Olive Oil for stems

[deepbass9]

I've seen lots of posts recommending using olive oil to seal vulcanite to inhibit oxidation. My experience comes from wooden cooking utensils, but I've always been told to use mineral oil (like you get at the drug store...the crap they used to make you eat to puke) as a sealer, as olive oil will turn rancid with time. With no hard facts to back up my opinion, I'd venture to say it doesn't matter what the olive oil is applied to, but rather that it will inherently turn rancid on its own...with time.

So, I seal w/mineral oil. I thought others may want to as well. YMMV.

 

[Kapnismologist]

What about sealing with carnuba wax, or an alternative thereof like Paragon or Renaissance wax?

 

[MisterE]

:affraid: :affraid:

 

[mark]

:affraid: :affraid: :affraid: :affraid: :affraid:

 

[Harlock999]

Kind of a touchy subject around here...

 

[Doc Manhattan]

I think the most non-contentious conclusions on this subject are:

1. Do whatever you like to maintain your own pipes.
2. But don't be surprised if using something that many people advise against turns out, indeed, to be inadvisable.
2a. ...especially when there are other things that everyone agrees are harmless.

 

[deepbass9]

What about sealing with carnuba wax, or an alternative thereof like Paragon or Renaissance wax?

Anything that will seal the pores will help...no knock against olive oil...it does the job (as would motor oil), but can go rotten. I use briar wipe on my pipes and stems when I'm done smoking them and do some mineral oil when I do a deep clean.

Kind of a touchy subject around here...

Just throwing out what I've heard/do....

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Hey, here's a question for the craftsmen and the folks blessed with long pipe smoking careers:

Can carnauba wax go bad? It's vegetable-sourced, so I would guess it eventually will--I guess the better phrasing of this question is, Have you ever seen carnauba wax go bad (in the tin or on a pipe)?

 

[IrishRover]

I am still new to this but, I've used olive oil and haven't noticed any of the stems becoming rancid.. -yet. I didn't know it was a bad idea to use it, until now. What should I replace it with

 

[Airborne]

From an expert’s point of view - not mine, of course - but from Walker Briar Works. The guy’s been in business for decades and does pipe repair for a living among other things. He uses a deoxidizer that his grandfather developed to clean stems and then a carnauba wax to polish and seal them. I use both with amazing results. I've never experienced carnauba wax going bad. Besides, if you're using your pipes at all on a regular basis, the wax won't be on your stems long enough before they'll need a little touch up here and there. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I read somewhere that many pipe makers use carnauba wax both on pipe and stem during the final buffing stage.

Have a great long weekend. Labor Day means the fun and games are over! Oh wait! I'm retired so the fun and games continue on! :cheers:

 

[s.ireland]

You wouldn't need to worry about olive oil or other waxes and oils if you would embrace the LUCITE!

 

[PipeLeisure]

Buffing on coat of carnuba wax is the best way to go...and will last the lonest.