Zeno Marx
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- Jun 26, 2010
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I use a damp magic eraser too (get one of the new durable ones). I think it is said that they're the equivalent of 1200 or 1500 grit micro-mesh sanding pads. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Really, getting a full set of micro-mesh pads is a good idea if you have a lot of vulcanite stems. A set is around $15 on ebay. I don't have a set, but I'm satisfied with the result of the magic eraser and then hitting it with toothpaste and a cotton cloth (old school white toothpaste, not the gels or with whitening etc). It's amazing how yellow your cloth will get, even when you think you've got most of the sulfur from the rubber compound of vulcanite removed with the magic eraser, which will also turn yellow. I then coat it with a little Halcyon II wax, which is the same wax I use on all my pipes, formulated specifically for rusticated pipes. I think I might shine them up every couple years with toothpaste and cloth. It's not very often, but I'm not fastidious about super-shiny blacky-black stems. Halcyon II wax is no longer available, but I'm told a good replacement wax is Renaissance Wax, which is the wax they use at museums. When I run out, that's probably what I'll try. I feel the various oils and waxes we use act more like a barrier between saliva and the stem than sealants from oxygen, though I'm sure it is acting as that in some capacity too.