This is being re-posted from another section...FYI.
Post 1) I recently traded for an extra large smooth CAO meer in need of a little TLC - for a tin and a half of tobacco and ten bucks! It'll take me an afternoon with a few different sandpapers and a buffing wheel to get it looking like new...and as these beasts go for $125 to $150 new...what's not to like? And, as I reported to my counterpart on the other side of this little deal...she smokes like a dream!!!
Post 2) Update: Started cleaning up the meer yesterday and as is typical got carried away. Started with 320 grit on the rim and took that down to smooth fast (just set out a full sheet on the kitchen table and inverted the rim onto it and rotated it in a circular motion), then 600 - and it's smoothing out nicely. Same proceedure (except paper is set into a sanding block that has a foam backing for softness, and the bottom of the bowl is now free of dings and smooth. The sides of the bowl got a nice smoothing. I'll go over the rest of the pipe today/tomorrow and then start with the really fine grits. It should come out really well, I think.
I have to look up what kind of wax to use on it. I kind of remember beeswax as the item of choice, but I could be wrong. I do know that I need to stay away from a wheel for application, unlike with a briar. Briars need carnuba wax and it HAS to be applied with a buffing wheel which is the only thing that will get the wax hot enough to liquify for transfer to the briar...but a wheel would just cut nice big grooves into the meer I'm thinkin'.
Post 3) This is kind of interesting. After re-finishing the bowl with 600 grit emery paper I was wiping it off the noticed that where I was wiping to get the meer dust off...it was kind of leaving a nice matte finish...finer than the 600 grit did. Hmmm. So I take the towel (which is a rough cotton terry, not one of those soft and smooth towels) and REALLY work at the surface with a fast scrubbing motion. So now I know how they buff the meers in Istanbul (or wherever). They must do it with hard cotton terry towels, cause the surface ended up as smooth and polished as chrome on a bumper! Certain proof that meer is really soft stuff. So now there's only the wax to find out about.
BTW: the 320 grit didn't load...the 600 loaded like crazy and had a short life due to that...the towel, well, loading was not an issue. I was glad I didn't have to go to a finer grit with paper than the 600 cause it would have just clogged up instantly.
Any thoughts on what wax to use out there?
Post 1) I recently traded for an extra large smooth CAO meer in need of a little TLC - for a tin and a half of tobacco and ten bucks! It'll take me an afternoon with a few different sandpapers and a buffing wheel to get it looking like new...and as these beasts go for $125 to $150 new...what's not to like? And, as I reported to my counterpart on the other side of this little deal...she smokes like a dream!!!
Post 2) Update: Started cleaning up the meer yesterday and as is typical got carried away. Started with 320 grit on the rim and took that down to smooth fast (just set out a full sheet on the kitchen table and inverted the rim onto it and rotated it in a circular motion), then 600 - and it's smoothing out nicely. Same proceedure (except paper is set into a sanding block that has a foam backing for softness, and the bottom of the bowl is now free of dings and smooth. The sides of the bowl got a nice smoothing. I'll go over the rest of the pipe today/tomorrow and then start with the really fine grits. It should come out really well, I think.
I have to look up what kind of wax to use on it. I kind of remember beeswax as the item of choice, but I could be wrong. I do know that I need to stay away from a wheel for application, unlike with a briar. Briars need carnuba wax and it HAS to be applied with a buffing wheel which is the only thing that will get the wax hot enough to liquify for transfer to the briar...but a wheel would just cut nice big grooves into the meer I'm thinkin'.
Post 3) This is kind of interesting. After re-finishing the bowl with 600 grit emery paper I was wiping it off the noticed that where I was wiping to get the meer dust off...it was kind of leaving a nice matte finish...finer than the 600 grit did. Hmmm. So I take the towel (which is a rough cotton terry, not one of those soft and smooth towels) and REALLY work at the surface with a fast scrubbing motion. So now I know how they buff the meers in Istanbul (or wherever). They must do it with hard cotton terry towels, cause the surface ended up as smooth and polished as chrome on a bumper! Certain proof that meer is really soft stuff. So now there's only the wax to find out about.
BTW: the 320 grit didn't load...the 600 loaded like crazy and had a short life due to that...the towel, well, loading was not an issue. I was glad I didn't have to go to a finer grit with paper than the 600 cause it would have just clogged up instantly.
Any thoughts on what wax to use out there?
