The Clear Coats on Inexpensive Factory Pipes

[makhorkasmoker]

I like it when the clear coat or wax wears away, leaving the pipe matte. Sometimes this happens quickly, and I like that. Sometimes it happens very slowly, with the matte area growing over many, many smokes, the glossy area shrinking. That makes the pipe unsightly, to me, during the long transition, but eventually it turns matte. And that's okay.

The worst finish of all for me is whatever my Kaywoodie "Redroot" is covered with. It's like plastic. It does not change. It gives the pipe an synthetic feel, and I think it even affects how the pipe smokes. I dislike that pipe for many reasons--but the main one is the plasticky coating on it.

I usually buy inexpensive restored estates. But sometimes I look at new pipes--inexpensive factory pipes, various brands. Sometimes I will read a review of a pipe that says something like: "finish bubbled or blistered on first smoke." Or I will read here a post about someone returning a pipe with a bubbled finish.

What concerns me when I read that is not so much whether the finish bubbled, but whether that bubbled finish will wear away, and if so, how long will it take.

So, for those of you who smoke inexpensive factory pipes, I have a question: what kind of finishes or coatings do they have? How have those coating changed over time and heavy use?

Brands I often find myself considering: Peterson ("short" or "Jr."), Chacom, Rossi, Ropp, Lorenzetti, Molina, and others.

Thanks!

 

[Mike N]

The finish of a good pipe should never “wear away” with proper care. I had the shellac exterior coating bubble up and blister recently on a mid-grade Nording. Not as shiny, but I now prefer waxed and buffed briars only.

Take a look at a $100 Savinelli “cocktail” series pipe or a slightly more expensive Savinelli Miele. For me, they’ve been a stylish, smooth, and reliable smoke.

 

[Searock Fan]

The finish of a good pipe should never “wear away” with proper care. I had the shellac exterior coating bubble up and blister recently on a mid-grade Nording. Not as shiny, but I now prefer waxed and buffed briars only.

Take a look at a $100 Savinelli “cocktail” series pipe or a slightly more expensive Savinelli Miele. For me, they’ve been a stylish, smooth, and reliable smoke.

Who knows, it might not have even been shellac, or possibly had some moisture in it when applied.

 

[LudwigB88]

I got rid of all of my Savinelli rusticated pipes with a glossy clear coat type finish. It felt like I was smoking a plastic pipe. They just had no tactile feel. I love how Moretti smooth pipes are finished with a matte or light satin. So much more natural and pleasing. Feels like real briar. It IS real briar.

 

[instymp]

There are some "Brand" name pipes that have that plastic feeling coating on them also.
Hate them personally.

 

[archerdarkpint]

After a few first "quality" pipes, I wanted to increase the rotation, so I purchased several less-costly basket pipes, from U.S. and European B&M with a clear coat. I didn't like the feel, as described by @makhorkasmoker as "synthetic," and it didn't take long until I started to strip the finish as a natural course of action for pipes purchased with the clear coat. I continue to use those pipes today and I enjoy the feel of the true briar, which over time has deeply darkened the natural finish. I've lost only one pipe (it was a basket pipe, purchased in Germany) along the way, (in transit from Iraq), but man, I love those pipes.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

After a few first "quality" pipes, I wanted to increase the rotation, so I purchased several less-costly basket pipes, from U.S. and European B&M with a clear coat. I didn't like the feel, as described by @makhorkasmoker as "synthetic," and it didn't take long until I started to strip the finish as a natural course of action for pipes purchased with the clear coat. I continue to use those pipes today and I enjoy the feel of the true briar, which over time has deeply darkened the natural finish. I've lost only one pipe (it was a basket pipe, purchased in Germany) along the way, (in transit from Iraq), but man, I love those pipes.

What did you use to strip the coat off the pipes?

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

What did you use to strip the coat off the pipes?

Depends what it’s coated with, lacquer-lacquer thinner, poly-acetone, shellac and oil- denatured alcohol.

 

[archerdarkpint]

What did you use to strip the coat off the pipes?

I'd use alcohol (99% isopropyl) at first, and if that didn't work, I'd start with semi-coarse steel wool then finish with very fine sandpaper. I didn't want to use anything like Zip-strip, or acetone, in particular, around the rim due to the likelihood of contamination in the chamber. Sure, acetone may not be toxic once dried/evaporated, but I didn't want to chance the potential for a lingering smell, or experiment with with the Zip-Strip. Once it was removed and sanded, over time the oils from the hands, dirt, and normal human goo will give the appearance of a low shine...not necessarily dull or satin-esq, a little more reflectivity. Plus, the pipes darkened nicely with use.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

Thank you both. I’m smoking a pipe right now with a half worn off coating.

 

[Waning Embers]

Thank you both. I’m smoking a pipe right now with a half worn off coating.

Acetone will take it off without removing stain like alcohol will.

 

[Joe H]

I’m in the camp that likes a pipe most when it has a polished wood finish that looks like the hand-rubbed finish on an old, fine English firearm. Most of my pipes are 50 to 70 years old and only two have any vestiges of their original finish:

A huge 1970s Yorkshire (used to be sold in the Sears Christmas catalog) billiard that’s got a finish to rival any basketball court. It’s still as shiny as the day it was sprayed on. I’ve often considered sanding it out, but it’s got two big fills that would show more if sanded, so I let it be.

A 1950s Medico system pipe with a removable briar bowl. Its varnish is worn off on the sides from decades of bouncing around in my dad’s (and my) pockets.

The rest are all plain wood, but nicely polished and darkened as old heavily used pipes should be. Some of my Kayoodies would have originally came with a varnish coating, but they all wore down to bare wood before I inherited them from Dad.

I did find one 1970s Comfort brand pipe in my dad’s basement that had never been smoked. It had a shiny coating of some sort but it was flaking off when I found it. A few minutes with fine steel wool and it had some very pretty briar underneath.

Taste is varied but I think they look as good or better now than when they were new.