Cleaning a Pipe

so you have found a lot of different things, most of which have very different purposes...it seems like what you want is some way to make your pipe bowls shiny again...now before I say anything about what you want to use...I think it is best to cover why they are no longer shiny...Your pipes were finished with carnuba wax (which is the prefered finish as far as most people are concerned)...carnuba wax is used because of several properties, one it is very hard, which will cause it to come to a very high shine when it is buffed...and two, it has a very high (for wax) melting temperaure, which helps it stay hard even when the pipe heats due to smoking and handling.  Even though carnuba is very good...it is not very permanent.  I have heard (in this I mean read posts from) several people who complained about how fast pipes shine evaporates at pipe shows...where a lot of poeple are handling them.  So pipes are waxed and the wax wears off eventually.  Unfortunately, carnuba is very difficult to use without a buffing wheel.  The very characteristics that make it a good finish make it very hard to apply.  Enter polishing products (like the Denicare pipe cloth that you mentioned).  There are many products available to polish pipes.  Unfortunately, I have yet to be satisfied with anything but buffing in carnuba.  I think that the best result that I have seen with anything apart from that has been from using Paragon Wax.  The creators say it is theoretically better than carnuba, if used correctly...well I don't believe it...but I have had passable results from its use.  It is available at finepipes.com or they usually have some for sale on ebay.  I have not used the pipe cloth that you mentioned, but I would give it a try...if they arent too expensive.  I might caution you not to use it too much, as I have heard that pipe cloths like that can create build-up that is undesireable...I have never used one often enough...as I headed these warnings before I could experience the problem firsthand.  The other thing that might help your pipes...is to keep a rag of soft cotton...like a square from an old undershirt...and after you smoke your pipe...give it a nice quick rub.  This will remove the oils from your hand, and it shine the surface slightly.  Doing this has kept my pipes shinier for longer...anyway...those are my two cents...it will be interesting to see what other people do to keep their pipes shiny...though I also know that there is a school of thought that likes the patina that develps...
Cheers,
Josh

Rob, if you have the space, and most people do, get yourself a buffer.  Many here can advise you how to use it, and there is at least one post I made over on the maintenence are that describes a beginning approach.  That is the best way to go, and you get a professional finish that is the same as when you first bought your pipes new.

Matt

http://mestonepipes.com

I agree the buffer is the way to go and I plan on getting one. Part of the enjoyment of the pipe is caring for them. My mistake in the post is that it should have been two separate posts: one for the outside and one for the inside. I did some research yesterday and got some of the answers on the diiffernt types of pipe cleaners. Found a FAQ post on VegasSmokes.com that actually recommended olive oil on the stem to shine it up. Had some good information on reaming, pipe cleaning solvents, among other topics. I just want to insure that I am taking proper care of the inside of the pipe as well as the outside.

Thanks for the reponses.

Rob

there are two camps on this issue...some say that if you use olive oil, it can go rancid.  Others swear that they have used it for years without a problem.  I have no idea as I have never used it.  I much prefer to keep a nice coat of carnuba on my stems.  It works very well.  Also, the best way is preventative...stem oxidation is made worse by sunlight and direct contact to oxygen.  Thus, keep your stems out of the light (when not smoking) and keep a good coat of protective wax...and you will have years of use without needing to get rid of oxidation.
Cheers,
Josh

Rob,

I use the following:

Briar pipe wipe,Bee pipe sweetner,Dunhill bowl polish,Brebbia & Dunhill wax impregnated polishing cloths,Simichrome metal poish(for silver bands) and tripoli polishing compound and a buffing wheel (but only on badly mistreated stems).I'll freshen up a hazy or only slightly discoloured stem with Dunhill stem polish...

Best, D.Perry 

The Sherlock Holmes Pipe Club of Boston... "Keeping The Smoking Lamp Lit Since 1989" www.shpcboston.org

I make my own briar wipes using cotton clothes bought from the outrageously overpriced Griot's Garage soaked in Howards Feed n' Wax. I keep these in a zip lock. When a pipe becomes dull, I wipe it down with one of these clothes, let it sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe it off with a clean cotton cloth. Keeps a pretty good shine, though certainly not carnuba quality, for very little effort.