For the final finish of a vulcanite stem, which looks better, a shiny mirror polish or a slightly satin finish?
Regards,
Frank.
Vulcanite Stem Final Polish. Mirror or Satin Finish?
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MikeStanley
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LexKY_Pipe
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alexanderfrese
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Didn't we discuss the impossibilty of making a somewhat satin looking finish on a stem? I stil would be very intersted in some hints on that, since I feel, it might match a satin finished pipe much better that a glossy one.
Though I still believe it is impossible to do, since the slightest tooth mark would even the surface roughness that makes the satin finish, so a matte stem would always look ugly on the mouthpiece end. Even way earlier than the usual degrading of a stem…
Though I still believe it is impossible to do, since the slightest tooth mark would even the surface roughness that makes the satin finish, so a matte stem would always look ugly on the mouthpiece end. Even way earlier than the usual degrading of a stem…
Alexander Frese
www.quarum.de
www.quarum.de
@Alex
In order to get a slight satin finish I use a coarse buffing compound. I'm not sure what grit, but it's black for use on metal, at the buffing stage prior to green or white tripoli finish. The black compound isn't a problem if you're buffing black stems, but never use it on your briar buffing wheel or you'll have a grungy grey briar pipe. Use a separate wheel.
Anyway, I use this compound on a sisal buffing wheel, which gives a slight satin finish.
Regards,
Frank.
In order to get a slight satin finish I use a coarse buffing compound. I'm not sure what grit, but it's black for use on metal, at the buffing stage prior to green or white tripoli finish. The black compound isn't a problem if you're buffing black stems, but never use it on your briar buffing wheel or you'll have a grungy grey briar pipe. Use a separate wheel.
Anyway, I use this compound on a sisal buffing wheel, which gives a slight satin finish.
Regards,
Frank.
@Steve
A photo of what? Satin finish stem?
I tried, but the photo came out lousy because my lighting sucks. I'll try again tomorrow with a better lighting setup.
I will probably go with a shiny finish, myself, but the sisal wheel works pretty well for removing oxidation from old stems.
Regards,
Frank.
A photo of what? Satin finish stem?
I tried, but the photo came out lousy because my lighting sucks. I'll try again tomorrow with a better lighting setup.
I will probably go with a shiny finish, myself, but the sisal wheel works pretty well for removing oxidation from old stems.
Regards,
Frank.
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alexanderfrese
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Getting glossy finish to a beautiful impression on Photo seems easy, but is kind of hard to do. To get the right impression of a matte finish is a real challenge…
Frank, do you have some long time experience with the stems as far as the problem of my earlier posting is concerned?
Frank, do you have some long time experience with the stems as far as the problem of my earlier posting is concerned?
Alexander Frese
www.quarum.de
www.quarum.de
@Alex
The short answer to your question is, no.
I'm a newbie to the pipe making thing, but I'm doing things back-assward (as the Yanks say). Sort of like taking an engine apart in reverse order to see how it was put together.
Rather than mess up a good piece of briar, I'm practicing on cheap ebay estate pipes. I started off buffing the pipes, removing excess stain to bring out the underlying grain, widening draft holes, etc.
Now I'm sanding down the old pipes to bare wood and restaining.
My knowledge of buffing and metal work comes from my experience of knife making, albeit mostly self taught.
At this stage I must say a big Thank You to all the experienced pipe makers for the knowledge I have aquired from this forum. Some of it is even applicable to my knife making, which I was not even aware of heretofore.
Regards,
Frank.
The short answer to your question is, no.
I'm a newbie to the pipe making thing, but I'm doing things back-assward (as the Yanks say). Sort of like taking an engine apart in reverse order to see how it was put together.
Rather than mess up a good piece of briar, I'm practicing on cheap ebay estate pipes. I started off buffing the pipes, removing excess stain to bring out the underlying grain, widening draft holes, etc.
Now I'm sanding down the old pipes to bare wood and restaining.
My knowledge of buffing and metal work comes from my experience of knife making, albeit mostly self taught.
At this stage I must say a big Thank You to all the experienced pipe makers for the knowledge I have aquired from this forum. Some of it is even applicable to my knife making, which I was not even aware of heretofore.
Regards,
Frank.
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alexanderfrese
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Frank,
in fact I am mostly acting back-assward, too. All in all exactly the way you do or did. Leave out the knive-making.
Fuzzing round with estates is a rather good way of training, though I noted, that staining is a little different. Seems to me that used briar is always considerably darker than new. I am rather sure, that I sanded off all staining and all outside gunk on some test bowls, but restaining those always leads to a darker, less contrast stain in the end.
To get back on topic: I am really interestted in semi-matte stem finish. But as I said: It might be impossible: Something semi-matte has to be "rough" to some very little extent. And that roughness would be easy to be "polished" flat simply by use. The more, the higher the pressure – which is sort of high on the mouthpiece end.
in fact I am mostly acting back-assward, too. All in all exactly the way you do or did. Leave out the knive-making.
Fuzzing round with estates is a rather good way of training, though I noted, that staining is a little different. Seems to me that used briar is always considerably darker than new. I am rather sure, that I sanded off all staining and all outside gunk on some test bowls, but restaining those always leads to a darker, less contrast stain in the end.
To get back on topic: I am really interestted in semi-matte stem finish. But as I said: It might be impossible: Something semi-matte has to be "rough" to some very little extent. And that roughness would be easy to be "polished" flat simply by use. The more, the higher the pressure – which is sort of high on the mouthpiece end.
Alexander Frese
www.quarum.de
www.quarum.de
After reading this thread, I wanted to bring it back alive again to propose my way of satin vs glossy. I don't want to limit myself yet into saying a glossy or satin finish will suffice. I really believe it will depend on the pipe and/or customer.
In short, Micro Mesh. It's an awesome rubber backed, very flexible sandpaper. It's really no different than buffing with wheels but you have 9 grades of coursness to choose starting from 1500 and ending with 12000. I polish to 12000 on every piece and then go back to a lower grade to get the satin finish. Completing the entire process first of all 9 pads imho is essential to a beautiful finish.
I don't generally endorse sellers either but I will say there is only one vendor I have seen on eBay selling Micro Mesh and for a much cheaper price than can be had on a retail internet site. This seller says you can polish 40-50 pens with each set but with proper care, I am on 200+ pens I have polished with one set. :thumb: This stuff will polish acrylics to a glass shine with no other polish needed and the shine will last for years with little or no care.
In short, Micro Mesh. It's an awesome rubber backed, very flexible sandpaper. It's really no different than buffing with wheels but you have 9 grades of coursness to choose starting from 1500 and ending with 12000. I polish to 12000 on every piece and then go back to a lower grade to get the satin finish. Completing the entire process first of all 9 pads imho is essential to a beautiful finish.
I don't generally endorse sellers either but I will say there is only one vendor I have seen on eBay selling Micro Mesh and for a much cheaper price than can be had on a retail internet site. This seller says you can polish 40-50 pens with each set but with proper care, I am on 200+ pens I have polished with one set. :thumb: This stuff will polish acrylics to a glass shine with no other polish needed and the shine will last for years with little or no care.
Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they're yours. - Richard Bach, "Illusions"
There might be a couple potential problems with matte finish stems. One is the most obvious, is there a market for them? Ok, I'm sure there are some buyers out there that might be receptive to a matte finish, but I think the majority of buyers will think that the pipe is "unfinished". Kind of goes along with Tylers post on aesthetics. The norm or standard these days is for a mirror finish. So the market might be small for matte finish and maybe not worth doing, depending on how well the maker wants the pipes to sell.
The other problem I see that might occur is an accellerated rate of oxidation. A matte finish is basically a bunch of small scratches on the surface. A mirror finish will have very small scratches, but a matte will be larger scratchs, and more of them. Scratches means increased surface area, and more surface means more chance for oxidation to occur. I don't know if this is the case or not, but theoretically sounds right.
Anyway, I'll stick to as close to mirror finish as I can get!
David
The other problem I see that might occur is an accellerated rate of oxidation. A matte finish is basically a bunch of small scratches on the surface. A mirror finish will have very small scratches, but a matte will be larger scratchs, and more of them. Scratches means increased surface area, and more surface means more chance for oxidation to occur. I don't know if this is the case or not, but theoretically sounds right.
Anyway, I'll stick to as close to mirror finish as I can get!
David
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alexanderfrese
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I still find the idea of a matte stem finish – depending on or well balanced to a given wood finish – very attractive. But (I think I said this before) I see another problem arising. Matte finish means a rough surface. Putting any mechanical pressure in small araes to a somewhat soft material will reduce this roughness over time and make it look glossier than the other areas. So a matte stem will have shiny teethmarks before they deepen themselves into the material.
Alexander Frese
www.quarum.de
www.quarum.de
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alexanderfrese
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Josh,
nothing satisfactory so far. Though I did not really try hard. I am moving in three weeks, so my head is full of everything but my pipe work…
nothing satisfactory so far. Though I did not really try hard. I am moving in three weeks, so my head is full of everything but my pipe work…
Alexander Frese
www.quarum.de
www.quarum.de
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alexanderfrese
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There were days I used to enjoy the feeling of stepping into something new. I feel sort of neutral this time. I don't want to think of any moving after that one ahead. Might be the last time I don't dislike it.
And it's only a typical German move. No 800 miles across three state borders. In fact it's only 8km within the same town. No new job, just a better place to live.
Aah, I wish it was February, and all been done…
And it's only a typical German move. No 800 miles across three state borders. In fact it's only 8km within the same town. No new job, just a better place to live.
Aah, I wish it was February, and all been done…
Alexander Frese
www.quarum.de
www.quarum.de