Vulcanite and Rubber Bit Maintenance

[Wulf]

Before i made that wood/copper/brass/wood stem i used olive oil on original stem to remove oxidation as anything else i tried didnt really do a great lot and you could taste it on mouthpiece. This home mafe one splits down to 3 parts and oxidation isnt a worry with materials i used, though i think the wood may break down over time...its lasted 10 yrs up to now so i think its earned its corn!

 

[sparker69]

I admit, when I first got my Brebbia with a vulcanite stem, (my first) I panicked a bit when it turned green relatively quickly. Internet hunting, seeking advice, sometimes getting the ever helpful, "I would never buy a vulcanite stem. I only buy acrylic," I eventually found some helpful suggestions, - micromesh pads, and just rubbing it down with mineral oil after every use, (overnight) and keeping it in the bag, (out of the light). But, I think what helped most, was just calming down and realizing that people having been smoking these pipes since before I was born and they're not all smoking green pipes. And then I began to really enjoy my pipe for what it was. (The advice I found was on reborn pipes).

 

[Doctor Chopper]

I just take mine off occasionally and wipe the stem off on my shirt and put it back on.

Can’t lie. i do the same

 

[Honkytonk Man]

I admit, when I first got my Brebbia with a vulcanite stem, (my first) I panicked a bit when it turned green relatively quickly. Internet hunting, seeking advice, sometimes getting the ever helpful, "I would never buy a vulcanite stem. I only buy acrylic," I eventually found some helpful suggestions, - micromesh pads, and just rubbing it down with mineral oil after every use, (overnight) and keeping it in the bag, (out of the light). But, I think what helped most, was just calming down and realizing that people having been smoking these pipes since before I was born and they're not all smoking green pipes. And then I began to really enjoy my pipe for what it was. (The advice I found was on reborn pipes).

I use Obsidian oil, applying a very small amount every week or so.
I think Chasing Embers mentioned, possibly here in this thread, that he applies it after EVERY time he uses that particular pipe. Works good too.

Micro mesh pads are the way forward too.

 

[sparker69]

I use Obsidian oil, applying a very small amount every week or so.
I think Chasing Embers mentioned, possibly here in this thread, that he applies it after EVERY time he uses that particular pipe. Works good too.

Micro mesh pads are the way forward too.

I think the pipe I had bought had been exposed to a lot of light and turned green quickly when I first used it. When I got that dealt with with the micromesh, it's never come back. After every smoke, when it's cooled down, I take the stem off my pipe, wipe it, pass a pipe cleaner through it, ub it down with mineral oil and leave it, usually, overnight. The next day, I buff it with a soft cloth, put it back together and put it back in its bag. No problems.

 

[sparker69]

My only mistake, since it stressed me out at first, (should've put everything down and filled another pipe and relaxed,): was that I ended up "sanding" it down too much with the more coarse grades - because where it attaches to the stummel, it has a woodgrain colour and that was being affected by the oxidation, (it's a Brebbia 1960 series - wonderful pipes by the way!) so scrubbed too hard to "remove" the oxidation and rounded the end that attaches to the stummel. Once I realized, obviously it was too late. But I learned and won't do it again. At the same time, I think, and this seems to be the case that I've heard from other more experienced pipers, is that it actually made the pipe more special to me. We have a shared history now and I think that has become very meaningful when I pick it up - the story behind that pipe - that despite the little imperfection, I now love it even more.

 

[burleybreath]

I like this stuff. Don't even know it's there while smoking, and on a black stem it's almost unnoticeable. Easily removed, and leaves no sticky residue. (Recommendation stolen from another thread on this site.)

https://www.amazon.com/TapeCase-TC7...+adhesive+tapes+brand+tapecase,aps,547&sr=8-2

 

[Briar Lee]

If badly oxidized, I use Obsidian oil.

But given a reasonably high grade of vulcanite, my usual cleaning routine of Everclear and occasionally grapeseed oil keeps my pipe stems looking like this.



They’ll oxidize where you clench them.

Everclear and a paper towel, followed by grapeseed oil, restores the luster.

 

[OverMountain]

Briar Lee, does this also get the rubber taste out? My Cumberland stem has gotten a plastic/rubber funk after swabbing with the green pipe master stuff.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

You are not fully naked until you pull your socks off

Correct. Once the socks are off however, you are officially “buck naked”.

 

[Briar Lee]

Briar Lee, does this also get the rubber taste out? My Cumberland stem has gotten a plastic/rubber funk after swabbing with the green pipe master stuff.

I can’t ever taste rubber, because I’m physically removing an almost microscopically thin film of oxidation from the stem, which is visible on an Everclear soaked paper towel.

Chemical cleaners must dissolve a bit more rubber, is all I can figure.

 

[Chasing Embers]

My Cumberland stem has gotten a plastic/rubber funk

That sounds like the taste of an oxidized stem.

 

[Al Gore Rhythm]

Rub em with some grundle grease

 

[OverMountain]

I just got my first softee bit. Love the stem feel but it tastes like rubber!

 

[dad-o-nine]

@OverMountain I tried a rubber bit on Vulcanite, and it caused the stem to oxidize really fast.

You could try it out, but be warned, it might oxidize faster using them, depending how long you leave the bit on.

When I’m done smoking a pipe with a vulcanite/cumberland stem, I rub a small amount of Obsidian oil on the stem, and let it either sit half a day or overnight, this long has never given me problems, even though the bottle recommends 30 minutes.

Yes. Even high end vulcanite stems get oxidized from these cheap rubber bit covers and I use obsidian oil after each smoke but these bits still cause instant oxidation. Maybe silicone is better?

 

[PipeIT]

Yes. Even high end vulcanite stems get oxidized from these cheap rubber bit covers and I use obsidian oil after each smoke but these bits still cause instant oxidation. Maybe silicone is better?

It just depends on the quality of the vulcanite/cumberland etc...

I’ve used rubber bits on a few pipes, where it didn’t cause this. I also put a little Obsidian oil on, to protect and make it easier to put the bits on and take them off.

 

[georged]

Something worth mentioning when "maintenance methods" are discussed:

The reason different people get different results, regardless of their method, is because vulcanite is all over the map. There are varying qualities of the stuff---MANY of them when old pipes are in play---and each formulation reacts / bahaves differently to use, storage, abuse, etc.

Put another way, saying "vulcanite" is like saying "wood". It depends on what KIND of wood when behaviors are measured. (The different characteristics aren't as extreme as wood, but you get the idea.)

The obvious gotcha being that vulcanite quality can't be seen at a glance the way different woods can. Suppliers and recipes/quality aren't (necessarily) consistent over time within the same pipe brand.

 

[hoipolloiglasgow]

If you keep those rubber bits on your pipe long enough, oxidation will occur where the bit was seated. It's good to remove them after smoking and wash your saliva off of them and wipe your stem off. I just wipe my stems with my shirt most of the time and maybe once a week or so, I'll use obsidian oil.

 

[dad-o-nine]

Something worth mentioning when "maintenance methods" are discussed:

The reason different people get different results, regardless of their method, is because vulcanite is all over the map. There are varying qualities of the stuff---MANY of them when old pipes are in play---and each formulation reacts / bahaves differently to use, storage, abuse, etc.

Put another way, saying "vulcanite" is like saying "wood". It depends on what KIND of wood when behaviors are measured. (The different characteristics aren't as extreme as wood, but you get the idea.)

The obvious gotcha being that vulcanite quality can't be seen at a glance the way different woods can. Suppliers and recipes/quality aren't (necessarily) consistent over time within the same pipe brand.

 

[dad-o-nine]

Thanks for the reply - the shadowing on the bit - only under the rubber bit piece- is on a Lasse Skovgaard, a Dunhill and a Mike Bay - should be some pretty high quality vulcanite there.