Smooth Cobs: Possible Damage to Finish

[olkofri]

What is is they use to fill in the gaps in corn cobs to make them smooth? Plaster of Paris?

I have two cobs here that got washed and now they feel rather rough to the touch, and upon rubbing them with my fingers I get this fine, sparkly micro dust on my fingers. I reckon I've damaged the finish somehow. Is there a way to fix this or reseal them?

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

Looks like plaster of Paris, then finished with either concrete mixer for the cheaper pipes or sprayed on lacquer for the nicer ones.

From Cobs to Pipes - CornCobPipe.com

From Cobs to Pipes The first step in making corn cob pipes is to grow and harvest corn. When Missouri Meerschaum began production in the 1860s, cobs from any type of field corn were gathered to make corn cob pipes. However, years of hybridization modified corn to produce smaller cobs. As a...

corncobpipe.com

I don't think you can wash off lacquer without some kind of thinner so it was probably the concrete mixer.

 

[Auxsender]

What is is they use to fill in the gaps in corn cobs to make them smooth? Plaster of Paris?

I have two cobs here that got washed and now they feel rather rough to the touch, and upon rubbing them with my fingers I get this fine, sparkly micro dust on my fingers. I reckon I've damaged the finish somehow. Is there a way to fix this or reseal them?

Why not replace them?

 

[Lumbridge]

It's plaster of paris underneath a top coat. You could recoat them I suppose with some kind of varnish or wax.

If they went through a wash cycle (I assume you mean through the laundry) then they would have been soaked in detergent, bleach, or some other stuff I wouldn't want the residual remains of in my smoking pipes. I hate to waste, but I'd toss them if I were you.

On second thought, maybe Virginia with the subtle scent of 'Clean Linen' or 'Lavender Meadow' might be good - not far off from one of those Lakeland abominations blends. Perhaps all of those kids eating Tide Pods were onto something.

 

[olkofri]

Why not replace them?

Because one of them is the Special Edition Calabash worth $80.

I didn't put them through a dishwasher cycle—I don't own/want a dishwasher. It was just dish soap with a sponge.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

They fill them with plaster and then lacquer over the top of that.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Looks like plaster of Paris, then finished with either concrete mixer for the cheaper pipes or sprayed on lacquer for the nicer ones.

From Cobs to Pipes - CornCobPipe.com

From Cobs to Pipes The first step in making corn cob pipes is to grow and harvest corn. When Missouri Meerschaum began production in the 1860s, cobs from any type of field corn were gathered to make corn cob pipes. However, years of hybridization modified corn to produce smaller cobs. As a...

corncobpipe.com

I don't think you can wash off lacquer without some kind of thinner so it was probably the concrete mixer.

Dish soap generally contains either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide and both will definitely remove lacquer or shellac. Lacquer and shellac are natural plant/animal proteins and alkali metal hydroxides will dissolve those.

 

[captpat]

They're cobs, meant to be used up and thrown away. If the finish is bothersome buy a new one.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

So like, you'd spend $10 on a small tub of plaster of paris and about $5-8 on a small thing of lacquer, mess up a $2 brush that has to be tossed, and a $1 bowl you mixed things up in? A new cob would just be cheaper, unless it has sentimental connections for you, like your grand pappy smoked it while fighting along side MacArthur in the Pacific or something.

 

[solideogloria86]

What is is they use to fill in the gaps in corn cobs to make them smooth? Plaster of Paris?

I have two cobs here that got washed and now they feel rather rough to the touch, and upon rubbing them with my fingers I get this fine, sparkly micro dust on my fingers. I reckon I've damaged the finish somehow. Is there a way to fix this or reseal them?

A Quick and Easy Face Lift for a Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe

Blog by Greg Wolford Recently I’d read a comment someplace about using wood filler to repair cracks and leaks in corn cob pipes. Being an avid fan and user of Missouri Meerschaum pipes, and n…

rebornpipes.com

Some of this process may be helpful to your situation.

 

[kcghost]

It is amazing the trouble we get when we thing we are doing the right thing.

 

[olkofri]

A Quick and Easy Face Lift for a Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe

Blog by Greg Wolford Recently I’d read a comment someplace about using wood filler to repair cracks and leaks in corn cob pipes. Being an avid fan and user of Missouri Meerschaum pipes, and n…

rebornpipes.com

Some of this process may be helpful to your situation.

Interesting. I was just thinking of resealing it with shellac, but not sure how it'd hold to hot temps.

 

[olkofri]

They're cobs, meant to be used up and thrown away. If the finish is bothersome buy a new one.

So like, you'd spend $10 on a small tub of plaster of paris and about $5-8 on a small thing of lacquer, mess up a $2 brush that has to be tossed, and a $1 bowl you mixed things up in? A new cob would just be cheaper, unless it has sentimental connections for you, like your grand pappy smoked it while fighting along side MacArthur in the Pacific or something.

Not for the Special Edition which is irreplaceable. Not a fan of cobs, but these two, one is irreplaceable and the other one has a bit of sentimental value. Really, mates, if I were into the throwaway culture I wouldn't be asking.

 

[olkofri]

Dish soap generally contains either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide and both will definitely remove lacquer or shellac. Lacquer and shellac are natural plant/animal proteins and alkali metal hydroxides will dissolve those.

Capital! I'll try lacquer, methinks. I don't think I have to sand, it's just the finish that came off, the plaster is still in place: I wanna seal it to keep it so.

There goes the fabled water cleaning method, eh? In truth I woulda never done this, but these two pipes ended up in a rather unclean area for days: I just couldn't bring myself to smoke them after they'd been in the glove compartment with all kinds of other things.

 

[snagstangl]

I think a light coating of white school glue will work to get a finish of sorts that will hold the cob together. I have done this on other ones that started sloughing off the exterior.

 

[B.Lew]

I like my dishwasher a lot. The joys of a house of many.

 

[sardonicus87]

Capital! I'll try lacquer, methinks. I don't think I have to sand, it's just the finish that came off, the plaster is still in place: I wanna seal it to keep it so.

There goes the fabled water cleaning method, eh? In truth I woulda never done this, but these two pipes ended up in a rather unclean area for days: I just couldn't bring myself to smoke them after they'd been in the glove compartment with all kinds of other things.

If you're going with lacquer and you've never used it before, get spray lacquer, not the brush kind. Lacquer is difficult to work with, if you go brush lacquer, practice on scrap wood first, a lot.

Use spray lacquer, thin coats, let dry for a day, smooth/buff using wadded up newspaper or packing paper before re-coating additional layers.