Oxiclean question

[KarlMaldensNose]

I searched around but couldn’t find this info. For those who use oxiclean baths on vulcanite stems, do you dump the dirty bath water after it gets nasty and prepare a fresh bath for the remainder of the soak, or just leave it for the duration?

Also, is there a ratio of powder to water to use? Not sure if the stem can be damaged or discoloured if the concentration is too high. Thanks.


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[PyrateMate]

Aye Jason, I use the oxyclean bath fer the ReserectedPipes I do. The amount used is about a teaspoon to to cups of water. The stem is then left in the water for about 1 hr and then given a thorough rinse in cool water. Once dry then I use sanding sponges on the outside from 1200 to 12000 grit. Wet sand from 1200 to 6000 and then dry sanding the rest. Fer the inside I use Everclear until it come through clean. I've left it in the oxy too long and had to really do a lot to bring it back. The oxy softens the oxidization and makes it easy to remove.

I only use the bath once and then replace it.

[KarlMaldensNose]

Thanks, John. Took your advice on the bath. We don't have access to Everclear in Canada so I used 46% ABV vodka for inside the stem (and shank). As I don't have the appropriate sandpaper on hand, I gave it a temporary hand buff with a beeswax/carnauba/mineral oil blend I use for knife handles, cutting boards and leather sheaths. It's still matte and a bit rough, and the colour isn't appealing, but at least it looks clean and refreshed. I plan on polishing it properly once I find the sanding materials I'm looking for.

I also hand buffed the briar using the aforementioned wax/oil blend. The char and tar on the rim didn't completely clean up with just spit 'n' rub or the wax buffing so I plan on trying some Murphy's Oil Soap or a Magic Eraser when I get around to purchasing them. Lastly, the bowl was reamed and I gave it a salt/alcohol (99% isopropyl) treatment. As I wasn't looking to turn it into a museum piece, I think it turned out well enough for smoking. Here are some before and after shots. FYI this was my first ebay pipe purchase. It is a Medley, which is a GBD sub0brand.

25079726937_3f36cbfd1c_z.jpg 28285816469_754e6d1936_z.jpg

The extensive fills were a surprise but, despite how they look in pics, at least they are smooth. The wax/oil helped darken them so they blend in a bit more.

39052949825_b40b960738_z (1).jpg 25193183397_9d45f761d4_z.jpg

[Hawky454]

Thanks, John. Took your advice on the bath. We don't have access to Everclear in Canada so I used 46% ABV vodka for inside the stem (and shank). As I don't have the appropriate sandpaper on hand, I gave it a temporary hand buff with a beeswax/carnauba/mineral oil blend I use for knife handles, cutting boards and leather sheaths. It's still matte and a bit rough, and the colour isn't appealing, but at least it looks clean and refreshed. I plan on polishing it properly once I find the sanding materials I'm looking for.

I also hand buffed the briar using the aforementioned wax/oil blend. The char and tar on the rim didn't completely clean up with just spit 'n' rub or the wax buffing so I plan on trying some Murphy's Oil Soap or a Magic Eraser when I get around to purchasing them. Lastly, the bowl was reamed and I gave it a salt/alcohol (99% isopropyl) treatment. As I wasn't looking to turn it into a museum piece, I think it turned out well enough for smoking. Here are some before and after shots. FYI this was my first ebay pipe purchase. It is a Medley, which is a GBD sub0brand.

25079726937_3f36cbfd1c_z.jpg 28285816469_754e6d1936_z.jpg

The extensive fills were a surprise but, despite how they look in pics, at least they are smooth. The wax/oil helped darken them so they blend in a bit more.

39052949825_b40b960738_z (1).jpg 25193183397_9d45f761d4_z.jpg

Looking good! I have a couple of Pipes that have some superficial cracks and pits like you have there but they smoke wonderfully. I’m betting that will make a good smoking pipe right. Sometimes the beaters smoke the best.

[KarlMaldensNose]

Looking good! I have a couple of Pipes that have some superficial cracks and pits like you have there but they smoke wonderfully. I’m betting that will make a good smoking pipe right. Sometimes the beaters smoke the best.

Do you ever buy estate pipes and fix them up for yourself? All the pipes you post pics of look new. I’ll be honest, at first it took some getting over my own aversion to smoking someone else’s pipe. So I tend to focus more on sanitizing than on complete aesthetic restoration. It’s more of a financial imperative at this point, though. If I could afford it, I’d certainly be buying all brand new pipes.


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[Piffyr]

So I tend to focus more on sanitizing than on complete aesthetic restoration.

That's the best practice. Any good restoration work will take the same approach when the pipe was acquired from someone else. Cleaning and sanitizing is Job #1. All the scratch 'n' dent removal and smooth, shiny surfaces amount to feck all if the pipe is filled on the inside with a decade's worth of someone else's filth. Unfortunately, it's something that's ignored far too often by many sellers of "restored" pipes.

The only time that I don't clean thoroughly is when the pipe is going back to the same owner that was smoking it before it came in. Some clients can be a bit finicky about the "seasoning" of their pipes once they've gotten them exactly how they like them. So, in those cases, it's best to do only as much necessary cleaning as is required by the work.

[Dunstan Hillwell]

That's the best practice.

Indeed.

Unfortunately, it's something that's ignored far too often by many sellers of "restored" pipes.

Probably, but I buy almost all of my second-hand pipes from sellers, whom I know and their pipes are always thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
The pipes I find on flea markets are of course quite another matter. They always need a proper job done on them.

[Hawky454]

Do you ever buy estate pipes and fix them up for yourself? All the pipes you post pics of look new. I’ll be honest, at first it took some getting over my own aversion to smoking someone else’s pipe. So I tend to focus more on sanitizing than on complete aesthetic restoration. It’s more of a financial imperative at this point, though. If I could afford it, I’d certainly be buying all brand new pipes.


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I’ve bought a couple off EBay when I had no idea what I was doing and I got burned everytime. I bought two Savinelli Nonpareil’s and both turned out to have cheap, molded stem replacements but at the time I didn’t know what I was looking for and I though I got a smoking deal. Turns out I didn’t.

I had come by an estate lot of about 75 Pipes from a good friend of the family in 2011 or so. I have been slowly fixing those up for smoking. A lot of my Peterson’s, Charatan’s and St. Regis Pipes came from that lot.