What do you use to shine up your pipes?

[desertpiper]

Shine or protect? I don't think any wax really "shines" up a briar pipe as much as it protects the acquired shine. A little white diamond on a buffing wheel really brings up the shine, than a layer or two of carnuba over that protects it. My thought process anyway.

Where can you buy white diamond polishing compound?

 

[jamist]

I keep my options open. Halcyon II does a nice job, but I try not to use it a lot. I've got a nice Harbor Freight buffer ($40) that I use for my restoring work. I keep one wheel charged with Carnauba, and it does a dandy job. But for day-to-day use, I just wipe my pipe off with a microfiber cloth after smoking it. Seems to do the job for me. I'll buff occasionally if I think the bowl is starting to look cloudy, starting off with White Diamond first to clear it, and then a quick new application of carnauba. But if I do that once a year, that would be a lot.

Is Briar Pipe Wipe still around? I thought they went out of business.

Jim D.

 

[jamist]

Shine or protect? I don't think any wax really "shines" up a briar pipe as much as it protects the acquired shine. A little white diamond on a buffing wheel really brings up the shine, than a layer or two of carnuba over that protects it. My thought process anyway.

Where can you buy white diamond polishing compound?

Amazon sells it - buy a 8oz or one pound block and you'll never ever need to buy more. You can by Tripoli, Red Rouge, and Carnauba wax from them too.

Jim D.

 

[deyo67]

I use Paragon Wax on my smooth finish pipes, and Halcyon II on the rusticated ones. I do not have a buffer so this is all done by hand. Nice products.

 

[CipsterX]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a microfiber rag and they shine up great!

 

[Brewdude]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a microfiber rag and they shine up great!

Interesting. I'll have to try that! Thanks for the tip Cipster.


Cheers,

RR

 

[rothnh]

I stopped using olive oil years ago as it can go rancid, especially in hot, humid climes.

I've been using food grade mineral oil, sparingly, for years -- it's easy to find, inexpensive, flavor neutral, and provides great results. Works great on butcher block too   

 

[RDPipes]

I use Paragon wax on my stems and Caranuba wax on all my stummels applying with a buffer.
You won't find better results.  

 

[Brewdude]

I stopped using olive oil years ago as it can go rancid, especially in hot, humid climes.

I've been using food grade mineral oil, sparingly, for years -- it's easy to find, inexpensive, flavor neutral, and provides great results.  Works great on butcher block too     

So did you actually have this experience roth? Seems to me a light application and buffing would be pretty begin as far as that is concerned.

OTOH Mineral oil might be a good alternative, since as you say it's neutral. I always have some of that on hand.

There again I seldom shine up my smooth pipes, so perhaps this is a non-issue for me!



Cheers,

RR

 

[rothnh]

 


So did you actually have this experience Roth? Seems to me a light application and buffing would be pretty begin as far as that is concerned.

OTOH Mineral oil might be a good alternative, since as you say it's neutral. I always have some of that on hand.

There again I seldom shine up my smooth pipes, so perhaps this is a non-issue for me!



Cheers,

RR

Yes, while in the military. After a good cleaning, I first swtiched over to the Boos Butcher Block Oil, which we were already using in the kitchen, but my wife switched over to the food grade mineral oil, and I found the mineral oil worked just as well on my pipes, if not better, and it costs a lot less.

I use Obsidian Oil on my rubber stems now, but a drop of the mineral oil works well for certain other pipe applications.

 

[Brewdude]

 


So did you actually have this experience Roth? Seems to me a light application and buffing would be pretty begin as far as that is concerned.

OTOH Mineral oil might be a good alternative, since as you say it's neutral. I always have some of that on hand.

There again I seldom shine up my smooth pipes, so perhaps this is a non-issue for me!



Cheers,

RR

Yes, while in the military.  After a good cleaning, I first swtiched over to the Boos Butcher Block Oil, which we were already using in the kitchen, but my wife switched over to the food grade mineral oil, and I found the mineral oil worked just as well on my pipes, if not better, and it costs a lot less.

I use Obsidian Oil on my rubber stems now, but a drop of the mineral oil works well for certain other pipe applications.

I'll give the Mineral oil a try then since I have it on hand. I also have had much success with Obsidian Oil on my Vulcanite stems, after removing the oxidation first.

Cheers,

RR

 

[KevinM]

I've often wondered if obsidian oil is just repurposed mineral oil.

Mineral oil is an anti-oxidant used on high-end cutlery. I also apply it to vulcanite stems. All I do is put the smallest dab on my fingertip and rub it on the stem. I then let it sit for, oh, quite a few hours, and then rub it in some more. Sometimes repeat a third time. (But not adding more mineral oil after the first app.) Eventually, the stem takes on a nice gloss. After the oil is no longer wet and slick, you can wax the stem, I've found. I also sometimes run just a little mineral oil through the stem with a pipe cleaner.

As a practical matter, badly oxidized stems must be sanded before applying mineral oil. You can't polish oxidation, try though you might.

Some pipers argue that a vulcanite stem doesn't absorb mineral oil, but my fingertip does. I can't say they're absolutely wrong. I'm just reporting on what I do / how it works for me. Take it or leave it.

 

[Dramatwist]

Forehead grease.   *shrug*  

This plus the side of one's nose with a final polish/wipe with an old 12" square cut from a flannel shirt years ago. Once in awhile maybe a wheel polish when an opportunity presents itself.  

This is the way I roll...

 

[ravkesef]

Kevinm said:   Kevin is on target--while the vulcanite doesn't absorb the oil, it is sufficiently porous for the oil to "slip between the cracks," thereby impregnating the pores and other surface imperfections in the vulcanite, and so when it is shined up a while later, the vulcanite has a smooth and shiny appearance. I don't know what the chemical composition of Obsidian oil is, since they're not telling, but I would guess that olive oil and mineral oil form a significant portion of its constituent elements, perhaps castor oil, perhaps a few other things. However, tests have shown that on lightly oxidized pipes, the obsidian oil will over time act to reduce or even remove the oxidation.  My own experience, anecdotal though it may be, is that since Obsidian oil came on the market, my stems do look better than they did in the "good old days." Perhaps it's because I am more fastidious in applying the oil than I previously did with olive oil.

 

[Maynard58]

Olive Oil.

 

[Bullwinkle]

 

[KevinM]

The original question had to do with spiffing up the bowl of a smooth pipe. Like many of you, I use on smooth pipes a piece of flannel cloth that over the years has become impregnated with wax. But here's a bit of serendipity for you -- I shined a pair of brown shoes the other day and, afterward, wanted a nice smoke. Afterward, lacking the ambition to climb upstairs and get my flannel cloth, I gave my smooth briar a once over with the polishing cloth I used on my shoes. It's once of those rugged cotton cloths that looks like a stretched rectangle. Wow! The pipe gleamed! Then, remembering some scratches on an estate pipe I recently acquired, I applied a dab of brown shoe polish to the wounds with a Q-tip, let it dry and buffed it lightly. Success, again! Maybe all of you already know this trick, and I haven't been paying attention. FWIW.

 

[kaitlyn3837]

I use my buffing wheel with tripoli on one pad and then carnuba on the other. But I haven't had/kept any pipes long enough to need to re-buff them. Most of the pipes I buff are refurbs that I sell instead of keep. This thread gave me some good ideas though!

I have a pipe refurbishing friend who does use shoe stain/polish to stain his pipes sometimes too, so that's another idea for pipes!

 

[Stick]

I'm still trying to source some nose oil.  Every time I go into a BM and ask I'm usually met with a smile and a shrug. :scratch:

 

[user 2031]

The original question had to do with spiffing up the bowl of a smooth pipe. Like many of you, I use on smooth pipes a piece of flannel cloth that over the years has become impregnated with wax. But here's a bit of serendipity for you -- I shined a pair of brown shoes the other day and, afterward, wanted a nice smoke. Afterward, lacking the ambition to climb upstairs and get my flannel cloth, I gave my smooth briar a once over with the polishing cloth I used on my shoes. It's once of those rugged cotton cloths that looks like a stretched rectangle. Wow! The pipe gleamed! Then, remembering some scratches on an estate pipe I recently acquired, I applied a dab of brown shoe polish to the wounds with a Q-tip, let it dry and buffed it lightly. Success, again! Maybe all of you already know this trick, and I haven't been paying attention. FWIW.

Works for me. 8)