Stripped the Finish Off This Tsuge

[Country Bladesmith]

This pipe is a pretty good smoker, and cost as much as a Grabow, but I hated the dark stain. I had a lull in my work, so I decided to see what was underneath that dark finish. Got out the denatured alcohol and removed it.

Before:


After:



I figured there’d be some fills, since dark stain is usually used to hide them, but most of the fills are pinhead sized and in the middle of birdseyes, so you don’t really see them. Gave it a polish and some wax.
I think it looks better.

 

[mso489]

I'll say. Damn. They could have sold it for twice as much or more.

 

[guylesss]

You are a brave man. . .but beautiful wood, excellent work, and a really good call!

 

[Country Bladesmith]

You are a brave man. . .but beautiful wood, excellent work, and a really good call!

I have lots of leather dye for knife sheaths. I figured it’d be easy to go back to a dark color if I uncovered a pit-monster. So not that brave! ?

 

[BROBS]

This pipe is a pretty good smoker, and cost as much as a Grabow, but I hated the dark stain. I had a lull in my work, so I decided to see what was underneath that dark finish. Got out the denatured alcohol and removed it.

Before:
View attachment 33841

After:
View attachment 33843
View attachment 33844
View attachment 33845
I figured there’d be some fills, since dark stain is usually used to hide them, but most of the fills are pinhead sized and in the middle of birdseyes, so you don’t really see them. Gave it a polish and some wax.
I think it looks better.

That looks leagues better. Bravo. ?

 

[seanv]

That looks way better. Well done

 

[Bliss Hill Man]

This pipe is a pretty good smoker, and cost as much as a Grabow, but I hated the dark stain. I had a lull in my work, so I decided to see what was underneath that dark finish. Got out the denatured alcohol and removed it.

Before:
View attachment 33841

After:
View attachment 33843
View attachment 33844
View attachment 33845
I figured there’d be some fills, since dark stain is usually used to hide them, but most of the fills are pinhead sized and in the middle of birdseyes, so you don’t really see them. Gave it a polish and some wax.
I think it looks better.

Very nice! Did you add any dye?

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Very nice! Did you add any dye?

No dye. I just rubbed a dab of olive oil onto it and then buffed it on a loose muslin wheel with carnauba.
The dye from the factory is still there in the more porous parts of the grain.

 

[mso489]

Reminds me of people who are lucky enough to strip off caked old paint on their household woodwork to find gorgeous grained hardwood. Fortune favors the bold.

 

[jhowell]

You win!

 

[Sonorisis]

No way that's the same pipe. No way. Amazing transformation!

 

[saltedplug]

better!

 

[trubka2]

Wow, nice! I wanted to buy one of those, but hated the finish. Now I know!

 

[jpmcwjr]

You didn't start with a sow's ear, but you sure came up with a silk purse. Great work.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

You didn't start with a sow's ear, but you sure came up with a silk purse. Great work.

No, not a sow’s ear I guess, though I wasn’t sure at first what I’d find. I could tell there might be some interesting grain peeking through that dark stain, but had no idea there would be that much activity in it. Luck probably. I fully expected I’d end up staining it back dark brown again.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Wow, nice! I wanted to buy one of those, but hated the finish. Now I know!

Well, there’s no way of knowing if the next one won’t be a turd underneath. Probably luck of the draw?

 

[cshubhra]

You improved the looks! Congratulations!!!

 

[trubka2]

Well, there’s no way of knowing if the next one won’t be a turd underneath. Probably luck of the draw?

Sure, but the odds are pretty good with qc standards like that.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Sure, but the odds are pretty good with qc standards like that.

A point well made, and you’re probably right, but I can’t swear by it. It’s a sample of one. ?‍
My guess is that those sub $40 ones were destined for a higher quality/price range lineup, but had too many fills to sell at that price, so they got dark stain and a lower price. If I see another one on sale again I may get it and give it the same treatment. If for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[Parsimonious Piper]

That is incredible!