yeah but it won't burn your eyeballs out like oven cleaner.
Well ... I Ruined the Finish on this Grabow
- Thread starter Beowoulf
- Start date
If I’m understanding correctly what is going on in the photo, the lighter lines are wax stuck in the cut crevices, not missing stain/finish; no dye needs to be introduced, just wax to be removed.
Actually...I had the same problem with a cheap rusticated no-name a while back. Whoever applied the finish went a little overboard with the carnauba wax, or whatever it was. The first time I smoked the pipe it got all sticky around the rim from the heat. I decided to remove the finish with sandpaper and smooth out the rustication. After sanding the rustication most of the way down, I gave up on trying to remove the wax from the pits because, A. it wasn't immediately obvious how to go about it; and B. I didn't care that much. I did re-stain it with a chestnut aniline and it looked fine. I mean the stain soaks into the briar and probably gets underneath the wax. The pits were shiny and a little darker than the surface.
Anyway...in retrospect, I probably would have used acetone if I had any handy at the time, and a toothbrush, to scrub away the wax before re-staining the pipe, which ended up in the bin anyway...to make a long story short.
You could try to fix it but, considering how much a new Grabow costs, I would just get a new one and avoid repeating the experience. 
A lot of elbow grease, and maybe some solvent that removes the wax but not the dye. Or just let it be or buy a new pipe.
It seems to me there is too much overkill here. The problem is wax in the grooves ... just remove it with hot water and a toothbrush before trying harsh chemicals, sanding or re-dye. Start simple and work your way up the chain. It you don't want to use hot water try some steam from a tea pot to soften the wax and just wipe off. Or use a shoe brush and brush it off. Like a hedgehog for cleaning the bottom of boots.
A brush will only take a few seconds. I've done it before. Live and learn.
A brush will only take a few seconds. I've done it before. Live and learn.
In the United States today there is one traditional briar pipe factory left, that makes hundreds of thousands of pipes a year, and that is Dr. Grabow, at Sparta North Carolina.
The more expensive Grabows have always been smooth pipes. Carving disguises a multitude of sins in briar.
The stained varnish Grabow places by machine on their pipes comes off easily. I watched Harry Hosterman remove it using a pocket knife as a scraper over fifty years ago. There are lots of ways to get it off.
Somewhere in Sparta is one man who is the master briar selector on the planet earth, the best at his craft there is.
Try keeping 40 people busy making a thousand natural briar products each working day of the entire year.
Each one must be a good smoker.
Under that stain, is a righteous pipe.
Dr Grabow Smoking Pipes, Tobacco Pipe Cleaner Sparta NC
Dr. Grabow smoking pipes, tobacco pipes, pipe filters, and pipe cleaners are made in Sparta, NC. Dr. Grabow is a pipe distributor of Riveria, Royalton and Grand Duke tobacco pipes and freehand smoking pipes.
www.drgrabow.net
The more expensive Grabows have always been smooth pipes. Carving disguises a multitude of sins in briar.
The stained varnish Grabow places by machine on their pipes comes off easily. I watched Harry Hosterman remove it using a pocket knife as a scraper over fifty years ago. There are lots of ways to get it off.
Somewhere in Sparta is one man who is the master briar selector on the planet earth, the best at his craft there is.
Try keeping 40 people busy making a thousand natural briar products each working day of the entire year.
Each one must be a good smoker.
Under that stain, is a righteous pipe.
Renaissance wax will reheat easily, a hair drier and a soft thick towel with lots of nap should do the trick.
Or, just smoke it. The heat from the bowl will remelt it also. Renaissance was will melt at body temperature.
Or, just smoke it. The heat from the bowl will remelt it also. Renaissance was will melt at body temperature.
Always worked for me. Think I used a Zippo. Heat and wipe. Or brush. It's just f***ing wax.
Thanks so much for all the advice! I decided to start with the easiest recommendations and move up the line in difficulty. The first thing I tried was simply brushing it with the soft toothbrush .. and it worked! Didn't require much elbow grease either! Have a look at the new, and shiny, Dr. Grabow:
Congrats on the quick and easy fix! Here's a tip on how to avoid this in future when you want to renew the shine:
Do not use a cloth. Put a TINY amount of Renaissance (I use Halcyon) on the palm of your hand and spread it on both palms. Let it set up for 30 seconds to a minute then take the pipe and rub it in the palms of your hands. You won't get any residue in the recesses and you will get a much higher gloss than you get with a cloth. Works like a charm.
Do not use a cloth. Put a TINY amount of Renaissance (I use Halcyon) on the palm of your hand and spread it on both palms. Let it set up for 30 seconds to a minute then take the pipe and rub it in the palms of your hands. You won't get any residue in the recesses and you will get a much higher gloss than you get with a cloth. Works like a charm.
I've got that exact same pipe. It was left to me by my Uncle who used to sleep on the porch with his pipe in his clench. He would wear a hole in all of his stems with his eye teeth, so that he could better grip the pipe while sleeping. He would smoke a pipe till it was caked up and then throw it away, and the Starfire that I have was his last one before he passed. I keep it in a drawer along with some of my other treasured pipes.
Glad you got that sorted out. I knew it wasn't messed up.
Leave what alone? The pipe with the stain-colored wax stuck in it or the cleaned up version? I much prefer the cleaned up one. The wax-encumbered one made me cringe. It was just not made to look like that. It just screamed MISTAKE to me!
Again, thanks for all the help you guys and gals!
If my wife saw me rubbing Renaissance into my palms she would immediately assume I am surfing porn.
Aw, you 'fixed' it. Yes, you may have thought it screamed 'mistake', and it may have made you cringe. But the only thing that really matters is what I think.