New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[yachties23]

So I picked up a yello bole from a cigar store that was clearing out their rather small pipe collection. Its brand new, but looks like it had been sitting there for a couple years. Cleaned the briar, and rubbed the inside of the bowl with a paper towel, but I'm having a problem with the stem, its all discolored. Any suggestions on how to remedy this?

[Commander Quan]

Start by cleaning it with a Mr. Clean magic eraser. If that doesn't work you may have to go to some very fine grit sandpaper to clean the oxidized Vulcanite.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by yachties23

...I'm having a problem with the stem, its all discolored. Any suggestions on how to remedy this?

A soak in Clorox does wonders but it will also fur up the finish so it'll need subsequent buffing and polishing - it may also remove inked imprints or, at least, make them VERY white.

Woodworking supply joints sell a very cloth-like fabric backed polishing cloth called Micro Mesh. Wet sanding consecutively with 1500/2400/3600/6000/8000/12000 grits will take the worst looking vulcanite to wet-glass finish. It is pretty quick - maybe 20-30 minutes to hand sand crap into perfection.

If you don't have a LOW (I mean, low) speed buffer with small soft flannel wheels don't bother with a benchgrinder cause they will, sooner or later, tear up a nice pipe - trust me on that; if you have a lathe they can be made into great pipe buffers. After fine wet sanding, buff with Tripoli and finish with White Diamond compound.

Absent powered equipment, you cannot beat a little bleach and Micro Mesh in my opinion. So far.

Latest Micro Mesh job with a little wax to finish (last night):