Paragon or Halcyon waxes on my pipes depending on whether they are smooth or rusticated.