Waxing the Briar

[PiedPiper62]

Hello. Today I received a jar of Paragon wax and Halcyon wax to clean, polish & protect my smooth and rusticated/sandblasted pipes. But, although they didn't come with usage instructions, it's probably a no-brainer: apply a coat of wax, let it dry, then buff with a clean, cotton cloth. Repeat, if necessary, for an extra glossy coat & thorough protection... Does anyone have any personal experience with these waxes and can you offer-up any useful tips, tricks, and techniques that may help me in my endeavors? Thanks & Best, piedpiper62

 

[huffelpuff]

You got the basic idea! Never having used either product I can't help with tips other than to offer this. Treat it like your car. Less is more when it comes to wax, use less wax but more frequently to keep the shine. Try and go heavy on the wax and I'm sure you will end up with a royal mess on your hands. Hope they work well for you.

Jim

 

[Zeno Marx]

As you assumed, let dry for 15 minutes or so, then wipe off. Most of my pipes are craggy, so I use a rubber cement brush (small number of thick, stiff bristles) like this to jab into crevices and apply. Then I use a little natural bristled brush (approximately 2inch x 5inch) to remove from those said crevices. The wax is hard. It can take it.

rubber cement brush:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Rubber_Cement.jpg/300px-Rubber_Cement.jpg

small natural bristle brush:
https://www.gordonbrush.com/horsehairbristlematerial.jpg

 

[riff raff]

I used an old toothbrush on sandblasted or rusticated pipes.

 

[KevinM]

I’ve used the Paragon on both briar and stems. I apply the wax with my fingertips, let it dry, then polish with a washcloth size piece of flannel. Over time, your cloth will be saturated with wax, and will work fine without any pre- wax application. I have those old fashioned horse hair shoe polishing brushes. They work swell on rusticated pipes.