It Wasn't A Smooth Process But We Finished

Описание: After cleaning and de-ghosting my estate pipes, it's time for sanding and polishing. In this video, I'm taking these pipes from rough, oxidized briar to a mirror-shine finish - starting with 330 grit sandpaper, working up to 1200 micromesh, then buffing and applying carnauba wax.

Of course, nothing goes perfectly. The winter storm hit shutting the city down and I got sick. My lathe belt broke, so I had to improvise with a buffing kit from Northern Tool. To top it off the makers mark in the Pipe Maker pipe fill out. But we got there in the end.

This is my first time doing any of this, so you're watching me figure it out in real-time - including the mistakes and the problem-solving.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:03 - Starting with 330 grit sandpaper
2:47 - Switching to micromesh
8:10 - The lathe belt breaks (of course)
9:04 - Plan B: Northern Tool buffing kit
10:46 - Somethings Missing
15:04 - White Diamond
15:15 - Final Thoughts
16:23 - Side-by-Side Before and After

SANDING & POLISHING PROCESS

SANDING PROGRESSION:
Started with 330 grit sandpaper (removing oxidation and surface imperfections)
Finished sanding with 1200 grit (final smoothing)
Transitioned to 1800 micromesh (ultra-fine finishing)

POLISHING & BUFFING:
Original plan: Use lathe for buffing (belt broke mid-process)
Backup plan: Northern Tool buffing kit (handheld buffer)
Applied carnauba wax for protection and shine
Final buff to mirror finish

WHY THIS PROGRESSION MATTERS:
Each grit level removes scratches from the previous grit. Skipping steps leaves visible scratch marks. Patience here = better final result.

I'm documenting every step as a total beginner - the wins, the setbacks, the improvisation. When my lathe belt broke, I didn't edit it out. When I made mistakes sanding, you saw them. This is real learning in public.

If you've polished pipes before, drop your tips in the comments. What grit progression do you use? Carnauba wax or other finishes? How do you avoid common mistakes?

And if you're learning alongside me, subscribe so you catch the final steps of this restoration.

The before/after at the end of this video made all the hours of sanding worth it.

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FOLLOW THE JOURNEY
YouTube: @BriarAndStem
Instagram: @briarstem
TikTok: @briarstem