Stripping a Finish on a Rusticated Author?

[JohnMosesBrowning]

I recently purchased the least expensive author I could find just to see if I'd like the shape (I do). It's a Rossi Vittoria and it's a really cool little pipe. The glossy black rustication is a bit much for me be so I rubbed it down with some #0000 steel wool and it worked pretty well. Unsurprisingly it wore off some of the stain on the high spots so now it has a bit of a "distressed" look. I'm actually liking it looking a bit worn so I was wondering how I could strip off the rest of the glossy finish to make it entirely matte/flat. Obviously continuing with the steel wool will just rub down the high spots and I'm not really looking to smooth out the rustication, just dull down the finish.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I'd use acetone.

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Sounds good. I've got some old tooth brushes to work it in with - I'll see what kind of damage I can do. Thanks!

 

[donjgiles]

Alcohol would work as well, I bet.
Don

 

[Chasing Embers]

It will, but will also remove a lot of the stain.

 

[donjgiles]

Yes, you are absolutely correct. For some reason in my brain I thought that was the intent but that very well might not be the goal. So acetone will remove the shine but not the stain? Thank you for that information, I did not know that. There is so much that I have no clue about! Always learning.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sure does, here's an old dromedary I did the same to.
Before

After

Little color loss, but the acetone made short work of the lacquer. The shine in the after pic is just from buffing with a T-shirt.

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

That's great info and a great example, thank you. I think I'll start with the acetone to knock down the shine and then see how it looks...if I want to remove any of the stain at that point I can try something like the alcohol. I'm sure the briar isn't great so maybe stripping it completely bare isn't the best idea...a little at a time and I can always re-stain it. There's just a warmth to a matte/flat pipe that I really like. It has nothing to do with the "smoking hot" debate, for me it's pure aesthetics; both visual and tactile.

 

[crashthegrey]

If you just smoke and handle the pipe that shine is gone in 15 bowls or so anyway, in my experience. Nothing wrong with your approach, just an alternative model.

 

[armonts]

(Acetone is very good to dissolve the varnish but beware of the hose because it attacks some plastic, and perhaps depolit Bakelite…)

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Sorry I didn't take any "before" photos but anyone can easily enough to a search for what a new Rossi Vittoria finish looks like. Very black and glossy...perfectly nice and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, but I wanted to mess around with it, so here I am.
I'm sure some will think I've ruined it, but I'm actually happy with it. I don't know that I'm done fooling around, but I'm leaving it as is for now. This is after some #0000 steel wool to knock it down a bit and then the recommended acetone with an old toothbrush:

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

ok, first attempt at posting pics failed (shocker!) but I think it's because they're gigantic. Take #2 coming up...

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Take #2...

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Nevermind.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Looks great, sort of like volcanic rock. :clap:

 

[JohnMosesBrowning]

Hey...how did you make it work? The pics don't come up for me in either of my posts. (and thanks...I'm digging it)

 

[Chasing Embers]

Hey...how did you make it work?

Hedge craft. :mrgreen: