Paragon Wax for the Pipe

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PARAGON™ WAXfor the PipeParagon (par·a·gon)--noun: A model of excellence or perfection of a kind, as in "a paragon of virtue"Fine Pipes International is please to present Paragon Wax™, our next generation polishing product. Paragon is designed to give a professional level shine without a buffing wheel. A special blend of microcrystalline and natural waxes, it has a melting point that is 36% higher than carnauba, and is 30% harder. As a result, it gives a brilliant, long lasting shine that is highly resistant to heat, finger prints, acid and moisture, and inhibits oxidation of the stem. Paragon is designed for use on smooth pipes and stems, as well as silver, gold, bone and other smooth materials. However, it is so hard we do not recommend it for sandblasted or rusticated bowls. For these, Halcyon II remains the product of choice, and gives great results.We developed Paragon in response to the feedback we received from our original Halcyon customers. They reported that while Halcyon gave a great finish on pipes and stems, carnauba applied with a buffing wheel provided a harder, longer lasting shine on smooth pipes. We began to investigate the physical chemistry of these waxes and soon realized why: carnauba is almost 9% harder than the waxes we were using in Halcyon II. Moreover, it is very viscous, so when applied on the wheel, it tends to fill in the tiny scratches and surface irregularities inevitably found on smooth surfaces, even after careful sanding and buffing.So we began to develop a new blend, one that could be applied and polished by hand like Halcyon and had great temperature resistance, but provided a shine that was more brilliant and longer lasting than carnauba. We first discovered a "super" microcrystalline wax with very high molecular weight that was five times harder than carnauba, and had a melting point that was 100% higher. After much experimentation and blending with different solvents and natural waxes, we arrived at the current formulation for Paragon.Its melting point is 228 degree F., 36% higher than carnauba alone and 11% higher than Halcyon II. It forms a thin, flexible yet tough coating on the surface of the wood, a coating that is nearly 30% harder than carnauba. Thus it resists abrasion from handling, repels moisture, and is far more effective in preventing oxidation, especially important for stems. It gives a deep, rich shine that is equal or superior to carnauba without a buffing wheel. It can be used on any smooth surface, including marble, steel, silver, ivory, meerschaum, glass, plastic, etc. However, because of its unusual hardness, it is not appropriate for leather or other textured materials, nor for sandblasted or rusticated pipes. For these, we continue to recommend Halcyon II .Paragon is quite thick at room temperature, and should be applied with a soft cloth in small quantities. Shortly after application it will form a haze over the surface. At that point, it should be polished with a soft, lint free cloth (a microfiber polishing cloth is ideal but an old T-shirt works fine) to bring out a brilliant shine. Additional applications improve the shine and provide greater protection. A clean buffing wheel turning at slow speeds may be used as well, as long as it has not been used for any other wax, and is followed by hand polishing with a cloth.Paragon is supplied in a 1-oz flint glass jar, sufficient for scores of pipes.Here is an example of Paragon at work, as applied to a handsome pre-War Loewe Liverpool and polished entirely by hand: read more

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